The Dawkins'

Aaarrrggghhh Matey! Fun Friday!

2011-01-14T12:38:00.004-06:00

Shiver me timbers...is that sweet lad Garrett? Aye, it is! :)

Ahoy me hearties! I want to start sharing something fun that either makes me laugh (Yo Ho Ho) or smile every Friday. So here is my Fun Friday post/picture. It was taken before Christmas at Garrett's second cousin's birthday party. I can't believe he actually smiled when we put the patch over his eye. I hope everyone has a ship-shape kind of weekend. Find some time to smile and enjoy the blessings God has given you. Fair winds! :)

Snow Fun with Mr. Will E. Melt! :)

2011-01-11T20:00:00.001-06:00

Monday and Tuesday was an unexpected break with lots of snow. It started snowing Sunday night and we woke up to a blanket of the white stuff on the ground Monday morning. We got around 3 inches at our house. It was the "good" kind that stuck together so we could make a snowman. When Garrett went down for his morning nap, Jason and I went out to build a snowman, Mr. Will E. Melt, so we could get some pictures. We had to be creative when it came to the Will E.'s facial features and accessories. He was a jolly happy soul, with an oreo mouth and eyes and a carrot nose. Instead of an old silk hat, he had an old cowboy hat. He didn't begin to dance around, but he did make our sweet little boy smile. :) What a great day we had!

Where has the time gone?

2011-01-05T14:53:00.029-06:00

Okay so I am determined to get this blog updated. :) One of my New Year's Resolutions is to blog on a regular basis so I don't forget anything about sweet Garrett's first year. A LOT has happened in the last six months. Here's a quick recap: I had two wonderful baby showers in June. We celebrated our 4th Anniversary on June 17th. Our niece, Alleigh, had her 1st Birthday on July 4th. Our precious Garrett was born on July 23rd. We began adjusting to having a newborn in the house during August. We celebrated Jason's 29th Birthday on September 4th. We had my family come in town for Labor Day weekend. We took our first family mini-vacation in the beginning of October. I went back to work in the middle of October. Garrett dressed up for his first Halloween as the cutest dragon ever. Garrett was surrounded by our loving families on November 7th for his baby dedication. We traveled to my parents' for the first time since Garrett was born to have Thanksgiving/Christmas. We kept adjusting to having an infant in the house. :) We celebrated my 29th Birthday on December 19th (this is the age I will be for the rest of my life!) :) We had our first Christmas as a family of three. And...we rung in a low key New Year's having a great steak dinner with family and watching the ball drop in Time Square from the comfort of our couch. Whewww....what a whirlwind! Enjoy the pictures!

Before the Hospital

Waiting Nervously

He's Here! 8 pounds, 14 ounces

We're Home!

First Bath

Labor Day Weekend

First Shots :(

Mini-Vacation in Arkansas

Pumpkin Time!

First Halloween

Baby Dedication

Thanksgiving at Nana and Pop-pop's

First time to eat Solid Foods

Loving the Exersaucer

First Christmas

5 Months!

Happy Anniversary to Us! :)

2010-06-17T08:16:00.003-05:00

Today I have been married to my best friend for 4 wonderful years! I can't believe how many years pass in what seems to be such a short time. This morning I couldn't help but think about how our life has changed over the past year. We will soon welcome a sweet little boy into this world and we both feel so blessed to be given this responsibility. We will spend our anniversary night at our childbirth class instead of a romantic dinner, but we are more than welcome to do it! :) I wanted to share a picture of what I woke up to this morning from my precious husband. He is the best! :) Not only did he pick out beautiful flowers and a sweet card, he remembered that I LOVE chocolate covered raisins. :)

32/33 weeks

2010-06-15T15:39:00.001-05:00

This picture was taken at 32 weeks. (I wanted to put one on here for my Moma.) =) I will have to post a picture from this week (week 33) when I get one taken.

I also wanted to share a cool website that I found out about from a CEU class I am taking for school. It is http://www.picnik.com/. You can upload your own pictures for free and edit them anyway you want. It is really neat...give it a try.

