Harry Potter

A couple of weeks ago, yes I know that I am behind, I helped a friend take a group of girls to see Harry Potter, Part 1. It took a lot in me to volunteer to help. No it really didn't since I am a big Harry Potter fan. The only part that I wasn't prepared for was the ride up the parking deck. Picture it - a spiral tight parking deck full of cars and a suburban driven by yours truly. By the time I got us to a parking space I was a nervous wreck. I looked like one of those women who have the big car but have no business driving it because they can't park it.

We took the kids to the IMAX theater near us and the girls (my son was along because he wanted to see the movie too) were so excited. While we stood in line, a kid walked by that was dressed up just like Harry Potter. He was the cutest thing.

The movie lived up to all it's hype. Some parts I have to say were not made for the IMAX but it was quite an experience. I think we will watch Part 2 in IMAX again. Now we have to wait until summer to see the ending.

The biggest highlight of the night was spending some time with the older two.

Wordless Wednesday

It starts with one...

... then the other joins in ....

... until the first spots Momma and puts an end in to the fun.

Thankful on a Thursday - A Simple Piece of Furniture

It's been a while since we had a week with hardly anything going on. Usually it's a practice or we have to run to or some other event at school. But this week we have been able to slow down. The hubs didn't have to close so it was all six of us at home.

Tonight as he was finishing up the ribs on the grill, I had the older two turn the TV off because they were more interested in it than they were listening to me. You would have thought I had destroyed their world when I made them do that. Then without them realizing it, they completely forgot about that show they were watching and started to have fun with the family.

It was so nice to sit around the table and just talk. We do this as much as we can because I believe it's so important for a family to do. Around the table, the kids open up about what's going on and we get to talk to them about important issues too. I believe it's around the dinner table that a family really connects. After dinner we played Sorry while the twins played in the floor. I didn't want tonight to end - didn't want bedtime to come do quickly. I wanted to soak all this in while they are young. The days are passing by so quickly.

Tonight I am thankful for a simple piece of furniture that serves as a place to create memories. I look forward to many more nights like we had tonight to come. I know as a child I have so many memories of spending time with my family around the dinner table, whether it was eating, playing games or cards, doing puzzles or whatever it was some of my most treasured time with my parents. When my kids grow up, I want them to have the same memories and know that they were loved.

What are you thankful for today?

Wordless Wednesday - New Way to Drink

We caught he drinking her milk like this. She stayed like this for several minutes.I apologize for it being fuzzy but if we got up to get the camera she would have stopped.

A Special Thanks on a Hard Day

I want to thank everyone for their kind words and prayers for my family today. My daddy was one of those people that you met and you walked away with a smile on your face. I never knew how many lives my daddy had touched until he passed away. We probably saw over 400 people at visitation and the church was just about full at his funeral. I wanted to share with you some of the things that people said about him today on his birthday. It just goes to show the type of man he was.

"Happy Birthday! I know it's a hard day for y'all, but just think of the glorious party he's having today. Bet the first birthday in heaven is pretty awesome! Thinking of your family and praying for y'all today...."

"I always remember your dad having that sweet smile on his face. Praying you'll find comfort in the wonderful memories of him.

"saying a prayer for you, he such a warm hearted man."

"Your dad was an awesome man!!"

"I loved your dad. You guys are in our hearts today.""

"you and your sister were so Blessed to have one of the finest Christian men we know, for a "father" - Remembering your dad with Precious Memories, and the "Legacy" he left upon his family ....""

"You were very blessed to have such a wonderful father and such a wonderful legacy to pass down to your children.  I can't imagine how much you miss him, especially on days like today.  I have so many memories of your whole family growing up next door.  He was like my 2nd dad growing up.  It makes my heart smile to think of those old times.  Priceless memories!!!!"

But when he passed away there was something said about my daddy that just blew me away. I received this email from a friend that I had worked with many years ago at my first job out of college. Daddy would come to the office and have lunch with me. And when he came by he always had to talk to everyone or invite people to come with us. This is what my friend wrote:

I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am for your loss today and for the grief I know you are feeling, but I am thankful for the comfort that you have in knowing your Dad is in a much better place and that we will all get to see him again one day.

