Our Day At Tannehill State Park

This morning we decided to pack up the kids and head to Tannehill State Park for their annual Halloween Festival. The weather was AMAZING and we had so much fun walking around looking at all the different booths and vendors. Lillian had a lot of fun playing in the bouncy house, going down the inflatable slide, eating corn dogs, and running through the woods. After spending the whole day at Tannehill we came home and went on a walk around the neighborhood with Lillian riding her bike, grilled out and built our first fire of the season. It was exactly the kind of day our family needed. My heart doesn't have enough praise; I am so amazed by God's many blessings and doings in our lives.

this was the neatest thing

A man and his boy

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and forever. 

Hebrews 13:8

Halloween Festival With The Family

It is a little family tradition of ours to go to the Hoover Halloween festival at Veteran's Park every year. We meet up with my parents and Alli, Korey and the boys for some trick-or-treating, yummy (free) food and hayrides. Each year it seems like there are more and more people that come out for this event, and Hoover does such a good job keeping it organized so that everyone has fun. The hayride is always Lillian's favorite part, but this year she was a little more into the trick-or-treating part of things. Our sweet John Whitten just wanted to wander around and look at all the other kids in their costumes. The kids were worn out by the time we got home, so I always consider that a sign that they had a pretty good time. 

our tiny tiger and sweet princess 

this was mine and Lillian's favorite trick or treating stop; Gigi's cupcakes!

look who's eating food!!

It only took him 13 months to figure out how to eat w/out throwing up.

going on the hayride w/ Grammy and Dad

Lillian playing w/ Eli's cowboy rope

John Whiiten and Shepard

There are a few pics from last year (2010)

For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 

Getting A Hand On Being One Handed

Monday Shaun had to go back to work after having been off last Thursday and Friday, and I was on my own with the kids for the first time since my surgery. Alli came over in the morning with breakfast and pretty much took care of the kids while we talked and hung out. She was a LIFE SAVER that morning and I was so grateful that she was there. My good friend Jenny even came by and dropped off lunch for me and Lillian (she even brought John Whitten some fries), which I appreciated so much. It was yummy comfort food; Hamburger Heaven! After Alli left (she had to pick up Eli from school) is when things got tough. Neither of the kids would nap, and because of that John Whitten insisted on being held ALL afternoon. Lillian was good, she just wanted to go to the park and I couldn't handle it at the time. Of course I can't take any of my pain medicine when I am with the kids by myself because it knocks me out, so I was counting down the hours until Shaun was coming home so I could drug myself. I was in tears by 5:00.

Tuesday wasn't much better. Lillian went to school and I went back home to try and rest but ended up just trying to make a cranky teething toddler happy; it was not relaxing. On my way to pick Lillian up from school I got my cast caught in the steering wheel and tore a stitch out of my hand (had to take both kiddos with me to the doctor to have more stitches put in today). Again, I was in tears almost by 5:00.; Thank the Lord of an amazing husband who came home from work (almost on time) to take of me.

I wasn't expecting to feel much better today but to my surprise I felt great when I woke up this morning. I had to take the kids to the pediatrician, and that went surprisingly well. Then we had to go to my doctor to have my stitches fixed. Afterwards we headed to the park and then back home where EVERYONE napped! A HUGE thank you to Tara Ross who brought us dinner today, it was delicious! I am mastering the one handed diaper change, and dressing John Whitten has gotten a little easier. My sweet Lilly bug has been such a little helper and asks me a few times a day if we can say a prayer to help my arm feel better. I told her today that all of her prayers are working because it is feeling like my hand is on the mend.

Thank you so much to our friends and family who have brought us dinner and called us to check in on us. God has put amazing people in our lives and we are so grateful for everyone of them.

these pics are from trick or treating @ the Hoover library

Our Post Surgery Weekend

Thursday I had surgery on my right hand to repair a tendon that was torn. They ended up having to do a tendon transfer and tether a good tendon in my hand to the damaged one. The surgery its self was pretty uneventful, but these lat few days have been interesting. I have to be really careful with my hand because the doctor said it would be very easy to "un-do everything" he had fixed just by turning my hand the wrong way. It is frustrating at times, but I am learning my limitations.


Let me just say that Shaun has been nothing short of amazing these last four days! Not only has he taken great care of me but is pretty much a super Daddy with our babies. I have spent this past weekend relaxing and sleeping, just trying to heal up as much as I can before Shaun goes back to work Monday. He has a really busy work week ahead of him and won't be home until after bedtime every night this week, so I need to be as good to go as possible. 


I am so thankful to our friends and family who have called to check in and brought us little treats and dinner. It has been SO helpful and we feel so blessed to have such wonderful, loving people in our lives.

Lillian drying my hair for me

John Whitten was a little scared of my club hand at first, but he got over it pretty quickly.

our little tiger...random picture that made me smile.

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Isaiah 41:13

Lillian's Art

I don't think that sweet Lillian has been able to finish one coloring page at school. She is so careful to stay in the lines (she doesn't get that from her Mommy) that she just doesn't have enough time to finish. I always get a little giggle when I open her folder and see something like this picture. I love what a little perfectionist she is; just like her Daddy.