31 weeks - only 9 more to go

2010-06-02T16:22:00.006-05:00

31 weeks

Alleigh and Aunt Leigha (please ignore the no make-up look)

Wow - it has really been a while since I posted. Our camera broke so we are in the process of finding a new one. Any suggestions? I cannot believe that our sweet Garrett will be here in 9 weeks (or maybe sooner). :) Tomorrow I will be out of school for a week and have really enjoyed having time at home. We visited my parents, brother, sister-in-law, and Alleigh this past weekend and enjoyed getting to visit with them. I have been cleaning and organizing since we got home. I guess you can say that I have begun nesting. Maybe it will last the next 9 weeks so I can keep this house clean. :)

Pregnancy Update:

How Far Along: 31 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss: Have gained 20 lbs. so far - whooo (pretty soon I will not be putting this number on here)
Maternity Clothes: yes, they are a must! Just bought some shorts this week

Sleep: much better this week - had some severe rib pain that has been keeping me up but feels tons better now
Best Moment of the Week: will be tomorrow when I get to hear Garrett's heartbeat again

Movement: Yes - He moves a lot but is starting to slow down -I think he is running out of room
Food Cravings: none at the moment unless you can count Tums - I eat them like candy
Food Aversions: I am at the point where anything gives me acid reflux - even water
Gender: boy - Garrett Adren
Labor Signs: starting to feel a little pressure

Belly Button: starting to poke out
What I Miss: being about to walk as fast as I used to and bend over to touch my toes :) I think a pedicure is calling my name!

What I'm looking forward to: a pedicure that I am scheduling for next week

Milestones: starting childbirth classes tomorrow night - they ought to be interesting - I am a little nervous!

26 weeks and nursery almost complete! :)

2010-04-26T20:29:00.005-05:00

Pregnancy Update:

How Far Along: 26 weeks
Total Weight Gained/Loss: Have gained 11 lbs. so far - go back to the Dr. next week.

Maternity Clothes: yes, they are a must!
Sleep: not too good this week so far - some back pain has kept me up

Best Moment of the Week: seeing my sweet husband paint a canvas to put in Garrett's room and signing it "Love Dad"! Precious!

Movement: Yes - He moves constantly now. If you watch my stomach closely, you can even see him move

Food Cravings: a strawberry sundae with nuts and sweet tea this week :)

Food Aversions: I am at the point where anything gives me acid reflux - even water

Gender: boy - Garrett Adren

Labor Signs: none
Belly Button: is still there, but getting smaller and smaller everyday.

What I Miss: sleeping through the night without having to get up and being able to take in a DEEP breath - I really feel like my stomach has gotten a lot bigger this week. I am running out of room! :)

What I'm looking forward to: Summer Vacation! :) 22 more days!
Milestones: finishing the wall art and ordering vinyl letters to go above Garrett's crib

This is the canvas that Jason scetched and painted. We looked and looked for something that would go with our black and white toile themed nursery to put on the wall and couldn't find what we were looking for. So...Jason found an image online, printed it off, and painted it on a canvas. I think it turned out great! I can't wait to put it up.

23 weeks

2010-04-07T20:45:00.005-05:00

Pregnancy Update:

How Far Along: 23 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss: Have gained 11 lbs.
Maternity Clothes: yes, they are a must!

Sleep: better now that we purchased a good mattress! :) It is wonderful, but Jason said it was like buying a car. Those things are not cheap!
Best Moment of the Week: getting the glider we ordered for the nursery and getting to hear Garrett's heartbeat at the Dr. Monday.

Movement: Yes - he is very active, especially when I eat or drink something cold and sweet.

Food Craving: a strawberry sundae with nuts. Had one last night as a matter of fact. :)

Food Aversions: anything fried or anything with lots of tomato sauce gives me acid reflux.

