One of those days

I am not one to dwell on days that are bad but let me just say I have never been more ready for this weekend.  We have registration, planning for reading round-up, book fair, and an art night that I am a part of, all going on within the next 15 days.  Can anyone else say stressed. I am super excited though because I get to spend tomorrow with Mattie and Natalie Reese Carter.  YEAH!!! I am so glad Blake, Amanda, Shay, Denise, and the older girls are going. So ready for some fun.  Have a great weekend.

Leslie

Happy Valentine's Day

Here are just a couple of pictures of Mattie during Valentine's weekend.  She reminds me of my sister since every photo of  Katie as a child her mouth is open.  Anyway I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day.

This was at the beginning of our little photo shoot. ( it only lasted about 10 minutes total)

I think she heard the cows at this point

She was so excited here, for what reason I don't know.  I think that she reminds me most of Katie here though.

Anyway I hope to blog later this week about what is going on with us. I just wated to get these up so my brother mainly could see these. 

Fun Night and That Lesson I Learned

Last night I had the great privilege of watching two of my 3 nieces, Callie and Natalie.  I love watching them mainly for selfish reasons.  They entertain my child and when she gets into something she shouldn't they are quick to holler Aunt Leslie, Mattie is into... insert whatever here.  Here is a picture of how our evening started off.

All of the girls go to the same day care so I picked them all up from school.  Mattie has a set of Elmo books and they are all reading them, well Callie is probably the only one attempting to read, but they are all looking

After I picked them up we went back to our house to have some fun.  They really do play well together.

Mattie was so excited because Natalie was reading her Itsy Bitsy Spider

This is the girls all watching Sesame Street.  I have a rule they can't sit too close to the TV. They have to sit on the rug or on the couch.  This is how they lined up on the rug.  It is too funny, that they lined up by age. All that is missing is Aubrey and Ford.

This is the girls on the couch, again lined up by age on their own.

After that we ate supper then we made cookies and decorated with icing and sprinkles.  Callie asked how to ice the cookie. I told her it was easier if you held the cookie in your hand and iced the cookie that way. Here is Callie she was already eating her cookie before I could snap a picture.

Then there is Natalie.  When I looked at her hands they were covered in icing and nothing was on the cookie. I said, " Natalie why is the icing on your hand and not your cookie ? " She looked at me and said "Aunt Leslie you said to ice my hand." I guess I should have been more clear in the hold the cookie in your hand and ice the cookie. Here is Natalie

This is the face and...

here are the hands.  I love this child.  She cracks me up

Mattie kept on doing her "Where's is she hand and face this morning"  she was saying where Ca Ca (Callie) I tried to get a picture of it but this is all I got.  I think it is still cute.

Now for the lesson I learned.  I subscribe to a daily devotional/thought for the day thing  from Max Lucado and yesterday this was in my e-mail.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  Matthew 5:4 NKJV

To mourn for your sins is a natural outflow of poverty of spirit
. . . Many know they are wrong, yet they pretend they are right. As a result, they never taste the exquisite sorrow of repentance.
Of all the paths to joy, this one has to be the strangest. True blessedness, Jesus says, begins with deep sadness.

Wow I never thought of it that way.  I have always thought I would be blessed because I had mourned so much.  I mourned for Kevin, my summer missionary partner, who passed away in '98, I mourned for my daddy, grandmother, and Uncle David who all died within 24 months starting in June of 2000. 

I never really gave much thought of mourning for my sins. The definition of mourn is to feel or express deep regret for.  Shouldn't we feel regret over the times we wrong our Lord.

In talking with my mother the other day I realized, or really was more reminded, of something about myself.  I am so great at looking at what other people "do wrong"  whatever it may be, and then when I "do something wrong" (i.e. overeat, judge others, don't stand up for what I believe) I am the first to justify it. Overeating, I simple say it is only one cookie or I have eaten so well all day, one whatever want hurt.  In judging others I make their sin so much worse than anything I would ever do. (sarcasm intended) In standing up for what I believe, I fear that I will hurt someones feelings and I don't want to get into it for whatever reason. 

I am going to start working on thinking of my sin in a spirit of great mourning.  When I wrong God shouldn't I feel and express great regret?  I think I should.  Father please forgive me when I have sinned against you.  I know my sin is no more insignificant or significant than others.  I love you Lord and thank you for all the hard times that have come my way because I know they only make me stronger. I rejoice for all the good that has come out of those times.  It make me enjoy the good times of so much more.

Y'all have a great weekend

Leslie

Sick Day (Tuesday) and a great lesson this morning (Wednesday)

So Mattie Carter had strep throat for like the second time in her short life. I took her Monday because she started with a cough that wouldn't quit.  She never ran a fever or any other normal symptoms.  Her pediatrician said it took the test 20 seconds for positive to pop up.  I always feel bad because I hear people say I hurt so bad for my child when he/she is sick but I have to say Mattie is a great sick child or wild shall I say.  Below is a picture of Mattie eating her breakfast on her "sick day"

Well she was doing so well I thought I will let her play in her room while I washed dishes. Now Mattie has nothing in her room that she can really get into except the door on her changing table that has her Q-tips, powder, and other night time things. I put an activity cube my mom gave her for her birthday in front of the door so she can't get into all the stuff. This is a real wood heavy duty activity cube (see below)

so it should be hard for her to move any amount much less do what she did in under two minutes. This is what I saw when I came into her room

When I said her name and told her to clean up this is the face that I got.

How in the world can you get on to this face? Well being that I am a teacher and have a great fear that my child will be the kid that no one wants in their class it is very easy to get on to this face.  I made her pick everything up, which she did only stopping a couple of times to play with Hokey Pokey Elmo (thanks aunt K-K)

I will have to complete the great lesson I learned this morning tomorrow because I get to hang out with these sweet girls this evening.

This picture is from the last time the girl spent the night together.  It makes me think of all the fun I had spending the night with my cousins growing up.  I promise I will blog tomorrow about my lesson. Talk with you all later.

Leslie



A little Mister Rogers for you......

A couple of years ago my mom or sister, I don't remember which one, gave me a book entitled The World According to Mister Rogers.  It is a collection of quotes from Mister Rogers.  I was looking for a particular quote and I ran across this one instead.

" The gifts we treasure most over the years are often small and simple.  In easy times and in tough times, what seems to matter most is the way we show those nearest us that we've been listening to their needs, to their joys, and to their challenges."

I  think that is so true.  I can only remember one really big gift I ever received and I remember it because "Santa" told me they were not able to find it and on Christmas morning it was there. It was a hot pink and purple ten speed bike and I loved it, well until it was stolen. 

I can go on and on though about small things or gifts that people have done for us.  I remember my mom always made notes, poems, or even scavenger hunts directing us to gifts we received.  I remember getting to sleep with my mom when my dad worked night shift.  I also remember daddy coaching me in basketball and learning so many more lessons other than basketball.  I remember having an MRI and being so afraid and that morning my mom came in my room before I left and said I want to pray for you, that wasn't unusual but I just remember that so vividly. I remember Katie buying me a CD by Jason Mraz and attaching the sweetest note saying it isn't a lot but I had a great time with you at the Jason Mraz concert and I thought you could remember it this way.  The sweetest thing ever was when our Dad died watching the youth from our church.   I worked with the youth and they were all  friends of my sister ( they were the same age). Those sweet young people came to the hospital, visitation, and my dad's funeral.  It was as if they were grown up.  

So... what are some things you remember from your childhood be it big or small ?

Hope you guys have a great day

Leslie