My head is still spinning!

We had a whirlwind weekend! So much fun packed into 3 days! Let me just jump right in. Friday morning I got one of my hairbrained ideas. It was Cornhuskin' Week at Meredith College. What is Cornhuskin' you ask? Well, you just have to experience it. My mom and I are both alumnae from good ol' MC. So, I thought it would be fun for Mom, my kids and me to go to the Cornhuskin' Parade. So at noon we loaded up the kids in the van and headed to Raleigh for the 3:00 parade. We were in Raleigh for a fun-packed 2 hours before heading back home. The kids weren't too sure of the parade at first... until they saw the princesses and hot dog car. I have peaked your interest, huh? Well, you just have to experience it. I am so thankful that Meredith College is part of my legacy. Of course, we would love for Elizabeth to choose MC, but we won't pressure her. Not too much anyway. She would be class of 2028. An EVEN! Just like me!

Isn't this Meredith girl just beautiful! Class of 1969!

Then once we were back in town, we headed over to Confluence Coffee for their final evening of live music and great coffee. It was a bittersweet occasion. It was nice to commune with good friends, but a bit of heaviness was in the air, knowing this was the final night. It is exciting to know that the Lord is not done with the people of The River though! He is still working out a beautiful plan according to His wonderful will. It is my sincere belief that Confluence made a difference in the community for the months it was open. The people continue to make a difference! God is good!

Saturday morning we loaded everyone up again and headed to the NC Zoo with some of our bestest friends. It's nice to have friends as crazy as we are! We got there after lunch and left at 4:30. The kids did great. The polar bear was back in his exhibit and was a favorite for our crowd.

The ultimate favorite was, of course, the tram ride back to the car. Silly kids. Something about riding like a roller coaster.

Sunday we enjoyed a morning in worship. I gotta give props to our worship leader, Brett. He and the worship team (which includes folks of all ages and abilities) lead us to a place of worship each week with lots of different genres of music, different instruments and different songs. I love the thought and energy that they put into the worship time. If you're reading this guys, it doesn't go unnoticed!

After a quick lunch at home, Daddy and the boys headed off to a disc golf game with some buddies. This was Micah's first game of frisbee golf. Smitty said he did pretty well, but got a little tired towards the end. It is a lot of walking. But no pics of this, I had the camera with me and my girl. Micah had to earn this privilege and his disc! He did it! Yay Micah!

Elizabeth and I went to a horse birthday party for her friend, Maddox. Elizabeth was a little concerned about the horse... even more so when she saw his size! "Freckles" the horse was a huge, but very gentle horse. And the handlers were especially patient with my scared little girl. I was so proud of her. She eventually got up on that horse! She just didn't want him to move! Good job, Big girl! You did it!

The rest of the party was funny. They even painted a pony. I'm just not sure how Jesse James felt about it.

And then... Last night I was able to go to First Presbyterian for the live telecast of the Orphan Sunday concert. Steven Curtis Chapman, Show Hope, Cry of the Orphan, Family Life and others joined together to make this event an awesome one. The speakers were right on, reminding us that each of us can make a difference in the life of one orphan if we would just step up and use whatever God has given us. The World Children's choir sang. What precious children! Steven Curtis Chapman shared from his heart about the journey they have been on since losing Maria last Spring. What a testimony his family has after walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Ultimately, he made the statement that if we believe God to be who He says He is, if we believe the Bible to be true, we can live in hope. We can LIVE in HOPE. So, that frees us up to love without fear. It opens our lives to love the unlovely, the orphans and the widows. It may be uncomfortable, seem impossible, or painful, but it is all worth it because Christ first loved us. Wow. Powerful stuff.

Whew. My head is still spinning after that weekend. We're gonna try for a low key week this week. What do you think? Did you do anything fun this weekend? Tell me all about it!

I've got a new favorite

That's right. So long, leaky, holds yucky water in the lid coffee and tea mug. I've got a new favorite. And it's right up my alley. This sweet little holder of warm liquids used to be water bottles. I love to recycle and repurpose things. Just come look at my home. It's apparent that I like old things and giving them new life. So it is with this new mug. We found it at REI this weekend on our little impromptu day trip. The trip was to replace my sweet darlin's fleece jacket that his very pregnant wife broke the zipper on, ahem (no pride here, folks). And we were successful with that too! The mug was my little surcee for the trip. It is the cutest shade of green. Not only is it cute, this mug has already proven it's worth to me. Elizabeth dropped it yesterday morning full of steaming hot tea; it did not lose a drop. Not one drop of my precious tea on the floor or on my precious baby girl. (who was told not to touch it...) So check it out and check out their website too! They aren't paying me to tell you this. I think I mentioned that I love this mug, didn't I?

Would it be weird to say that I look forward to seeing it in my kitchen in the morning? (C'mon, I need all the help I can get in the mornings.)

Happy Halloween! And 100th post giveaway!