Gender: A BOY!!
Labor Signs: none

Belly Button: is still there, but getting smaller and smaller everyday...I don't think it will an inny much longer.
What I Miss: sleeping through the night without getting up to go to the bathroom.
What I'm looking forward to: Summer Vacation! :)

Milestones: people that do not know me have actually started asking when my baby is due!

Easter

2010-04-05T13:39:00.010-05:00

"Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God's children." (1 John 3:1). Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for us to save us from our sins and because you love us! It is so exciting to me that we get to worship a loving and risen Savior, not just on Easter, but every day!

Jason and I spent the beautiful Easter weekend with my family. I am so thankful for the time we get to see them and spend with them. They are wonderful! Enjoy the pictures. :)

21 weeks and A LOT going on...

2010-03-24T10:16:00.002-05:00

The Stone...

Well I know it has been a while since I have updated, but we have been super busy. Spring Break was last week and I really enjoyed having some time off to just enjoy resting. Everyone tells me that before long, there won't be much time for resting. Jason took off work to be with me Tuesday - Friday. Spring Break started off great but toward the end of the week, got HORRIBLE! Here is a summary of what went on:

Monday: did a little housework and took a nap :)
Tuesday: had massages and registered for Baby Garrett at Target and Babies R Us
Wednesday: rested at home while Jason went to work...on his day off :(
Thursday: rested at home and had lunch with Jason :)
Friday: drove to Selmer, TN with Jason to check on a pool job that he designed, went to Shiloh military park and had lunch by the river - very beautiful, then drove to Starkville to spend the night to go to the basketball game Saturday morning.
Friday night: ate at one of our favorite Starkville restaurants - Harvey's
Late Friday night - Early Saturday morning: woke up with TERRIBLE pains in my back - started throwing up because of the pain - went to the emergency room in Starkville - found out I was experiencing my very first kidney stone while being pregnant....NOT FUN!!!!!

So needless to say, Jason and did not get to go to the game in Starkville. (I hope the nurse's husband enjoyed those tickets we gave her.) The only place we went from the hospital was back on 45 headed home, then to Walgreen's to fill the pain pill prescription, and to the bed where I spent the next 2 days. My sweet Moma, who came in town to help take care of me, and Jason did everything they could to try to make me comfortable, but nothing worked. The pain meds they gave me in the emergency room only last 2 hours and then I was in excruciating pain again. I don't think any of us got any sleep. Monday I decided to call my OB doctor and see what she could do for me. I went in, they did an ultrasound of my kidney and also comfirmed that it was a kidney stone which she said was common in pregnancy and said I had two options: 1.Go home with stronger pain medication, which she assured me was fine for the baby and drink LOTS of fluids to try to get the stone to pass, or 2.be admitted into the hospital and have an IV pump me full of fluids to get the stone to pass. I chose option 1. I figured I might be more comfortable at home. We went home, got the new prescription filled, and I slept like a baby the next four hours. (so did my Moma and Jason) :) When I woke up the meds were starting to wear off so I took another dose and about an hour later...I passed it!!!!!! I literally felt like I had given birth to my first child. :) I wanted to keep it and show everyone. I will spare my blog readers and not post any pictures. :) I told my Moma and Jason that I know that I am ready for labor now. I mean...I might even have Garrett naturally. :)(haha) I have been sore the past two days which the doctor said was normal and I will be glad to be returning back to work tomorrow. I really hope this is the only major event I will have in the next 4-5 months before Garrett makes his arrival.

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails!

2010-03-08T16:08:00.008-06:00

After much anticipation...We learned we're having a sweet baby boy. His name will be Garrett Adren! We had the ultrasound today and everything looked great. His heart, brain, spine, and kidneys were all perfect. He was a very active little boy (probably because of all the sweet tea I drank today!) and didn't have any problems showing his little boy parts to the world. :) The ultrasound tech said there is not doubting he is a boy! His daddy was just absolutely beside himself. I don't think I have ever seen Jason so happy before - he was just giddy. :) We are both already in love and can't wait to hold sweet little Garrett in 5 months. (I have already warned Jason that he is going to be a moma's boy, at least while he's little). I will have to add the pictures later. We are too busy showing them off right now. :)

What's Going on with Baby Garrett:

Garrett's sensory development is exploding! His brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that hemay be able to hear our voices now. He weighs about 11 ounces and measures 10 inches, head to bottom (about the length of a banana). His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on his scalp is sprouting.

