Nonny and Poppa Visit

My parents came to town yesterday and spent the night with us. We love when Nonny and Poppa come to visit!

Poor little girl - isn't loved or spoiled at all. ha! She LOVES the attention they give her!

They did a lot of playing together and a lot of reading books which is her favorite thing right now.

I thought this picture was so sweet!

Scott and I were excited because we got to go out for a date night while they babysat! We ate at P F changs (CHOWED DOWN is more like it) and saw "Inception". I'm not going to lie - it was good but I may need to stick to chick flicks from now on. It was just a little much for me. I like more realistic things like Sweet home Alabama or Steel Magnolias. ha ha ha! But we did have a wonderful time and I'm so thankful that my parents offer to do that for us from time to time. I don't take it for granted how blessed we are.
We've been having some trouble over the last week. Harper goes to bed (it doesn't matter if it's early or late) and sleeps for about 5 hours and then is up for the day. As around 1 a.m. And I have spent HOURS trying to get her to go back to bed and then she is back up at the crack of dawn. It's killing me. We had a rough night last night but thankfully she has taken TWO good naps today because we are both tired. I hope this is just a phase. She had just started sleeping really good and now it's like "Party in the crib" at 2 a.m.

We spent a little time coloring today and this is her very first picture! I know I know - she's a child prodigy. ha ha ha! (just kidding!)

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Show Us Your Life - Share your Testimony

Today will be the last Show Us Your life for a few weeks. I really enjoy these Fridays and I hope ya'll do too! But I need to get a fresh set of topics and just take a little break. We will start back in September. If you have a suggestion for a Friday theme - please leave it in the comments! You can find most of the past ones (and I'll try to get it updated with the rest soon) at
www.kellyskornershowusyourlife.blogspot.com

I thought a good way to end it for a while would be to have you share your testimonies with us! I think it could be inspiring to read different stories of how God has worked in your lives!!!

I was raised in a Christian home. I have two wonderful Godly parents who always took me to church. So I learned at a very young age about Jesus. And when I was 6 on January 13, 1980 - I kneeled in my bedroom at home and asked him to save me! I was baptized the next Sunday. I was fortunate that I was active in church throughout my high school years. And I was able to go to a Christian college.

After college - I struggled with a lot of things - what I wanted to do with my life, who would I marry, etc. I also began to struggle with my Christian walk. I attended a church but that was about all I did. I filled a pew on Sunday mornings. I wasn't active and I didn't have a strong walk with God at all.

I was very lonely and sad as I struggled with being single and it made me angry at God. I didn't understand why everyone else seemed to find someone and He didn't bring me the one the I wanted. I was a spoiled brat in His eyes I'm sure. As I drifted away from my relationship with God I began to rebel and make choices I'm not proud of.

I'm thankful for a God of second chances and who forgives. He never let me out of His hands and He had a plan for my life all along. I met Scott and we eventually married and I knew when we got married that we needed to be involved in church and that I needed to become closer to God.

We joined our current church and it is had a significant impact on my spiritual life. We joined a Sunday School class that was full of Godly Christians and those couples have become dear friends to us as well as prayer partners and support. Scott realized several years ago that he had never been truly saved and he was saved and baptized and became the Spiritual leader of our home. I began to fall deeper and deeper in love with Jesus. And I can honestly say that going through infertility and going through what we did with Harper made me closer to God than I could have ever imagined. Sometimes it takes trials to refine you and help you realize what is important.

I have not led a perfect life. I'm a sinner like everyone else. BUT what I have realized - especially in the last 2-3 years is Jesus is EVERYTHING to me. I am nothing without Him and I would have no hope and no joy in this life if I didn't have Him. I just want everyone to know that same love that only He can give.

I hope many of you will be willing to share your stories with us!

Fun with Friends

Last night my friend Amber threw a small birthday party for my friend Amanda. It was the big 3-0! We celebrated with mexican food and a lot of fun! Here are most of the girls!

These three were the life of the party. They got more wired up as the night went on.

Laurie, the birthday girl and me

Amanda blowing out her candle. She needed 30 candles on that cake!

