Smorgasbord

This may quite possibly be the longest picture post ever! I do not have much on my mind to share, but have tons of pictures to show what we have been up to.

We were able to make a quick trip to Alabama to surprise Tim's dad for Father's Day, and he was most certainly surprised! We had a good visit with Tim's parents and one of his brothers and his family. We missed you John!

I hope your fourth was filled with fun memories. We spent the day/evening at my parents house with my brother and his wife and son, and my sister and her 3 kids. Her husband is still overseas defending the very freedom we all celebrated! We love and miss him and cannot wait for his safe return!

Well, without further ado, here are the pics...enjoy!

Here are all the Day cousins

Anna and Grandpa on the boat. They have a fun pond in their back yard.

We took a day trip to Atlanta. Here is a water show at the Centennial Olympic park.

We also went to the World Of Coke Museum.

Here is Anna with Grandma and the Coke Polar Bear

Inside the World of Coke

This was a fun room where you could taste Coca Cola products from all over ther world!

Tim and Anna waiting for the subway tot take us back to Atlanta Underground for lunch

Lunch at Johnny Rockets in Underground Atlanta. She made it fit!

I love this girl!

The kids waiting for a few fun fireworks.

They are wearing the 3-D fireworks glasses Grammy got for them!

Dillon and Grammy lighting the fireworks

Sparkler fun

We lined my parents back walkway with these giant sparklers.

This is what they look like through the 3-D glasses

The kids around the fire waiting to roast marshmallows

Ben and Drew

Brenda and Drew

The girls Anna and Megan

All the grandkids

Uncle Ben, Dillon and Shane

Darla and her Shane, Brenda and her Drew

My sister and I always take our girls to get pedicures when they are in town.
Here is Megan getting tickled by her pedicure!

Girly time!

Anna is so relaxed!

He Is Exhausted!

What a great week this has been! I have to say that as much as I miss my husband since he still has to work this summer, I have had a GREAT week with Anna! This is the first summer Tim has not been off in the summer like he has as a teacher since we were married 11 years ago! I am so proud of all of his hard work, but we miss him!

I was not worried about it being just Anna and me since we are together all the time anyway, but I was worried that we might get stir crazy now that school is out! She has been so great! She wakes up in the morning and goes into the living room and turns the cartoons WAY down to let me sleep in a little, and then when I get up, she pauses the TV (DVR - best invention ever!!!!) and asks me how I slept and if I noticed that she was being quiet so I could sleep longer! She has been a helper without complaining, and decided that she enjoys doing laundry...His love endures forever!!! I am serious, I hate laundry and it is nothing short of a God thing that she is loving it and that she really does it well. On Monday I needed to get the dishes done but also had been wanting to make a pan of brownies, so I asked Anna if she wanted to make the brownies while I did the dishes...you guessed it...she made them BY HERSELF. The only thing I did was pour it in the pan and put it in the oven.

I hesitate to even write this post at the risk of jinxing the wonderful time Anna and I have had together, but 1) I am not superstitious, OCD maybe, but not superstitious, and 2) I am so proud of what a sweet girl Anna is continuing to be and I want her to read this in the morning and know that I am so proud of her that I had to tell all of my friends about it! (she has already told me I can stop thanking her!)

OK, I am done. I will post later on what an amazing husband I have and all the craziness he puts up with, but for now I will finish with a conversation me and Anna had on our way to VBS tonight. We were listening to the radio and the song "He is Exalted, the King is Exalted on High" came on and we were just singing our little hearts out and then Anna said: "Mom, I think they should change the words of this song to 'He is Exhausted' because I bet He gets SOOOO exhausted putting up with all of us sinners!" HA! How true!

I want the years back!

Ok, so maybe I don't want them back, but I want them to slow WAAAAAAAAAY down! It seems the older I get the faster the years are going by! Anna graduated from Kindergarten today! I am so proud of her and am SOOOO proud to be her momma! Here are a few pics that make me want the time back!

Here is Anna on her first day of Kindergarten! I hate that her eyes are shut, but it will be a sweet memory!

