Sweetness turns 9!

Little Kori

Happy Birthday Kori!



It is very hard to believe she has grown this fast! There are Real Times I forget and still see her little! She was so excited about her birthday and so apprehensive at the same time this year- it was a little unsettling. All in all it turned out great, she is growing up and with that comes change- we're all trying to adapt to that aren't we? Kids grow and they change...

Birthday cake

Whalah, finally, the Big Top Cake turned out! I now believe that its designed for a heavier cake on bottom ( I used a brownie) and a light cake on top. We had her Birthday dinner at 5D Cattle Company & Steak House(a Southern Living favorite), its her favorite place to eat also!

Party Time


She had some friends join her at Putt Putt for a party! Of course, it was cold and rainy, but see we know this, its like this every year around the same time- no matter where we live! Thank goodness for party places with parties indoors!

Amazing

Birthday money, whats amazing is she is into buying clothes and not toys-She got money from grandparents and went and bought clothes with it, jeans, top and sweater etc. she has entered into wanting the "Cute outfit stage" First time we really noticed that in her... I'm glad!





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Tip-Toe through the 2LIPS

What I LOVE

and..............

What drives me NUTS .......

Rumors, Hate, envy- the kind that causes problems=)(However I really like IS.54:15-17)
Not having a my own home or abode. Storage buildings. People whom think they have all the answers and yet have no JESUS.. Worse yet, those that say the have HIM- but lead others astray- causing those whom are searching to be lead away Matt 18..
Makes me very sad- drives me nuts.


What I MISS .............

I actually miss my life as it was as a SAHM. I miss my brothers and sisters in Christ, those that have been there through life with me. I miss Worshiping with like Spirited believers.. I miss North Carolina- badly. I miss our Neighbors that we have been so incredibly Blessed to have had- from Woodway to Charlotte to Abilene. I miss Freedom. I miss having my own vehicle to drive, I don't like to share apparently.



What I LIKE..............

I like hanging out with other moms. I like the thought of one day actually scrapbooking. I like positive people whom hang in there with me thru my negative days. I like the fact that I am changed. I like the outdoors, mostly beaches. I like knowing that things will change and everything will eventually be just fine. I like to sew and can't wait to make things- I really like arts and crafts- can't wait to get back to that either. I like decorating, anything- can't wait to have my own to do so. I like the unlikable.

Where I have BEEN...............

I have been in some shady places! It makes me appreciate the light much better!
I feel I can hang with any Movie out there when it comes to drama, trauma or deceit.
I am incredibly blessed to have experienced so far what I have. I am ecstatic over being adopting and grafted in... I am enjoying my heritage more now. Thankful for the rejection, heck I would never have met acceptance!


Where I am GOING.............

closer to HIM. Its my Main goal. I don't really care about much too deeply. Except, those coming to Christ, my family and myself reaching HIM and HIS Kingdom here on Earth , the one- you know, as it is in Heaven. Therefore, when I get to Heaven I should have it all down pat by then- isn't that what we are doing- practicing for eternity? My great futures are in HIM and my children also being in Him. Its complicated to me- to be All In, its my journey towards it.

ASSURED............

I am so sure about things that I can add to and not take away from. Incredibly our family's heart finds itself consumed of thoughts of those unwanted & orphaned. ...Its our desire to help however we can.. He has surrounded us with an Abundance of examples as if to point the way. The sureness comes from not knowing a limit, What can or Will HE do.... Unlimitless is priceless.. There is always a need isn't there? and theres always an answer.

In the Process

Teacup Story
There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques and pottery and especially teacups. This was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. One day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup. They said, "May we see that? We've never seen one quite so beautiful."
As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke. "You don't understand," it said. "I haven't always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay. My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and over and I yelled out, 'Let me alone', but he only smiled, 'Not yet.'"
"Then I was placed on a spinning wheel," the teacup said, "and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. 'Stop it! I'm getting dizzy!' I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, 'Not yet.'"
"Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, and I yelled and knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head, 'Not yet.'"
"Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. 'There, that's better', I said. And he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Stop it, stop it!' I cried. He only nodded, 'Not yet.'"
"Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening nodding his head saying, 'Not yet.'"

Then I knew there wasn't any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later he handed me a mirror and I couldn't believe it was me. 'It's beautiful. I'm beautiful.'"
"'I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurts to be rolled and patted, but if I had left you alone, you would have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I knew it hurt and was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened; you would not have had any color in your life. And if I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't survive for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began with you.'"

When you are going through adversity, and searching for reasons and answers, remember that it may not be punishment, it may not be your fault or anyone's fault. Adversity is here for a reason, for it is only through struggles, pain and suffering that we grow stronger and wiser.