The girls put Harper in a basket and were pulling her around. Harper had a great time. She went to bed really late last night. She got up twice and I thought she was going to be up all night but she finally settled down and slept until 8 this morning! It was great!
My friend Rebekah and her family recently moved back to my area from Texas. I was so glad. We have known each other for probably 8 or 10 years and I was so glad we can see each other more of often now. Her little girl, Cilla, is just 2 months younger than Harper and they are a lot alike.
We went to Rebekah's house this morning for a play date. We had so much fun! Cilla is SO sweet and good. She and Harper could have a lot of fun in the coming years!
Laurie and her girls came too and we had a lot of fun playing and visiting. Harper was wound up and I just NOW got her down for a nap - so it might be a little later bedtime tonight too. We have had a fun couple of days with friends.

Blanche Update

So I've lived or worked in my town for 15 years and I've had my eye on Blanche this whole time and I FINALLY decide to start blogging about her and her ever changing outfits and I'm afraid I have sad news. Blanche's days are over.

I've been waiting for her outfit to change and it hasn't. Then last week I noticed she was no longer in the window. I was hoping she was just getting re-dressed but I found out that sadly her owners have been moved to hospice care. Obviously I'm very sorry for their family.

Today I drove by their house and they have signs that they are having an estate sale this weekend. I think I'm going to go because they might have some good antiques.

And now I'm wondering.......................will Blanche be for sale? And If so - should I buy her? ha ha ha ha ha!

Oldies but Goodies

I had such a wonderful day yesterday. I drove to Little Rock and spent the day with two of my best friends/roommates from college - Kandi and Leigh Ann. We all 3 had family keeping our kids and we spent 6 hours together just talking and laughing. It was so fun. We ate lunch at Trio's which was SO good and then went back to Kandi's house and just talked. We have been friends for almost 20 years! I wanted to post a picture of us from our OBU days but figured they might kill me. They are the kind of friends who I can go a whole year and not see them and we just pick right back up as soon as we see each other!
I drove 3 hours there and back and I loved just having quiet time in my car with no sesame street or praise baby playing. One of my favorite things on road trips is to scan radio stations and listen to different kinds of music. It was funny yesterday because I promise every station I landed on would be playing a song from high school or college and it just took me back! I think no matter how old you are - the songs from those times in your lives will probably always make you smile. I quit smiling when one station I was listening to who was playing lots of my old favorites came on with their station jingle and they were "OLDIES 99.3". SERIOUSLY? Kandi, Leigh Ann and I did spend some time discussing gray hair and wrinkles - so I guess it is true. We are officially old.

Meanwhile - back at home.........Scott and Harper had daddy/daughter day. I think they had a lot of fun and I think Scott appreciates how hard it is to take care of a busy toddler all day. He took her for a slush and she LOVED it.
Harper's FAVORITE game to play with daddy is to get her baby doll and put her shoes on the doll. She will pull Scott into her room or the living room and make him put shoes on her doll for hours. She never tries to play it with me. I always think it's hilarious that this very all boy guy who likes football and hunting wound up with a daughter who makes him play dress up. And he loves it. He's such a great dad.
I know they had a good day because Harper wanted daddy today instead of me. She just ran giggling to him when she got up. She usually favors me but it was all daddy today. I love that!
I put her in dog ears for church this morning! I just had to show you! I was SHOCKED when I picked her up and they were still in her hair. I totally expected her hair to be down. I think the nursery workers worked hard to keep it up for me! :-)

Hope you had a nice weekend!

Dog Ears/ Pig Tails

Harper's hair is at this shaggy stage and there is just not much I can do with it. Today I decided to try dog ears/pig tails (how ever you say them where you live) and I was just dying at how cute she looked!!!

I had to skype my mom so she could see and she was dying laughing!

Scott kept calling her Bam-Bam and I had to tell him it was "pebbles". ha!

This picture makes me want to cry because she looks so grown up all the sudden. She has been acting more grown up too. 18 months just seems to be a big change.

This was my little bald baby this time last year - when did she grow up so fast? Today all the sudden she really seems more like a little girl than a baby.

I'm about to break out into "Sunrise, Sunset" - somebody stop me. ha!

Show Us your Life - Favorite Grilling Recipes

We finally bought a grill this summer and have been grilling fools - I'm wondering how we ever lived without it? ha!

But I need good grilling recipes - so PLEASE share away!!! (I bet we all could use some!)

Sharing and Caring

Today we had play group at my friend Ginger's house. This is Harper before we headed out!
Such sweet friends - Alex and Emily - they have been friends since they were born - they are a month apart. And they will be 5 soon.

