Peacefully Sleeping

I love taking pictures of sleeping babies. They are just so peaceful.

This is my adorable nephew when he was about 1 month old.

This is a little girl that I take care of a lot.

Sweetly sleeping babies always remind me of this verse:

Proverbs 3:24

"When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet."

Blessed Beyond Measure

I feel so out of the blogging loop because I hardly got on the computer all weekend. It's good to be back!

Jacob and I babysat a sweet 9 year-old girl from Friday night to Sunday night. We had so much fun together! Life is so much busier with a child added to the mix (I'd better get used to that, huh?!). I felt like we were constantly running around and that we were incessantly late for everything all weekend!

I love this little girl!

Here are just a few things we did: soccer practice, grocery shopping, cleaning the house, swimming, cleaning the church, cooking, playing on the computer, watching a movie, going to church, going to my bro-in-law's birthday party after church last night, creating things with paper, tape, scissors, and highlighters. So much fun! The house seems a lot quieter today with her gone.

On Saturday, my Mom and Myra were traveling home from taking my brother to college and they stopped in Atlanta to pick up a ton, and I mean a ton, of baby things from my cousins. I don't know how they got all this stuff to fit in Mom's mini-van! They also had my nephew, his stroller, and pack 'n' play and all their luggage.

Some of the things they brought: a crib, mattress, changing table, changing pad, car seat, stroller, pack 'n play, shelf and mirror for the nursery, toys, lots and lots of baby clothes and some maternity clothes!

Right after Mom, Myra and Ridley left our house after unloading all this stuff, one of my aunt's called and she was on her way to drop off more baby clothes, maternity clothes and some other items that my cousin, Mandy wanted to share with us!

Wow! Jacob and I are so overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone! It's amazing how the Lord is providing for all of our needs. We knew from the start that we would have to trust God to take care of all the baby things we need. He has once again proven His faithfulness to us, and provided much more than we could have ever imagined!

Caffeinated Randomness: My Lovely Friday walks

Just a random (reoccurring) incident that I thought I'd share:

A few fun facts before the story:

1. Friday is garbage day in our neighborhood

2. I am 22 weeks pregnant

3. Bad smells have always made me gag. Just ask my sister.

4. I walk 2 miles around the neighborhood everyday.

Ok, now the story.

It never fails that at least three garbage trucks pass me on my Friday walks...no matter what time of day I go! If someone, anyone, just happened to be sitting on their front porch enjoying the morning paper and coffee (or looked out their front window to check the weather), when the previously mentioned incident occurred, they would most definitely witness the following order of events:

Kelly briskly walking enjoying the beautiful day...garbage truck driving slooowly by...Kelly holding breath...juicey junk dripping in long trail behind truck...Kelly turning many shades of green...wind blowing...Kelly breathing a teensy-tiny bit...horrible nasty disgusting smell wafting through the air...Kelly gagging.....gagging...swallowing...gagging...swallowing...Kelly walking even more briskly, almost running to get away from the incredibly horrible smell!

It's quite a sight I'm sure.

Be sure to stop by here for more Caffeinated Randomness!

Happy Friday!

A Few of My Favorite Things...Anniversary Party

Last week my siblings and I put on a 30th Anniversary party for my parents. I got so emotional thinking about how awesome it is that God, by His grace, has given my parents a strong, long-lasting marriage. Sadly that is definitely not the "norm" these days.

Not only am I so proud of my parents for sticking together through thick and thin, but I am also humbled by the privilege God gave me to grow up in a home where my parents loved Him and taught us kids to love Him too!

I wanted to share some of the pictures from the Anniversary Party. My sister, Myra, is pretty much amazing at decorating and planning events. She did all the stuff in the pictures below (except I cut up the fruit).

Beautiful cake & flowers

I loved the flower arrangement on the drink table!

Cake table again.

Cream puffs, fruit, & mini cheesecakes.

Memory/gift table.

Dad & Mom cutting the cake.

Me, Mom, and Myra.

My incredibly wonderful family!!

Psalm 16:6

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

Amy at Filled With Praise probably will not be hosting A Few of my Favorite Things today because her 4 year old son, Cade, is in ICU at Vanderbilt. He's having breathing problems. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

Sweet & Sneaky

I have the privilege of keeping my little nephew on a regular basis. He has stolen my heart...at least for now!

He loves playing with my phone. The other day he kept pretending like he was going to put it in his mouth but he would just give me this huge grin.

Be sure to check out his momma's blog for more cute pictures!!

Visit 5 Minutes For Mom for more Wordless Wednesdays.

Happy Wednesday!

Sweet Video

This You Tube video will warm your heart! It makes me laugh and nearly cry whenever I watch it. Enjoy!!

Pregnancy Update: 21 weeks

I am still feeling really good! I've been trying to put my energy to good use in doing things like keeping my house clean and working a lot. I'm enjoying my morning walks, especially since we've had some cooler days lately.

