And you call this summer vacation?

Edited:  Of course I made a typo....so I found out that I missed a key word in my description of our trip...see below in red to find out the missing link.  Thanks Gram for pointing it out to me....it makes much more sense now when you read it!  :)

Some people call this time of year summer vacation...however, I prefer summer CHAOS!

Don't get me wrong...I am being somewhat sarcastic because we have been so busy without a minute to stop and enjoy summer vacation....but I still love the summertime and all that goes with it!

I am back and will be back to blogging after this evenings events.

For those of you wondering where I have been...

We spent last week in Indiana with family and were there for my brother's wedding.  And yes, we were there amongst all the rain and severe flooding...we were without power for 36 hours at one point.  Humorous at times and very nerve wracking at times....like when your brother is getting married and you have no electricity to get ten people ready for pictures!!!!

If you haven't heard about the severe flooding and disasters in the Midwest....go to this link and take a look at the pictures of the flooding.  There are hundreds of pictures that show southern Indiana and the devastation there.  We are very lucky that it was just the power and re-routing that we had to do for the week we were there.  Many others have had total loss and are really struggling right now.  I will share more stories and pictures of what we saw later on.

We got home very late Sunday night and have had Vacation Bible School every night this week.  I don't think we have been home before 10:30 any night this week. 

So, I said all this to say....

I have tons of awesome pictures and stories to share about the wedding and some other events that are happening with our family!  Stay tuned!

Here is just a preview of what is to come:

 

 

Y'all have a great Thursday and be sure to check back for Thursday Thirteen....of course it may be 11:59 before I type that post!!!  :)

'Cause it's not who you knew and it's not what you did....it's how you lived...

I have been listening to this song most of the day yesterday and even this morning.  I can't seem to hear it enough!  I LOVE an awesome song that really makes you stop and reflect and think about the important things in life.  This song is certainly becoming one of the top songs on my list.  In fact, yesterday Kennedy said...."Mama, please stop singing that song."

If you have been a follower of my blog...or just for those of you who know me well...know that I am a push-over for a great song with awesome lyrics!  I just really like songs that help me to stop, breath, and think.  I know there are some people who find it too hard to listen to tear jerking, emotional, cut you to the core songs...and I am still that way sometimes.  I can cry with the best of you...but most of the time I can listen to favorites and really start to see things more clearly....especially when the storms of life come.

So everyone....enjoy today and thank God for every blessing in your life...and oh yeah.  don't forget to TURN UP THE MUSIC!

Family Fun with the Flip...

I had some errands to run last night and several things to mark off my TO DO list...so I set out to meet Shane after work with the intentions of only being gone for a short time and then back home to tackle Mt. Washmore.  However, my plans didn't happen exactly as I had planned....but I am not complaining.  We spent some quality time as a family and we all had a blast being together and just having some fun!

So you are probably asking yourself....what is tis post about?  This is boring....or where does the family fun with the flip come into play?  So here you go...

After our little excursion to the mall and to Hobby Lobby....we decided to grab a bite to eat.   While we were there sitting around the table eating and talking....Parker started being silly!  Imagine that?  So I pulled out this little number  and started capturing our family fun and Parker's silliness.

I was a little skeptical about how the quality of the videos would be and didn't know for sure if it was worth the money.  So I decided I would try it out and let my "Techy" husband take a look and get his opinion and if it didn't work well or the quality was poor...I had every intention to return it to the store.

Let me just say that THE FLIP will not be going back to the store.  It has a new permanent home in my bag!  I wanted something that had great quality video and sound and was light weight and easy to carry....so that I didn't have to carry around our honking big video camera when were were out doing stuff.  This little camera works great is about the size of a cell phone.  So far I have loved everything about it!  Go to the above linked website to find out more info about THE FLIP! 

Here is the thing I like the most....since I have had it ..... I have taken about 25 videos of things going on with us and the kids.  All of these memories that I have captured would not have been recorded without The Flip!  I never carry our big video camera around, but with this I can just reach in my bag pull it out and start recording!  I can't say enough about how much I love this camera!

Here is another thing...this device is a plug and play sort of thing.  It is a built in USB and you literally just plug it into your desktop/laptop and it does all the work for you!

So in my last post I told you I was trying to figure out how the best way to show video in my blog...well, I think I have it nailed down now.   Here is a clip from last night...enjoy! 
Oh, and just ignore my dorky sounding voice and all the silly noises from the girls.....:)  And one last thing...on this upload of the video...it looks a little grainy...but I think that has to do with uploading it to You Tube...because on my laptop straight from the camera...it is crystal clear.

