Thanksgiving 2015

I know I have been a total blog slacker lately, but it has been for a good reason.  Over the last few months I have volunteered to keep the youth group at church running after the previous youth director had to step down.  I have enjoyed it so much and just recently I was hired to be the middle school youth director at church.  This will be a family job as Kyle is in youth now, David will be next year, and Mike is my faithful helper.  I am a blessed woman to teach preschoolers in the morning and then work with middle schoolers on Sundays and Wednesday afternoons.  What an honor to be in two different positions where I can teach the next generation about Christ.  I am so excited and humbled for this endeavor.  

Thanksgiving 2015 was spent with Mike's brother and his family in Pigeon Forge, TN.  It has been many many years since we have done a family vacation together and  it was time.  

Here are their three boys and our three.  Andrew (holding David) is a college freshman, their redhead Kevin is 10, and their middle son Christopher is a sophomore in high school.  The last time we were together for vacation and not a funeral some of these kids were still in diapers.  Here is the crew before snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg. So much fun!! It was kind of weird to snow tube in 60 degree weather-we were certainly blessed with some amazing weather.

We realized that our kids have really grown when they filled up the cabin!  Our cabin was perfect because the boys had their own room downstairs which was connected to a game room.  

My pictures are out of order, but here is Hope and her Daddy snow tubing.  What a fun time that was!  

The only bummer of the trip was that this little gal had the stomach bug the first day.  She was pretty sick and sadly her brother, Kyle caught it on the last day of the trip.

We ate Thanksgiving dinner at the Applewood restaurant and here is our three before the big meal.

We spent Black Friday at 60 degree Dollywood and it was such fun.  The place was packed but we got to do everything we wanted to do and the kids had a blast.  Our oldest three boys went and did the rollercoasters by themselves which was fun for Kyle.

Between Black Friday shopping and spending the day at Dollywood we were all put into the Christmas mood.  As we were leaving Dollywood the characters from the  Christmas parade were waving from the balcony and snow was blowing everywhere.  What a sweet memory for this little gal.  As I realize how fast the years have flown by with our oldest, I appreciate all these sweet memories with our youngest.  The years really do fly by so fast.  

Our cabin had the views to the prettiest sunset each night.  It was really wonderful to get out of town and spend time with family.

This fall has flown by so fast-with all the kids activities, preschool, Mike's job and his teaching job for ODU, youth, and fall fun, I am blown away that we have only three weeks left until Christmas break.  I am thankful for all that God has blessed us with and all the doors he has opened for us in 2015.

October???

October, I love you oh so much with all the beautiful fall leaves, pumpkin everything, and gorgeous weather.  You have been amazing, so much so that I have had such fun that I have been a blogging slacker.  My apologies :) 

Last week I was blessed with two days away in Charlottesville with my man. He had a superintendents conference, and I shopped and caught up with an old friend.  The kids were in great hands with GG and Pops and we really had a great time.  I thoroughly enjoyed my Bodos bagel for breakfast and I loved being in Charlottesville and I did not even have to drive near the hospital!!! 

My pictures are totally out of order again, but yesterday I took my boys and our friend, Tanner to the VT Duke game.  We had a blast cheering for Tech through FOUR overtimes.  

Tonight was the Lego trunk or treat at church and we had a blast!!!  I love these community outreach events we host at church.  I also loved watching these two girls have such fun together! 

Friday the weather was gorgeous so when the kids got off of the bus I told them I had a surprise for them... they were so excited until I told them the surprise was getting fall pictures made!!  HA! When did Kyle Bradley become a handsome teenager??? He was just eeyore for his first halloween like last week???

This is one of the group pictures I got of my three beautiful knuckle heads.  They despise pictures but I have a great camera and I thoroughly enjoy taking pictures of them.  

Last week the after school kids at church went to Connor's pumpkin patch for pumpkin picking.  I adore that every Wednesday after school our church is full of kids and teenagers.  

My pictures are crazy, but here is Kyle (as the redman), two sweet youth girls, and Jackie who recently retired as youth director.  She was an awesome hippie!

More ballgame pictures. My heart is so broken the Hokies lost in overtime times four, but really we had such a great day.  It is hitting me that our kids are growing up right before our eyes and I treasure time with them.  Yesterday was a blast-just wish the outcome was different.  

This picture is awesome to me because our David worked so hard and got himself on the Jumbo tron at VT!!!!  The camera guy came near and David waited patiently for him to notice him.  He rolled his sleeves up and showed off his muscles!! What a precious memory!  So many of our friends saw him and texted us!  

This picture blesses my heart.  Our girl is an eager learner and has asked for a long time to visit the zoo to learn more about animals.  Mike finally relented and scheduled a Daddy/daughter day to the Knoxville zoo.  They were gone all day long and not only did they see tons of animals but they ate out and went shopping.  During the VT game, my phone was blowing up with those two sending me pictures of outfits at the mall that she was modeling.  Mike gets it that he is crucial to her self confidence and self worth.  Between Mike and her Heavenly father, Hope Madeline is a blessed little lady.  My heart was so happy that he gave up a football game, a day relaxing at home, and even a day of working on his laptop to give his daughter a memorable day they will never forget.  

This is another picture that blesses my heart.  Friday night the kids elementary school hosted a Spooktacular event.  Here is David and some of his classmates with his teacher!  God has blessed David with some awesome friends and another wonderful teacher.  

Our little witch and ninja turtle!  We have truly had a great few weeks, and I am so thankful for all the memories that we have made.  

Welcome October!!

Pretty much for the last ten days here in southwest Virginia it has rained.  It has been cool, drizzly and gray.  

Box seats kept these two best friends toasty while they tried to cheer on Virginia Tech. The outcome was not in our favor (kind of again, but lets focus on how much fun they had and not the score). My boys love VT games with Pops and I am so thankful for our Saturdays in Lane Stadium,.

These two cousins along with Uncle Chad braved hurricane weather to cheer on the hokies.  Again lets focus on the family time and not the outcome.  

Last weekend with the church youth group we went and saw the movie, War Room.  It is a must see movie for sure!  I came home and made my own war room and honestly that movie has changed myprayer  life dramatically.  My sweeet little girl saw my war room and wanted to make her own!  Be still my heart to see the earnest prayers from my baby.  Seeing this humbled me with a reminder that our children learn through watching us and I pray that what Mike and I do point them to Christ. 

My prayer list is very long these days.  Many friends and loved ones are going through some serious trials.  I never for asecond  think that my prayers fall on deaf ears.  What a privlege to approach God on his throne with our problems and heartaches.  

On another note I am so enjoying my Seamless bible study with my girls at church.  We are all learning so much and enjoying our fellowship time together as we discuss scripture.  Sarah, made these maple and bacon cookies tonight for our study.  With Jesus and cookies life is indeed good.