Halloween 2011

It's no secret that Halloween is my least favorite "holiday", but we participate because we candy and dressing up.  I have to say, that my kids were super cute in their costumes.

Introducing our little giraffe Oliver.

 Owen the lion (who I later called the Cowardly Lion, but he was afraid of everything.)

Owen's 1st house..our next door neighbor Kaley who loves playing with the boys.

Oliver's ride through the neighborhood

Owen only walked to about 6 houses.  Around house 3 a dog greeted him at the door barking and totally freaked him out.  After that, he made Jeremy carry him to the door. 

After we made it half way down the street, Owen was tired so we came back home.  I greeted the tricker-treaters like this.  I wore this costume to preschool that morning and thought it would be fun to put it back on. *Thanks to my mother in law for the great (and easy) costume.*

Even though we live in a neighborhood with lots of kids, we had very little trick or treaters.  Therefore, we were left with lots of candy. Jeremy ended up taking a bag to work and we still had a 3/4 of this bowl left.  While I love candy, it has not been good to have this much candy left in our house!

Overall it was a fun night...maybe Halloween is redeeming itself a little. ;)

Month of Thanks: Day 6

Today I am thankful for our living situation. When we first moved to Charlotte, we had to find a place to live rather quickly as Jeremy was to start his job in 2 weeks. After looking around with a realtor for a place to rent, we settled on a townhouse not far from Jeremy's work. We were there for only a few short weeks before we realized it wasn't in the greatest part of town.  Sadly we were stuck in a year lease so we made it work.

As our lease was running out, my friend Brigetta bought a house and her current house was going up again for rent.  Her current house was owned by her in-laws and they wanted to have tenants again.  We made started talking to them through email and made a visit over to the house.  After our visit, we quickly said we would take it.  The rent is cheaper, the area is super nice, it's close to our friends, and our landlords are an awesome Christian couple.  We love that we have the joys of living in a home, but not have to do all the upkeep. :)

We are also thankful how the Lord provided the opportunity to move to Charlotte.  Jeremy and I realized while  living in Nashville that we aren't cut out for small town living. We love all the things a bigger town has to offer. We love the friends we have here, Jeremy enjoys his job, and we just feel like this place is a great fit for us.

Month of Thanks: Day 5

Today I'm thankful for our church. When we first moved to Charlotte, we began the tedious task of finding a new church home. Thankfully we had a few friends here already who were plugged into churches here and we had places to start looking. A few weeks in we visited the Church at Charlotte and really felt like it was a place that we could call home.  We are thankful for a church that not only brings people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, but also disciples those are already believers.  Personally I am thankful for their HOME club (mom's group) ministry that helped me get plugged in when we were new here.  It is here that I have met some of my closest friends here in Charlotte.  Thank you CAC for spurring us on to be more like Christ!

Month of Thanks Day 4

Today I am thankful for our parents.  I am thankful that we have two sets of loving and involved parents. I am thankful for how the encourage, support, and love on us. Their wisdom and insight are always helpful and I am thankful they are always a phone call away (also thankful they both live in the same state).

I am also thankful for who they are as grandparents and how much they love our boys.  I am thankful that they are present in their lives and how much our boys love them. 

Month of Thanks: Day 3

Today I am thankful my two little turkeys, Owen and Oliver. I love being a mommy to these two precious boys.  I am thankful that they are both different, but yet share similar qualities.  I am thankful that they are snuggly babies, who love both their mommy and daddy.  I love their smiles and how the littlest things can make them laugh.  I am thankful that the Lord is stretching and growing me through parenting them.  I have learned more about grace and sacrificial love through them than I did in the 20 some years before I had them.  So thankful for all the Lord is teaching me through them...I am blessed!

Month of Thanks: Day 2

I am thankful for my wonderful husband and best friend. God has blessed me so richly with a Godly, funny, yet sometimes quirky man, who is not only a doting husband but a terrific father.  He loves us unconditionally and serves us in so many ways. I feel truly blessed to call him mine. :)

A Month of Thanks

For the month of November, I wanted to have our family reflect on all the blessings God has given us. Like many, I tend to think of all the things we don't have or wallow in my circumstances.  So this month, giving thanks for all that we do have.

Day 1: I'm thankful for Jesus and the cross.  "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.:  I am thankful that He was the perfect.  I am thankful that God was so selfless that He gave His ONE and ONLY son to die that I may have eternal life with Him in Heaven.   I am thankful for His grace and mercy, and that they are new each day.  I am thankful for His conditional love and that He keeps no record of right or wrongs.  I am thankful to be a child of God.