This was her as she went into her classroom for the first time! She was so excited to see us go and leave her to her busy Kindergarten year!

Here is Anna getting to be the claendar helper one day. I was up at her school helping out with some other activities and I got to be there while she helped the teacher. This was her favorite thing this year...getting to help teach the class.

And here she is today getting her doploma from her Principal with her teacher right behind them.

After graduation they went back to their rooms and the teacher gave out individual awards. This is Anna getting her reading award.

OK, so since this is my blog I get to brag a little on my kid, right? Well, my sweet Anna left with a reading award because she LOVES to read and she is reading on a 3RD GRADE LEVEL! OK, this may not be a big deal for some, but coming from a momma who hates to read, it is HUGE! I knew she was ahead of the game early on in the year as we met with her teacher and decided whether to try to test her for 1st grade(we chose not to), but my biggest prayer was that she would have a love of reading like her daddy because I DO NOT! God is so faithful even in the little desires of our hearts! Don't you just love how He cares about the little things that are BIG to us? I could go on and on as I know many of you could too, but I will just say that I mean this now more than ever before...I AM A BLESSED WOMAN!

Over the past 6 1/2 years as we have tried unsuccessfully to have more kids, I have enjoyed my time with Anna. However, there was always that glimmer of hope that there was more on the horizon for our family and that we would have more kids. Not to say that God is finished growing our family, but I can say that if this is as big as our family ever gets, I have no complaints. I have a husband who loves me and his daughter second only to the Lord, and a beautiful, healthy, smart little girl who is blossoming into a lovely young lady. I am sorry THE lovely young lady! HA! We went out to eat tonight and the waitress brought Anna her drink and said, "and here is a drink for the young lady" All Anna heard was THE not A she talked about it all night long, "Momma, I am not just A young lady...I am THE young lady!" What a sweet girl!

Thank you God for the gifts you give us and every moment you allow us to be together! May we NEVER take that time for granted!

Let's Shoot for 11 More!

Eleven years ago today I married the man of my dreams!

He has proven to be more than I could have ever dreamed of!

I thank the Lord for giving me my perfect match and for bringing our hearts together.

Tim is such a hard worker and it seems like these days I just cannot tell him enough how much I appreciate how hard he works for our family.

I can honestly tell you that in 11 years of marriage, he has NEVER ONCE complained about going to work everyday so that he can support my wish to be home with Anna.

He is quick to encourage and slow to criticize.

He loves unconditionally and never judges me for my faults (there are many.)

He is a wonderful daddy to our Anna bug and teaches her how a young lady should expect to be treated by taking her on dates and being as much of a gentleman to her as he has always been to me.

If I could have handpicked my dream guy, I would not have been able to make a better choice. God sure does know what He is doing!

Babe, thanks for filling in the gaps of my heart and for always loving me unconditionally. You have brought joy to my life and showed me the true meaning of commitment. Thanks you for all of the hard work you do on a daily basis to make life better for me and Anna.

I love you!

Seriously????

OK, we knew when we walked Anna into Kindergarten on her first day that this was just one of many "firsts" she would have in public school. She has been exposed to a lot of "worldly" things, and not all of it bad. Most things have been pretty uneventful. This week, Anna came home and wanted to tell me about something that happened at school that day...

Anna: Hey mom!

Me: Yeah Bug!

Anna: You see this red mark under my chin?

Me: Yes.

Anna: I bumped my chin at school today.

Me: I am so sorry. What happened?

Anna: Well, we were sitting on the floor at carpet time and I was leaning over C***** to talk to R***** and C**** raised his head and called me sexy and when he did, he bumped.....

Me: Hang on a sec. What did you just say?

Anna: I said that C**** raised his head and bumped my chin.

Me: What did you say he called you?

Anna: Oh yeah, he called me sexy. Momma, what IS a sexy?



ARE YOU KIDDING ME? We know she is smart for her age, but sexy? Ha! REALLY?