Pregnancy Update:

How Far Along: 19 weeks
Total Weight Gained/Loss: 9 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: yes, love them!

Sleep: a little better this week, but not getting congested because of our crazy MS weather

Best Moment of the Week: getting to know that we are having a boy and seeing his little heart, spine, brain, kidneys, and bladder :) They all look great!

Movement: Yes - he is very active, but I am not feeling every moment just yet
Food Craving: a strawberry sundae with nuts :)
Food Aversions: anything fried gives me acid reflux
Gender: A BOY!! Oh Boy!! :)

Labor Signs: none
Belly Button: is still there
What I Miss: being able to bend over without feeling like I am squishing a person :)

What I'm looking forward to: shopping for boy clothes now

Milestones: getting to see Baby Garrett and knowing that he is growing perfectly

One week to go before we know!! :)

2010-03-01T12:27:00.003-06:00

How Far Along: 18 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss: I have gained 5 lbs. total
Maternity Clothes: yes, love them!
Sleep: not much
Best Moment of the Week: getting the nursery furniture put together and in place. :)

Movement: lots of little bubbles Saturday. :)

Food Craving: at this very moment - a Snicker's sounds very good!

Food Aversions: anything fried gives me acid reflux :(

Gender: don't know yet - we will find out in 7 days!!!!
Labor Signs: none

Belly Button: is still there

What I Miss: getting a good night's sleep - I cannot get comfortable at night due to my aching hips. Does anyone have any pointers???

What I'm looking forward to: our next appointment :)
Milestones: starting to show more and getting the nursery ready

The baby is 5 1/2 inches - head to bottom - (about the size of a bell pepper) and weighs almost 7 inches. He/she busy flexing his/her arms and legs. His/her blood vessels are visible through his/her thin skin, and his/her ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his/her head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around the nerves, a process that will continue for a year after birth. If we're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If we're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound. Little Baby D, please be cooperative next Monday so we can know if you are a boy or a girl! :)

Nursery Funiture...check

2010-02-15T13:45:00.006-06:00

Jason and I had a fun weekend. We went baby furniture shopping for our little avocado. (That's the size of the baby at 16 weeks.) :) After looking at MANY cribs and dressers, we found the perfect set. Jason has an oversized desk that is already in the room that we are making into the nursery, so we have decided to leave it and use it as our changing table. There is plenty of room on top and the drawers can be used for storage. Well because we are leaving it in the room, we felt like we needed the crib and dresser to match. So...we headed to Babies R Us with a shelf from the desk. (Can you imagine carrying a shelf around. It was quite a sight.) :) We both found one that we are happy with and can't wait to get it here in two weeks. YEAH!!

At 16 weeks, the baby is about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His/her legs are much more developed, his/her head is more erect than it has been, and his/her eyes have moved closer to the front of his/her head. His/her ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his/her scalp has begun, though the locks aren't recognizable yet. He's/she's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his/her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day.

The little "apple" of our eyes

2010-02-08T13:26:00.003-06:00

Our growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces, which is about the size of an apple. He/she is busy moving amniotic fluid through his/her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in his/her lungs begin to develop. His/her legs are growing longer than his/her arms now, and he/she can move all of his/her joints and limbs.

How Far Along: 15 weeks
Total Weight Gained/Loss: I have gained 5 lbs. total

Maternity Clothes: yes, love them!

Sleep: not very good right now - I am getting congested! :(

Best Moment of the Week: hearing the baby's heartbeat at our doctor's appointment. It was 150.