Just a test....

I am trying to figure out the best way to load video clips to my blog.  I have a friend who sent this to me on Mother's Day and I think it is hilarious....so I thought I would share it with you all...and it certainly describes some of what I have been saying around here for the last couple of days.... :)    I am going to be messing around with some settings and trying to put clips on the blog over the next few days....so give me some feedback about how they are showing up in your browser.  I am having a little trouble getting mine to look right.  I think I just about have it nailed down.....the banner is a little off center....but I can fix that pretty simply if that is all that is off...
Enjoy! 

Thursday Thirteen

I read several different blogs and I have seen something similar to this done each week.  I thought to myself what an easy way to highlight some things that are going on with our family and share a few pictures.   So, here it goes....the first installation of Thursday Thirteen!  These are very random...but you get the idea.

 

1. I finally got a picture of Kennedy with her banjo!  Her Gram and Pap had this made for her the last time we were up there!  And she gets teased about it all the time....but a girl can't go to Alabama without a banjo on her knee.....can she?  (I will post more about the banjo at a later date....very cute story)
2. Mallory is officially out of school!  Yesterday was award's day and I am so proud of her!  She received A Honor roll award for maintaining an "A" average in every subject all year long!  Go Mallory!
3. Shane and Gaga (his dad) are out installing a new water heater as I type this.  Ours sprung a leak and it was finally time to upgrade.
4. I have 27 items listed on my "To Do List"....oh and sure....I am gonna to get them all accomplished by bedtime tonight.  :)
5. My brother is getting married next Saturday and I can hardly believe that he is finally going to tie the knot! 
6. Our soccer season (for two kiddos) is over until fall and Kennedy's dance recital will be June 13th and then we will take a break from that also until fall.
7. We are going to Poughkeepsie, NY in less than a month and we are so excited about it....now I just hope that I can get everything accomplished by time to leave. 
8. Finally have my hummingbird feeders hanging and my flowers all done out front.  LOVE this time of the year!  I will try to remember to take a picture and share.  The flowers are beautiful right now.
9. Kennedy will start kindergarten in a little over two months!  Wow!  Where has the time gone?
10. We are going to visit with family next week and I can't wait!  My parents and my sister are flying in for the wedding and that is going to be a lot of fun!  Britt (my sister) has never even seen my two younger kiddos and my parents have not seen Parker since he was about 6 months old.....so it should be a BLAST!  Plus we will get to spend time with my Gram and Pap! 
11. Kennedy got a shiner under her eye a few days ago and it is starting to heal....but boy does she look like she got in a fight!  (she didn't get in a fight, but ran into the back of one of her little buddies)   I felt so bad for her when it happened, but she has been pretty tough about it all.
12. Shane had to "blow away" my laptop a few days ago and start from scratch to repair some things....so I have been doing a little make-over and re-installing some software.....and editing my blog a little.  Have added a few new things.
13. Parker should be about ready to get up from his nap....however, I am trying to savor the quiet for a little while longer.

Have a great day everyone!

And the winners are...

Ok...so I know I am late on the prize giveaway's for this post...

So, since I am still in celebration of returning to blogging and since you all were so kind to leave a comment and a link to your favorite crafty thing....

YOU ALL WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If your name appears in the list below, send me your snail mail address and I will get your little goodies in the mail this week!  Just click on the little link below my picture to email me.

Briana

Jamie

Kim

Amy C.

Renee

Telah

Brianna

 

Have a great day everyone!

What is your problem?!?!!?!?!?!?!?

Man!  I can't believe that I have allowed myself to go lax on this blog again and yes....I ask myself frequently....WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?  Could it be that I am a wife and mother that doesn't seem to be able to juggle too many balls in the air at the same time?  Could it be that it is the end of the soccer season and the school year and there is something going on everyday around here?  Could it be that I have been struggling over some very tough decisions and torn about what is the right thing to do?   It could be!  :)

Anyhow, whatever my problem is or has been....I need to take care of it and get with the program.  I will admit that I am a procrastinator and that I tend to crawl into my safe place when there is stress and a lot going on.....there I said it!  :)

So, will I promise that my journaling and recording important memories here is back?  I said earlier that I intend to keep up with this blog and I did mean it....and I will.  I may not be SUPERBLOGGER and post everyday or even every other day.....but I will keep it current! 

And whether you know it or not....to all my blogging friends....it means a lot to read your comments and know that y'all still haven't given up totally on me!  Oh and btw, KIM.....Happy 4th of July!  :)

See Ya!