Let's just say that the conversation that ensued will be kept between momma and daughter, and I think I handled it very well (if I do say so myself). I am one of those mommas that does not feel it is necessary to lie to my child to guard them from the ways of the world or to prevent an uncomfortable conversation (which it was), So we discussed it and I will tell you God really came through.

With all of that said, we really are big supporters of public school, and though it was a tough pill to swallow, it was a teaching moment for me.

***Let me pause for a moment and make a disclaimer here for all of my home school friends. I AM NOT AGAINST HOMESCHOOLING! I think God gives us discernment to do what is best for our families, and if God has led you to home school, or to do the private school thing, more power to ya! I have very dear friends who have chosen not to do public school.***

Public school has given Anna some amazing opportunities to share her faith with others. I feel like mine and Tim's job as her parents are to equip her to shine her light in a dark world, and she has truly done that! I got an e-mail from her teacher not too long ago that told me about an incident that happened in centers. A little boy had been ugly to one of his friends and before the teacher could get over to him to make him apologize, Anna swooped in and began to tell him that Jesus is so disappointed when we choose to treat others that way. The little boy looked at her and said "Who is Jesus?" Her teacher said that her eyes got really big and she said, "You don't know who Jesus is? He is God's son, and let me tell you what he did for you! He died on a cross so that we could live in heaven with Him some day, and He would not want us to treat each other badly." Her teacher said that at that point the boy apologized to his friend and they continued playing like nothing had happened. Don't you just love that? That, to me, is what it is all about! Our hearts just overflowed with joy!

So, can I handle a "sexy" conversation every so often? You bet! Is it always going to be easy? No. Will I always like it? Not on your life. But it is her little mission field and I am so thankful for her willing heart and love for the Lord. Her daddy and I have a big job ahead of us, but I know that the return on our investment will be great!

I hope this was not too much of a jumbled mess, but it was on my heart.

I would LOVE to hear your stories and what road you have chosen for your kids and why. I truly feel like there is no right or wrong when it comes to what is right for our families, as long as we feel the Lord leading!

The Obsession Continues!!!

OK, so I know I have posted recently about cake balls, but c'mon, can you really post TOO much about them? In my little cake ball fantasy world, the answer is loud and clear...NO!!!

So, without further ado, here are some of my latest creations. These ones I made for our "Friendly Friend" getogether. I wanted my Friends to eat them until they were comatose enjoy these little treats. Just ask my sweet friend Charity what she thought! LOL

Mmmmmm!!! Don't you just want to...well, for lack of better words, EAT THEM UP?

OK, my BFF (I would add a link to her blog...IF SHE HAD ONE! Ahem!)and I decided that we were going to make cake ball bouquets for our church's annual Make, Bake, or Grow auction to raise money to help our youth group with camp this summer. We each decided on a design and helped each other pull it all together. Here is Cindy's Design. Double chocolate cake balls dipped in chocolate and peanut butter flavored candy melts and a few chocolate covered strawberries to bring it all together. Mmmmmmm!

I decided for my design that I wanted to go springy! So, here are double chocolate cake balls dipped in colored candy melts. Even though they are not technically ball shaped, the flowers are also cake ball inside. We just formed them into flowers to add to the bouquet.

And last but not least...here are our three beauties all wrapped up and ready for auction! It was a long day, but they made money for a good cause and I got an order for a birthday party out of it. I guess you could say it was well worth the time spent with your BFF!

I cannot promise that this is the last cake ball post, because I will probably post some pics of the birthday party ones I will do in May, but hopefully you are enjoying them too!

Calling all chefs!

Hello to all of you faithful readers! I have not disappeared, I have been swamped with a few commitments, but I have posts to share. For now, I need some help. I have to have a Cinco De Mayo dish for Anna's school luncheon, and I do not have ANY Mexican food recipes. I know I could go online and find some, but they lie and tell me it is easy, and then I mess it all up! With that said, I would love for you to send me your yummiest, easiest Mexican food recipes. I am open to any suggestions. I will post a picture of the one I choose. If you are on facebook I have already sought help there, so I may choose on from there, but I have a feeling you girls will knock it out of the park! Thanks in advance, and I look forward to cooking!
Posts to come:
*Bow the Knee(Easter Presentation)
*Three dead...er...uh...blind Mice!
*Snakes? Seriously?
*Words of wisdom from a 6 year old

Can you tell it has been fun around here?