We are being formed out of mirey clay, who wants to stay ugly, unformed clay? I'll take the outcome of a beautiful Tea Cup anyday! Even though I will throw a fit during the process!

Be HIS. HE knows the Beautiful outcome.

Last of the Mohicans

pictured: my mom and uncle seated with me and my children and Aunt Susie in the back with my oldest

The last of the Mohican's these are 2 of the 3 left out of big families. I only grew up knowing my Grandmother & her sister and (pictured )my uncle. This is actually my mom's uncle- but he has always been more of an uncle to us and a brother to her. Aunt Susie is in the back, but I won't talk about her, she looks younger than all of us! My uncle must have seen the fountain of youth in her long long ago! Glad we have this picture! My uncle is either 7 or 10 years older than my mom (seated next to him) whom, is his deceased older sisters daughter. He has only one living sibling left out of 11, a brother whom is in his 90's.

My Uncle has always been real close, I have many funny stories to tell, but will leave it with this one..

Sugar Bears, they are real... Because I know, they lived by me in East Texas growing up, they were small in size and medium brown colored in the sun, but dark mocha in the canopy shade of the tall pines. I grew up knowing that these bears roamed the woods and that they loved honey.

Anyway, Soon after D and I were married, I told him about all the different kinds of animals that I had seen growing up in the woods by where I lived. You know I am quite the outdoorsmen.

After telling him about the monkeys, the black panthers and the sugar bears, he stopped to question my bear knowledge. You might say this went on for years. It didn't help things by telling him about my times Snipe hunting.

As we would sporadically visit ETX. I tried to verify my findings of known wild life through friends and family whom grew up in the area. Somehow, D never believed my verifiers. Then one day we went to Ark. to visit my Uncle, I knew this was my chance to finally put to rest the fact that there were indeed Sugar Bears in East Texas, because he knows, he is the one that told me about them! So as excited as can be at a BBQ I couldn't wait to ask him to tell D about these bears!

So I said "Uncle Bruce, tell Dewayne that there are really Sugar Bears by where we lived in East TX!" He said, " The only Sugar Bear I know of is the one on the front of a Cereal Box & he wears a sweater!"

OMG! I never could believe that is how he responded to something so important to me! But that's Uncle Bruce, always quick on his toes and very funny! You know, I should have known better=)
Luckily Cameron Park Zoo in Waco did collaborate my story later on by putting an East Texas exhibit up with Honey bears or small bears indigenous to East Texas in it. But man, what a journey for that one!

Need Help! Blog troubles

Way to start off a New Year!

Background is gone........... is it me or is TCBOTB having issues with their background?

No side bar, not even at the bottom- WHY?

Can't Nav around, page acts like it doesn't recog me even after log in...

Is something going on with Blogger or is this me?

So much for changing my blog- It won't allow me.....

Any help would be much appreciated.

Starting the year off right!

Does Anyone do New Years Resolutions anymore?

We started the new year off with balance! First I made homemade Chicken and Dumplings- my oldest was home and he craves his mama's dumplins! I have made them his entire life and then some, they never turn out the same twice! My kids ask for them by name=() I am really thankful for the times I watched my Grandmother roll out the dough and let them rest, dropping them into the pot too quickly, I think this must be the ultimate dumpling downfall. Hope I can retain this for next time=)

We balanced out the C&D with starting back on Dr. Simeons weighloss protocol. We used the first couple of days to "load". My As seen on TV cake was included in that of course! I gained weight on the load, but I am in hopes of hitting a 50 lb loss this go around. I have 90- no, actually 100 again to lose after losing 77 this summer. My immediate goal is just 50lbs! I know its not unreasonable, especially if I consider I can be down that with in the next 50 days!

My intentions to turn this blog around for the New Year is really lagging behind. I have a lot of idea's to change it to the "You Inspire" Blog. Who knows, maybe I will get that accomplished this month as well. So far my cute background keeps dissappearing, so I am not headed in a good direction with change as far as that is concerned=)who knows, the months is still young!

As Seen On TV!

End product

NO! I ts not HOT, its called top tooo Heavy for bottom in which sagged and crumbled. Below is the "filling" that broke through the little area that you bake into the cake, it was perfect at first then it got loose.

Do you recognize this? Surely you do, its As Seen On TV! Right? I mean we followed the instructions and did as it says. somehow it did not turn out. I feel sure if we practice we will some day have it turn out just as seen on TV!

You all ever run into this mysterious problem of the "As Seen On TV" world? or is it just me?





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Happy New Year!

We are excited for a New Year to begin thats for sure!

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