Movement: haven't felt any flutters yet - looking forward to it though
Food Craving: anything fruity and cold - got lots of sugar free hard fruity candies at the grocery store yesterday along with some fruity popsicles. :) I had a lime one yesterday and it was probably the best thing I have eaten my whole pregnancy. :)

Food Aversions: onion rings so far
Morning Sickness: gone, YEAH!!!
Gender: don't know yet - we will find out our next appointment - March 8th! :)

Labor Signs: none hopefully for another 25 weeks
Belly Button: is still there
What I Miss: (or what Jason misses) - I will answer for him...his man room that is being converted into a nursery. :) Bye-bye duck and turkey mount!

What I'm looking forward to: our next appointment :)

Milestones: entering the 2nd trimester (in 5 more weeks I will be half way through) :)

14 weeks and counting...

2010-01-30T13:21:00.001-06:00

How Far Along: 14 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss: not quite sure - I don't have enough courage to step on the scales at home :) I go to the doctor next Monday.
Maternity Clothes: yes, love them! - I have a pair of jeans, black pants, and brown pants and a few shirts and a few cute things that my sweet friends and sister-in-law have let me borrow.

Sleep: is interrupted every night by the urge to use the bathroom and aching hips :(

Best Moment of the Week: finding out that my insurance covers 100% of my visits and delivery :)

Movement: haven't felt any flutters yet - looking forward to it though

Food Craving: anything fruity and cold - also liking water again (I just can't enough of it these days)

Food Aversions: onion rings - found out Sunday night that I will not be eating them again for the next 6 months

Morning Sickness: gone, YEAH!!!

Gender: don't know yet - hopefully we will find out in 5-6 weeks

Labor Signs: none hopefully for another 26 weeks

Belly Button: is still there

What I Miss: drinking coffee in the mornings

What I'm looking forward to: finding out the gender and decorating the nursery
Milestones: starting to feel better and have a little more energy

2010 is the year to begin...

2010-01-08T17:11:00.005-06:00

...A family!

We had a very exciting Christmas! I will let the videos speak for themselves. :) There will soon be an addition to this family and we cannot wait for the bundle of joy to arrive in July. God has truly taught us that He is faithful to answer our prayers in His timing. :) This exciting time has been worth the wait!

Cute as a button!

2009-12-08T12:09:00.003-06:00

I had to share this precious picture!

Alleigh got to spend the last week with my parents because Jeb and Meagan went on a cruise for their Anniversary. Moma snapped this sweet picture. :)

Custom Built

2009-11-01T08:16:00.000-06:00

We have a nook in our hallway and we've never known what to put in it. We finally thought that a custom built desk would be the perfect thing. Jason worked really hard to make it just right. Check out his handy work! installed, but more work to do

working hard

finally painted
finished product!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T16:02:00.004-05:00

If this isn't scary, then I don't know what is! :) Thank goodness for dentists and orthodontists! I hope everyone has a fun Halloween! Remember, you're never too old to let the kid inside of you come out and play! :)

Introducing our new "adopted" baby...

2009-10-30T11:04:00.007-05:00

Sassy Sophia Loren! :)

A.K.A.

Sophie

My coworker, whom we adopted Sophie from, has a house full of four girls and had no extra time to give to this little dog who requires lot of attention. :) She is a 1 and 1/2 year old Yorkie and she has fit in great with us. She is already on the verge of being spoiled rotten. I have always wanted a Yorkie, so when Emily asked if we wanted her, I jumped at the chance. Jason said we could try it out for a few days to see if we all (including Drake) could adjust to having a new "baby" in the house. Well, needless to say, that has been three weeks ago. I think she is here to stay! :)

I am not too thrilled to have this bow in my hair!

Are you talking to me?

Thunder on the Lake...

2009-10-16T10:16:00.006-05:00

Jason and I actually went down to my parents' house last weekend to help out with the 5th annual Crystal Springs Bike Rally called Thunder on the Lake. This name literally fit for the weekend of the bike rally. It rained or misted the whole weekend. Despite the rain, we had a great time. We got to see our family and hear some great bands. The main band was Crossin' Dixon which is a Mississippi based band that has been featured on CMT. It was a fun time, but I think we played with Alleigh more than we helped. (Sorry Moma and Daddy - We just couldn't get enough of those sweet cheeks and chunky legs.) :) I didn't get alot of pictures of

the rally, but of course I got pictures of that sweet Alleigh. :)

Are you kidding me?