The cutest little brothers!

Amanda and Neely

It was a good play group day. The kids played together pretty well and the moms were able to sit and talk. It was a smaller group which makes for an easier time to visit. We did have some issues with fighting - namely Harper and Sarah Kate. Can you spot SK? She is laying down crying because Harper kept stealing her toys.
How do you teach an 18 month old to share? Any tips? I don't want her to be the Sunday School bully.

Wordless Wednesday

Okay - so it's not really wordless Wednesday - but I just don't have too much to say today. We have stayed home most of the day and it's just been nice. Here are just a handful of completely random things -

I had some fresh tomatos and okra that I got recently at the farmer's market that I wanted to use and I knew it would make a good side for dinner - so I found a recipe and made it - it was DELICIOUS. If you like okra - try THIS recipe!


Our music intern sang this Christy Nockels song on Sunday and it was so good I just sat and wept. I love the words to this song. I can't get it out of my head so I thought I would share it with you - maybe you need to hear it this week!


And finally - I picked the winners of Lisa Whelchel's book "Friendship for Grown-ups" and I used random integer generator but forgot to capture the image - but here are the winners:

#86 Tracy at circusofthekings.blogspot.com
#229 Brittany at britta232.blogspot.com
#614 Michelle - comment left on 7/14 at 7:20 a.m. (please email me if that's you)
#806 Holly Mitchell
#894 Stephanie at welcometotoddlersworld.blogspot.com

and finally.....................................

A local charity that I really support is having a big fundraiser in November called "Dancing with the NWA stars". They asked me to dance in it. Pretty much all I could do was laugh when they called because 1. I'm not a star and 2. I can not dance. They would pair me with a professional and I would just have to learn one dance. If I do it - it's purely because I think it would be fun and I know all my friends will come and laugh at me (as they should). Would you do it? I told them I would let them know by Friday. It is a good cause - I just don't want to look like a baffoon. :-)

Tuesday - full of fun!

This has been a busy but fun day. Tomorrow we have nothing on our agenda and I'm pretty happy about that! I had to take Dawson to the vet today. He is having a lot of allergy issues. He needed several meds and a shot and we left with another hefty bill. Scott and I had to sit him down and tell him he was going to have to get a job - especially one with healthy insurance. ha! We kid - but yikes the dog is costing us a lot of money this summer. (He's so worth it).
I don't think I have to elaborate on how fun it is to take a VERY anxious dog and a very busy toddler to the vet together...........ha!
After Harper's afternoon nap - we went over to our neighbor's house for a little play time. My neighbor's sister and her daughter are here visiting from Georgia and they had been discussing different kids in the neighborhood and I guess our names came up and Jamie (who goes to Georgia Southern) and her friends all read my blog. Such a small world. I met her at church on Sunday briefly but they invited me over so we could visit.

Harper had a great time playing - there was a lot to explore and see!

My neighbors have four kids so that was a lot of entertainment for Harper. They made us some yummy cupcakes for a treat!
Tonight a bunch of girls from Sunday School got together and had a girls night. We went to my friend Amber's house and all brought ingredients to make dinner together. This is Amber and Elizabeth.
Me and Amanda - she is probably one of my funniest friends. She always makes me laugh - although I think 95% of the time she is laughing AT me - not with me. ha ha! (in a good way!)

Two Amy's.

Julie, Jessica, Mary Avery and Ginger - I had so much fun visiting with everyone. I came home and gave Scott a big hug for taking care of Harper and letting me get out for girls nights from time to time. I don't think he realizes how much it helps me to just have some time with friends.
I took Coca Cola cake. It was so good. I've only made it once before so I wasn't sure how it would be - but it was SO good. I posted the recipe here. You need to try it. You will thank me.

One of those days....................

Update: I added a little extra paragraph at the end

After doing VBS last week - I was just worn out and I kind of thought this week would be one of those quiet lazy weeks where we just stay at home every day. Or not. Instead it's one of those weeks where both of our cars are acting up and need to be put in the shop. We both drive cars that are 10 years old and I love it. We hate having a car payment so we have tried to avoid it as much as possible. But then you have those weeks where that dreaded check engine light comes on. Luckily I took mine today and it ended up being fine. Whoo hoo! It's also a week where Dawson needs to go to the vet for an issue and then suddenly all kinds of things have popped up on the horizon and my lazy week has turned into a very busy week.