And the answer is......

Ok, thank you for waiting. Here is the answer to the previous post. Ready....set....

RED VELVET CAKE BALLS!!!

Can you say YUUUUM?

These are so easy to make and a pleaser at ANY getogether or birthday party! I am hooked! The best part is that by the time I get through making them, I cannot bring myself to each them because I have been smelling them the whole time. It is a beautiful thing really! I get to make what I love and not feel guilty by eating them!

I will share the recipe later, but for now, I am off to bed!

My New Obsession!

Here are some pictures of my newest obsession.

Huh? What was that? You want to know what they are? Hmmm. Well, they are pretty, easy to make, a hit at any get together.....

Take a closer look.....what's that? No idea?

Well, I am curious to know what you think they are.

Let the fun begin. I want you to start guessing. After I have checked out what you guys think, I will post the answer. If you have been around me recently enough to know what my new obsession is, you are not eligible to tell! Ahem! Darla!

Happy guessing!

Back to the Land of the Living

This has been a crazy couple of months in the Day household. Anna had the fun opportunity to be Gretl in The Sound Of Music at a theater near our home, and as you can tell from my lack of posts, it has been a busy time for us.

However, after

~90 hours of on stage practice

~130 costume changes

~28 hair braiding sessions

~14 make up sessions

~4 pairs of tights

~2 pairs of shoes

~22 meals in the car

~980 miles driven

~54 hours of on stage performances with an audience

~42 new friends

~48 PRECIOUS friends & family coming to see the show (thank you)

we can say that the Sound of Music experience is now over. But, with all of that said, she wants to know when the next show will be! I never in my wildest dreams would have thought to take her to a play audition, but I can truly tell you that the reason she is in this is because of God's hand.

I will share more about that later, but for now, know that if you prayed for her, came and saw her, encouraged her or had a sweet word for her during all of this, I appreciate it more than you know!

I want to end by telling you about our conversation last night after the last performance. After each of her plays (this was her 4th) we have taken her to get a Build-A-Bear as a special treat for all of her hard work, but also to remember each of her shows. Anyways, this week she asked if instead of getting a Bear if she could get a Barbie that rides a Bicycle that she has had her eye on. Tim and I decided that that would be fine(the traditional/sentimental side of me was so sad she did not want to Build a Bear) and so we had it waiting for her when we got home last night. She was SOOOOO excited and the following conversation ensued...

Anna: Momma, Daddy, thank you sooo much! I love her!

Dad: You are welcome bug!

Mom: You are welcome, we are so proud of all of your hard work!

Anna: (giggle, giggle)

Mom: Anna thank you for doing all that you were asked during the play, you really made me

and daddy so proud of you! You know that?

Anna: Yes m'am, but I did not do a good job so I would get this Barbie or just to make you and

daddy happy.

Mom: oh no?

Anna: Nope, I did my best so that God would look down and be proud of how I behaved and

acted. I did this for Him.

Ok, can I just say that the pride I felt because of her hard work in the play paled in comparison to how I felt when those sweet words spilled out of her mouth! We know as Christian adults that we should live a certain way in order to bring honor God, but to hear my 6 year old speak those words, well, I was just reminded of how lucky I am to be her momma.

I will post again soon! Here are some shots from all the fun!

Notice me Maria, I am Gretl!

When you read you begin with ABC

Maria and the VonTrapp kids after a LONG Saturday practice

Busted for playing and wearing curtain clothes!Who doesn't love the Lonely Goatherd?
So Long Farewell
The sun has gone to bed and so must I

Gretl's final song at the concert before they escape

"Holey" Mouth!!!

Ok, so Anna has had this loose tooth for....well, what seems like FOREVER! I am a firm believer that it will come out when it is ready(i.e. when the tooth behind it pushes it out) but she came home from school and was ready! So, I let her give it the good old college try. Here is "Take 1" Be warned that if you are queezy about loose teeth, you may want to pass on this first one!