2009-09-17T13:40:00.004-05:00

Okay - I don't know if anyone else out there watches America's Got Talent, but Jason and I couldn't believe that Kevin Skinner, the guitar-strumming country singer, was the winner of it all. Don't get me wrong, we definitely think that this humble unemployed chicken catcher from Kentucky deserved to win $1 million dollars, but we thought he sang a little off key to win a headline show in Vegas. It was just a bit of a shocker to the both of us and the only thing we could say was "are you kidding me?" Maybe this just proves that we watch too much reality T.V. or maybe he'll make it big like Susan Boyle and the torture we went through watching David Hasslehoff every week was worth it. :)

Labor Day Weekend = Time with my favorite women and Alleigh

2009-09-11T16:52:00.005-05:00

My sweet moma, mamaw, sister-in-law, and neice came to see me this weekend while Jason was out hunting doves with his dad, brother, and college buddies. Jason's mom also joined us for lunch and shopping one day. We had such a great time! I learned that Alleigh is already spoiled rotten and has big blue eyes. She definitely has everyone figured out and knows how to get someone to pick her up immediately. :) She got her 1st round of shots this past week and the pediatrician told Meagan that she was the size of a 4 month old! So needless to say, she is a chunky monkey with sweet kissable cheeks. I just couldn't get enough. :)

Look at my big blue eyes!

I loved bathtime in Aunt Leigha's sink. :)

Getting some lovin' from Aunt Leigha before bedtime.

A Brag Entry

2009-07-24T17:25:00.009-05:00

Okay - so I have to brag on my talented husband a little more today. :) He recently designed a pool, patio, and landscaping for a family in the area, and I just had to share the pictures. Thank you Lord for providing my husband with a job he enjoys and can share his talents.

Warning: Look at your own risk. These pictures may cause you to want a pool badly! :)

Photo Shoot

2009-07-16T16:23:00.000-05:00

Ok, I know I have put lots of pictures of Alleigh on her already, but these were just too cute not to share. :) So do you think she could be a baby model or am I just a little partial? :)

Yard of the Month!

2009-07-15T08:43:00.001-05:00

Hip-hip-hooray for Jason! Even though I am a month late posting this, I still thought I needed to brag on my wonderful and hardworking husband. He received a very big honor - Yard of the Month for the month of June! :) We were so proud to hear our address announced as the big winner at our Homeowners Association Meeting. Jason really does do a great job with the yard. I am so glad that someone else thought so too. :) We also made some changes in the backyard. We made the arbor bigger and built an outdoor kitchen area around our grill. Now if it would just stay below 100 degrees so we could enjoy it. :)

Look at that green grass! :)

Our summer flowers and the cute flag my Moma gave us!

The pictures above are of the renovated patio area with new arbor and new grill area (by the way...I helped build that arbor!) :)

Alleigh's first week

2009-07-14T18:10:00.003-05:00

These are just a few pictures from Alleigh's first week! :) She is so precious!
We had such a fun time with her. I don't know if I can stand to be 3 and 1/2 hours away from her. :)

Alleigh is Here!!!! :)

2009-07-07T08:25:00.004-05:00

We had a very exciting 4th of July! It was Alleigh's birthday. She was a very healthly baby girl. She weighed 9 pounds and 5 ounces. Moma, Daddy and Baby are all doing great. She is more precious than we could have ever imagined her to be. We already love her so much!

Pool Time

2009-06-23T13:14:00.001-05:00

Drake has a new hobby now. Can you blame him? He didn't like it at first, but when I made him lay down in the pool, we couldn't get him out. He is such a silly dog, but we love him! :)

My Daddy's Special Day!

2009-06-21T12:31:00.002-05:00

Although I didn't get to spend Father's Day at home with my Daddy, it was still a special day. (I will see him very soon when my niece gets here!) :) I am so glad that God picked out the perfect daddy for me! Thank you Daddy for being so wonderful! I love you with all of my heart!