We picked out a name! Lily Grace. I love it! I still feel bad though because unknown to me, my sister had picked out the same name for my nephew if he had been a girl! How crazy is that!! Seriously, if I had known (she says she told me, but I have absolutely no recollection of it) that they picked it out, I would've never even considered it. Oh well, she's ok with it, and she may still even use the names Lillian and Grace if she has a little girl. Love you sis!

Lily Grace is about as long as a carrot!

May the Mind of Christ

This hymn is one of my favorites! It was written by Kate Barclay Wilkinson in 1912. She lived in England and was very involved in a ministry to girls in London. The hymn is based on Philippians 2:5: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

1 May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
live in me from day to day,
by his love and power controlling
all I do and say.

2 May the word of God dwell richly
in my heart from hour to hour,
so that all may see I triumph
only through his power.

3 May the peace of God, my Father,
rule my life in everything,
that I may be calm to comfort
sick and sorrowing.

4 May the love of Jesus fill me
as the waters fill the sea.
Him exalting, self abasing:
this is victory.

5 May we run the race before us,
strong and brave to face the foe,
looking only unto Jesus
as we onward go.

Have a blessed Lord's Day!

A Few of My Favorite Things...about My Hubby

Today I want to praise God for the wonderful husband He's given to me! There are so many more things I could add to this list, but I'll just do a few for now. And you know me, got to have pictures to go along! ha.

Jacob on our wedding day:: June 21, 2008

• I'm so thankful that God has blessed me with a husband that loves Him and desires to glorify Him with his life.
• Jacob wants to lead our family on with God.
• He works really hard to provide for our needs.
• He loves kids...

...and playing with kids

• He's going to be a great Daddy!

• God has blessed him with many talents:: playing violin (and any stringed instrument), fixing broken computers...

...teaching violin (yes, all those 1st graders have a violin!)

...conducting youth orchestras

• He loves grilling and smoking, which helps me out soo much!

Grilling steak, chicken and veggies with my sister's hubby who is Jacob's best friend

• He's really crazy and keeps me laughing!!

At the Christmas concert of one of the orchestras he plays in, he came out (he's the concertmaster) wearing a santa hat.

• He is a great handyman. So nice to have around because he can fix about anything!

• He loves me, leads me, protects me and puts up with me! ha.

I love you, baby!!!

Be sure to stop by Filled With Praise to see more favorite things posts!

Pregnancy Update: 20 weeks

20 weeks

Our sweet baby girl is the length of a banana from head to heel and she weighs about 10 1/2 ounces.

For more Wordless Wednesday posts hop over to 5 Minutes For Mom.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

Red Lobster Cheese Biscuits

Photo credits: taken from google images (michaelscomments.wordpress.com)

Everyone who tries these cheese biscuits says that they taste just like Red Lobster's! They are a huge hit every time I make them, not to mention, they are super fast and easy to make!

Cheese Biscuits

2 cups Bisquick

2/3 cup milk

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried parsley (opt.)

In a mixing bowl combine bisquick, milk, cheese and garlic. Stir mixture until well combined.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls (my cookie dough scoop is the perfect size) on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

In a small bowl melt butter in the microwave. Stir in garlic powder and parsley. Brush mixture over biscuits as soon as they come out of the oven. Cool a few minutes on the baking sheet, then serve warm.

Hope you enjoy!!

Not Me! Monday

• A couple weeks ago I did not get to the checkout at the grocery store with a full buggy of groceries only to find that had I left my wallet on the table at home. I did not then have to drive all the way home and back to pay for and pick up my groceries. I SO do not have a bad case of pregnant brain!

• I was not driving home from my sister's, talking on the phone, and speeding along a 6-lane highway at 60(ish)mph in a 45mph zone when I most certainly did not look in my rear view mirror and see a cop flying towards me (in the same lane as me) with his lights flashing. I did not continue driving a little ways to my street and get into the left turn lane instead of pulling off on the side of the road. How awful would that have been?! Only a rebel would have done that, not the girl who's going to be a MOM in a few months! Nope, Not Me! The Po-po (as we so affectionately call them) did not slow down and turn off his lights when he got up behind me and then continue driving past (as I turned off) at a normal speed, that would have been way too generous of guys like that.

• On Wednesday night at 11 pm when we could supposedly see a meteor shower, my dear husband did not go out the back door in the dark and in his sock-feet, no less, and step smack dab into the dog's full water bowl! No, he would never be so klutzy to do something like that! I most definitely DID NOT cackle uncontrollably at him for an hour that night or for the next 3+ days (whenever the mental picture came to my mind)! A sweet wife like me would never ever do such a thing!

• Yesterday after making Sausage Spinach appetizers to take to a church fellowship, I was not horrified to look on all the crescent roll tubes and see that they had expired in APRIL! I most certainly did not proceed to take the appetizers to the fellowship, bake them, and watch everyone enjoy them (and say that they were soo good) all the while knowing that the crescent rolls were 4 months past the expiration date! Nope, not me!

Hope you have a wonderful Monday! For more laughs visit My Charming Kids.