But I wouldn't have it any other way!

My parents came over for a short visit today and I was so glad. They helped me with taking my car and dropping it off - always a pain to figure out when you have a toddler in tow. They also entertained Harper. She had such a good time with them.

She loves to put on a show for them. The girl is a ham and she loves an audience.

We got SO tickled at her today because I have been doing "time out" with her for the last few weeks. I put her in the corner of our guest room when she is being extra whiney or just having a meltdown and I tell her she can come out when she is happy or has a new attitude and it works SO well. Today she started fussing and I asked her if she needed to go to Time out. She sat and had this funny look on her face while she thought about it and then she got up - went in the guest room and PUT HERSELF in time out. We were dying. She came out and I said "Do you feel better?" - she got another funny look on her face - went back and sat back down in time out. And when she came out again she was happy and smiling. It was the funniest thing in the world.
That girl just makes me laugh every day. I think she is going to have a big personality and be very funny!

My MIL gave me this book last time they were here. I think I have gained 5 pounds just by reading it. I'm making a dessert for a dinner party I'm going to tomorrow night so I was trying to find something to make. I think I might make a Coca-Cola cake. Have you had that? It's SOOOOO good!

Hope you aren't having "one of those weeks" and that you have a good one instead!

Update:1
It's Tuesday and Harper totally put herself in time out again! I think it's hysterical! A lot of you are asking me about it and I have to say first - I still have about 7 parenting books sitting on my nightstand that I can't find time to read and I don't like giving any kind of advice because it's all trial and error for me and what I find is every kid is different so what works for us - might not work for you. I have followed a LOT of advice on all kinds of things that just hasn't worked for us (i.e. my child still doesn't sleep through the night and you name it - we have done it). Spankings and reasoning were not working but a few weeks ago - I just sat her down in the guest room and said "I want you to sit here until you think you won't be fussy and can calm down and be happy" and she sat there for a minute and then came out happy. And for now it is working. In a month - it may not work anymore - who knows? I tried it at probably 15 or 16 months and it didn't work at all - so I think they have to be ready to sort of understand it. I've always thought "time out" was dumb - but if it's working for Harper right now - then I'm happy. I think she's learned that when she's upset or REALLY fussy - she just needs a quiet corner to calm down and then she's okay! I feel the same way sometimes! ;-)

Weekend Wrap Up

Friday we finished out VBS and I was pooped! I think the kids were too. But it was a great week and we had 40 kids make decisions for Christ so I think that's awesome and worth every minute of work! I think Harper might be a little sad this week to not go to VBS. She went right into her room this morning which is where she was all week and even waved bye to me.
I found a "ship" pinata that went with our theme so we had a little fun on the last day! I really had fun with those 3 year olds!
A blog reader, Cyndi, who I met in Atlanta was in town and I got to meet up with her Friday afternoon. We hung out at chick-fil-a and let Harper play while we visited. It was fun!!

Saturday my friend Hillary came to town so the five of us who travelled to Atlanta in April together planned a lunch. Laurie had to miss because this weekend was her 20th class reunion and we missed her. Scott was out of town so I took Harper with me and I was so nervous because of our recent experiences in restaurants but she was actually pretty good! Hillary, Jennifer and Amanda are three of my favorite people so I loved getting to spend time with them!
We ate at the Mellow Mushroom and it was SOOO good. I had only been to the one in Gulf Shores so I was excited to eat there again!
Since Harper was so good - I decided to take her to Rick's Bakery after lunch and get a treat. She loved it!
Then we came home and played outside but it is SOOOO unbearable hot right now so it didn't last long.
Harper was in a really fun mood on Saturday and I just had the best time playing with her. She spent a long time playing with her doll and wrapping her in her blanket and carrying her and pushing her in the stroller.
This morning Harper and I headed to church by ourselves and we magically got up and were ready by about 7:30. I should have taken us for breakfast but we just ended up at church early. I didn't get any good pictures of her this morning but after lunch she was chasing Dawson trying to put her bow on his head. And can you tell from his face that he was loving it? He would run from her and she would chase him. They have really settled into being pretty good friends. She loves to pet him and she's real gentle and she loves to give him kisses and he likes to be wherever she is. I was so nervous about the two of them but it was worked out nicely.

Scott is home now and we are enjoying a lazy afternoon. Hope you are having a great day!