He's being the chef in this picture. He loves to cook! :)

3 years and counting! :)

2009-06-17T08:50:00.001-05:00

Happy Anniversary to Us!

I can't believe it has been three years since we said "I do." Time really does fly when you are having fun. I cannot imagine my life without my sweet husband. Take a look at our new toy we got for our anniversary.

Just kidding - My Daddy would never give up his "baby" - not even to his own daughter. We were just posing for the picture. Check out our faces - pretty funny! This is probably how we would look like if we were really riding it. :)

Everyone takes a vacation "Sooner" or later!

2009-06-07T08:00:00.012-05:00

We just enjoyed a relaxing family vacation/ family reunion for my Daddy's side of the family (minus Jeb and Meagan and a few cousins) in the town of Broken Bow, Oklahoma. There was a total of 18 in two cabins. Talk about fun and loud times! Of course we did our favorite thing....eat! Every night a different family was in charge of cooking for all of us. What a treat! There is nothing like homemade food. :) Across the street from our cabin was a winery called 'Girls Gone Wine' where we enjoyed a great wine tasting in a fun atmosphere. Jason and I also found an awesome hiking trail right on the creek, which we explored with my Moma and Daddy and aunt and uncle one day. Another day was full of riding the scenic route of the Ouachita Mountains. And of course our vacation wouldn't have been complete without a night around the campfire with my Uncle Johnny's stories and S'mores. Who could ask for anything better? :)

The cabin we stayed in. The other cabin was across from us.

Jason and me on the hiking trail

my Aunt Wanda on the trail

my Uncle Jay and my Daddy (they look like brothers, but they are actually brother-in-laws) :)

me and my Moma (and of course Tippy) resting

Daddy and Moma on the scenic route - their ride was a little different than ours :)

Aren't the mountains in the background beautiful?

Yet another Girl's Weekend

2009-05-18T14:24:00.001-05:00

I always love it when my friends come to visit. :) Sally and Melissa came to spend the weekend with me. As usual, we stayed up way too late talking and catching up Friday night. I am sure that Jason had to put the pillow over his head to get any sleep due to all the laughter coming from the living room. :) I enjoyed getting to hear stories about each of them and what they have been up to. Of course we shopped til we dropped again and enjoyed some delicious Italian food. I can't wait until the next girl's weekend! :)

Mother's Day and Baby Shower

2009-05-11T14:44:00.001-05:00

Jason, my grandmother, and I drove down to my parent's house for Meagan's Baby Shower and for Mother's Day. We had a great weekend with lots of quality time with my family and great food. Moma always cooks so good when we go home. Good thing I don't live too close or I would be twenty pounds heavier. :) Unfortunately, I we didn't get any pictures with my moma on Mother's Day. I think we were all tired of taking pictures at the baby shower. :)

Although we still have a little over a month before Alleigh arrives, she is already being treated like royality. :) At the shower, Meagan and Alleigh (and Jeb) received lots of precious outfits and useful items and Alleigh was constantly being referred to by everyone as "our baby." :) Now the problem is 'where is it all that stuff going to go?' Her due date is still July 10th, but we are all betting on an early arrival. Meagan says Alleigh is constantly moving and kicking as to say, "let me out, I need more room!" Here are some pictures from the shower.

Meagan and her cute baby bump

The diaper cake my moma made to look like a ballerina

Me, Michaela (Meagan's little sister), and Meagan

My cousin Candice, her little girl, Camryn, and my Mamaw

This is the 'angel wreath' I made for the hospital door

Jeb and Meagan (and Alleigh)

2009-05-01T15:17:00.005-05:00

Although I am not able to see Jeb and Meagan as much as I would like, I have to be thankful for digital cameras and email to stay updated on Meagan's sweet growing belly. I am getting more and more excited about the arrival of Alleigh in July...or sooner. Something about this picture (that was taken at Easter) makes me think that Alleigh may not wait until July to make her debut. :) Can you believe that Meagan still has two more months to go....in the hot summer months? Bless her heart! :)