After the disappointment of "Take 1" she went and played in her room until her daddy got home. He gave her a pep talk and then told her to let ME pull it! Oh my word! Here is the end result. She was so excited!

You Gotta Love Her!

This is the conversation that me and my 6 year old had on the way to dance class this evening!

Anna - Hey momma.

Me - Yeah babe!

Anna - I am so glad I was born!

Me - Oh, me too! Life would not be near as much fun without you! Don't you just love life?

Anna - Yes ma'am

Me - There's not anything you would change?

Anna - No ma'am.........well, if I were God, I would deffinately kill all of the bad guys and it would be like heaven where no one is sad and everyone gets along!

Me - Wow! That sounds pretty serious! Don't you think that you......

Anna - ......and when I become the queen, I can marry _______ (name withheld to protect the innocent) and he can help me rule my kingdom!

Me - Yeah babe! I am so glad you were born!

Bible Studies

Hey friends! I just wanted to throw this out there to see what the responses were. I am looking for a Bible study and hoping that you can help. It seems that so many of the studies I have bought are very "surfacy." By that I mean that the questions that are asked are not very thought provoking or should I say have a lack of depth. PLEASE don't get me wrong! I know there are new Christians out there who need some of the basics laid out for them, and there are not so new Christians who benefit from these as well...these types of studies are necessary, and it depends on where you are in your life at that moment! Also, I am not by any means suggesting that I am "above" those types of studies. I know God can use anything to speak to me.(Even a blog post gone awry!) I guess what I am saying is that studies I have done in the past have not met me where I am and I have felt like I was going through the motions of a study that was not really challenging me to grow in His Word.
Gosh, as I type this I feel like I am digging myself a bigger and bigger hole. Those who truly know and love me know where my heart is on this. I am not judging nor proclaiming greatness. Oh well, my point is that I would love to hear from you about some studies you have enjoyed. What is surface for some may be deep for others and vice versa so I would like your input. I LOVE Beth Moore's studies, but aren't hers more geared towards group settings as opposed to quiet time? I love you all and hope you know my heart! I can't wait to hear about what studies God is using to speak to you!

Not a Domestic Diva

***UPDATE***
Thank you to my domestic diva friends. Although I was hoping to get a tip on a miracle cleaner, you provided music to my ears when you told me to buy new ones! After all, if all of you ladies whom I admire would go buy new ones....gosh darn it I too will buy new ones!

Let me begin by saying that just because I am not a domestic diva does NOT mean that my houshold is in chaos or that it is a pigsty. What it DOES mean is that I am not one who knows all of the little shortcuts and neat ideas about how to get things done in a cheap, quick, or fun(yes I said fun) manner. I do, however, know that I have some blog world friends who fit the bill. I need your help...not your judgement:):):)


OK, now that I have gotten the important stuff out of the way...HELP! OH PLEASE HELP! I decided that I was going to do some cleaning in my kitchen that does not normally get done. Such as under and around my fridge, washer/dryer and stove. Again, we are not talking pigsty here, I just don't consider these things daily clean up spots. Well, I decided to take my burners apart to really get a good cleaning on my range top and HOLY COW. Now, keep in mind that you have continued reading which means that you have silently agreed not to judge...right? Ok here we go...

Not too bad, right? my stove top is clean and shiny!

Now, this is what was revealed when I unplugged my burners and took them off.

This is the worst one A.K.A the one I use the most!

OK, so now that I have exposed my domestic downfalls to you, let me tell you one more thing...these pictures were taken after they had been soaking in the sink for 2 hours, scrubbed with soft scrub, and scrubbed again with another cleaner. Are you still with me? Good, because this is where your help kicks in. I know it would be easy to say "oh, Leslie, just go buy some new ones." But I know you will not tell me that because, as I mentioned above, you are domestic divas and part of that involves saving money. So for dinner tonight, I am going to call in for pizza (since I am not the expert on saving money here) and wait for you nuggets of wisdom. I appreciate you!