UPDATE: We have a winner! Two winners, actually! Wendi and Jane, simultaneously responded correctly! This is on the quad in front of Wait Chapel, remembering some sweet Deacon victory! Ladies, email me to claim your Surcees! Thanks for playing!

Obi Wan Kenobi, Super Girl and Football Rookie say, "Happy Halloween!"

And in honor of it being my 100th post, I will send you a Surcees original if you can give me the exact location and description of the photograph below! First guesser with an (almost) accurate answer wins! Happy guessing!

UPDATE: No winners, yet! I'll give you a hint, the kids thought the old, wet toilet paper in the trees was hilarious! Keep guessing!

Mama's got a brand new bag...

Actually, just a van and a hairdo. Just a couple of things to report to you today. We are enjoying our Fall Break from preschool. So far today the kids have been pirates, astronauts, pilots, train engineers, chefs, musicians, and Africans. I think I can use all of those adjectives in the same sentence. Anyways. We are having fun. I wanted to give you several updates:

• I got to get my hair did. This is only like the second time in 8 months folks. I was in need, to say the least. My sweet parents, bless their hearts, came over and watched my very excited children for a couple of hours so I could get my weave smoked. (thanks, Jason! I just learned that term!) So, I got a new do. Feeling a bit sassy about it too. And the hair is going to Locks-of-Love.

• We moved our whole house of furniture around this week. Well, not actually, the whole house. Just the playroom, master bedroom and David's crib. We're movin' and shakin' over here, thanks to these wonderful folks. We celebrated Angela's birthday a couple days before, luring them into the furniture moving scheme with chocolate cake. We love you, friends!
• We sold our van to some wonderful people. I am so glad my van is going to a good home. We loved them, really. Is it weird that I would love to hang out with them? Luis and Gisele, please take care of my first mama-mobile. I was a little teary leaving it yesterday. (not really, actually, because of the next point)
• We bought a new van. And I mean new in the strictest meaning of the word. I am not a new car person; I prefer used and recycled things. You may remember this post. However, the 2010 was cheaper than the 2008 we were looking at. The monthly payment is what was driving this whole van selling show. The new thing had 4 miles on it when we bought it on Saturday. It is white, and I love it. Feelin' a bit sassy about the white car too. Smitty immediately, ok 12 hours later, put the bike racks on it. Very fun.
• We went to hear Daraja children's choir last night in Mocksville. This is an awesome children's choir from Kenya. They sing praise and worship music while dancing and exhibiting the most joy I've ever seen. What a gift to know Jesus. These children are living in poverty, some are orphaned and yet, there is an indescribable joy in their hearts that radiates in their smiles. Our kids loved it! They have been reenacting the concert all day! (in between being pirates and chefs)
• Here are the pirates doing their "pirate march." You be the judge. I am thinking more Karate Kid and Jane Fonda. Elizabeth is surely an ad for Sudafed if I've ever seen one. (I'll spare you the zoom in of her nose.)

• David is trying so hard to crawl. He is not, however, trying so hard to sleep through the night. Is there some sort of alarm in our home that goes off every night between 4 and 4:30 that wakes only him up? Hmmm. Maybe he has a message on FB that says, "Party, my crib, 4 am!"

• 

Maybe this will help...

So, we are having a tough pre-k year so far. Master Micah cannot keep his blessed (pronounced with 2 syllables) hands to himself among other problems. We are working together with his teachers to get a good outcome. His teachers are perfect for him. One is a retired kindergarten teacher who means business. I like her! We have tried earning privileges, earning things, taking away privileges/things, spanking, soap-in-da-mouth (which, come to find out, he is not fond of... and I swore I would never do) ... if you have other suggestions. Please, share them. I'm all ears. We aim to direct his heart not just his behavior. But, ya know, nothing like spitting on your friends to say, "I love you from the bottom of my heart."

Anyhow, for a little Halloween treat, we are sending some goodies of the chocolate variety to school for the teachers tomorrow. Maybe that will help. Do what? I don't know. Except help them know that we love them and are so thankful for them. We are working with them and doing our best at home too.

I knew you'd be proud!

I went from this...

to this....

not from invention or grandiose ideas of beginning a tradition, but out of necessity! If you can actually believe that we would allow this because, clearly, we are so together all the time (snicker, snicker): we were totally out of baby food today. And with sickly kiddos, we weren't headed to the store either. Talk about instant gratification for mommy! Voila! Baby food! It was actually fun. Don't tell anybody, though. I may not be able to live up to the make-your-own-baby-food reputation.

And boy, did I have one happy customer. I don't even think he minded that it was in a pink bowl either.

Whew.

I'm tired. I wanted to share what was a wildly fun weekend. But, frankly, I am pretty worn out from it all. So, I will let the pictures do the talking until my brain catches up. Which, looking at the cards stacked against us this week, may be a while. All three kiddos are feeling puny. So, please pray that our little gaggle would feel better! Here are the highlights from Surcees at the Fall Festival and the Meet Connor Party. Good times and great friends. Just doesn't get much better!

And I just have to share this one. David has a new playmate! He is so excited to introduce him to you!