I only met him a few times and I know we used to tease you about your "Diddy" back in the DTS days, but I wanted you to know that since my little girl was born, I have thought of the two of you many times.  Even as little as I knew him, he was an inspiration to me to be the kind of father to my daughter that I believe he was to you.  I can only hope that when I leave this world, my daughter will still think of me as her hero.  I hope that I can give her the kind of spiritual foundation, strength, and confidence that your daddy gave you.  His was a life well spent.

Be well and know that you & your family are in my prayers.

This one email that I got back in February spoke volumes to be to the impression that my daddy made on the lives of others and me. My daddy was the finest man I have ever known. He touched so many lives and I am so thankful that I can proudly say that he was my daddy.

Thankful on a Thursday with a Heavy Heart

Thursdays' posts are usually about things that I am thankful about and today is no exception. The only thing is today is very hard. See today is my daddy's birthday, but it's the first one without him. I had thought about writing several posts leading up to today to give you insight on who he was and how great of a man he was. But I am not ready for that. Every time I have tried, I end up in tears. I plan to write a series on him but not right now. This post is hard enough to write.

This time last year we never thought we would be gathering at Cracker Barrel for our last birthday celebration with him. We laughed like we always do and he had the Mama's Pancake Breakfast with extra syrup. He was a diabetic but he always had to have the extra syrup.My nephew's girlfriend's birthday is the day after daddy's so we celebrated hers too. She was his little ray of sunshine. He thought the world of her. I can't even imagine going to eat there today. Just going there during the year is hard enough at times. It brings back all the memories of all the good times we had with him there. If I had known this was his last, I would have taken more pictures. Of the ones that I took this one is my favorite because every time I look at it I can hear him laughing.

I so wanted to wake up this morning and have him back so that I could call him and wish him a happy birthday, but that wasn't God's plan. He called my daddy home when He was ready for him, not when I was ready. I have been told that the first birthday, Father's Day, Christmas, etc are the hardest ones. I certainly do believe that.. I went by and saw  daddy and will go back today at lunch to put some flowers on his grave. Not the way I wanted to spend his birthday but I have to remember that I still have my mama to take care of. Today I will eat with her and remember the good times with him.

We have some hard days ahead with the holidays approaching. Just thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas without him is hard. So today with a heavy heart I am thankful for the daddy that I was blessed to have in my life for almost 39 years. He taught me so many things about life, how to love your family and  what commitment was for he and my mama were married almost 49 years. He is my hero. Today he would have been 73. His absence has left a hole in our family that can never be filled.

Happy Birthday Daddy! I love you and will always be a Daddy's Girl.

Halloween

While the twins are young and don't really care, I have decided that I want to dress them alike. We thought about doing Thing 1 and Thing 2 or clowns, but decided on Pebbles and Bam Bam. I searched all over the web looking at costumes and just couldn't would not pay as much as they wanted for the costumes. Plus they were rather ugly. So I made them instead.

We were going trick or treating Saturday night so of course that morning I was working on their costumes. My nephew's girlfriend came over to help me out and to help watch the babies. She worked on Pebbles shirt while I did BamBam's outfit. I bought sweatpants and shirts from Wal-mart and made the bone out of a t-shirt that I cut up. I don't sew but use to cross stitch all the time so I had a little experience. And I think they turned out rather cute.

We made stops to see the grandmothers right quick before heading over to our friends' house for a party. The babies loved being around all the kids and especially loved the bobbing for apples that was set up.





We had to put Bulldog's shirt in the dryer because he put his hands in the water. And of course the Hubs just stood there laughing and taking pictures.





Once it was dark, we headed out to trick or treat. We all got on trailers with hay and they carried us from place to place. BamBam fell asleep right after we got started and she only went to a few houses. The older two were at their dad's so they didn't get to go with us this year. We missed them so much and so did all their friends.

I hope everyone had a great Halloween. Looking forward to next year already since the older two will be there with us.