Celtic Woman at the Orpheum

2009-04-13T14:58:00.000-05:00

There is something about Irish music that I absolutely love. Every Christmas Jason and I look forward to the Celtic Woman special that comes on PBS. It is astounding to me how God gave those four women such an amazing talent - beautiful singing voices. If I could sing like that, I would be dangerous. :) So when I saw the commercial on TV about them coming to do a concert at the Orpheum in Memphis on April 8th, I knew we had to go. I have to say that they sound just lovely in person as they do on TV. If you have never heard them, you have to go to http://www.celticwoman.com/ and listen to some of their songs. Their violin player is pretty awesome too. After watching her dance around with her violin, I wanted to take lessons. :) We had a great time and were glad that we went. If you ever get a chance, you should go too! :)

Spring Break '09 - Trout Fishing

2009-03-23T14:03:00.001-05:00

I sooo love SPRING BREAK!!!! :) That's just one of the perks of being a teacher. It was really a much needed relaxing week. Jason and I decided to go trout fishing in Norfork, Arkansas for a day. Jason and his dad and brother go every year, but I told him it was my turn to go. :) After lots of convincing that I was sure this was what I wanted to do for Spring Break, he decided to take me. The lodge we stayed in overlooked the river and was very close to a delicious cafe where we ate huge pancakes for breakfast every morning. I have to say that I was very glad to be able to go on this trip and I think Jason was glad he brought me. We found out that I am a pretty good trout fisher. The day started off really early and cold, but we were prepared in our camouflage coveralls with our cooler full of snacks and drinks, our rod and reels, and our pink and white power bait. :) The very first time I threw my line out (yes I did it all by myself), I caught a fish. We caught well over our limit in one day. I can't wait to go back just to make sure it wasn't beginners luck. :) I will have to post pictures of the trout we caught later, but these are some pictures of where we stayed.

Z is for...

2009-03-12T13:08:00.002-05:00

Ziplock Omelet

*Yeah, I am finished with the alphabet posting! It only took me almost a whole year. I am such a slow blogger, but I feel like I have accomplished something. :)

Who knew that you can make a perfectly good omelet in a ziplock bag? I knew those baggies were convenient, but I never knew you could use them for this. :) This is great if you have company and they all want something different in their omelet.

Have each person write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker.

Crack 2 eggs (large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than 2), shake to combine them.

Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc. Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake.

Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.

Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water.

Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily.

I haven't tried this yet, but my mother's friend said it works great. I have "borrowed" some pictures to post on here so you could see the finished product. If you try it, you must let me know how it turns out. I plan to try it soon and hopefully Jason won't think I have lost my mind cooking breakfast in a ziplock bag. :)

We are going to have a....

2009-03-06T11:26:00.005-06:00

Niece

Jeb and Meagan, my brother and sister-in-law, found out a couple of weeks ago that they are expecting a baby girl. Her name is Alleigh Lynn. We know that she will be beautiful and probably a little spoiled. :) We can't wait to meet her in July!

This is a recent picture of my sweet baby brother and his beautiful wife.

Y is for...

2009-03-05T10:17:00.000-06:00

When I hear this word, I automatically think SLOW DOWN. This is very important when you see this sign while driving. Hopefully, if you are a law abiding driver, you become cautious of your surroundings and slow down. :) But, sometimes yielding is hard to do when we are in a hurry or we think we should have the right a way. Not only is yielding hard to do when driving, it is also hard to do in a marriage as a wife. Sometimes I wish God would just stick a yield sign in front of me to stop me from saying something nagging or hurtful to Jason. Even though submitting or yielding is not always an easy thing to do (especially for us women who think we need to have the last word because we know we are right) the Bible tells us in Ephesians 5:24 that we are to submitt to our husbands in everything (even words). Wednesday I started the Bible study "Esther: Its Tough Being a Woman" by Beth Moore. In the introduction video, she said that she conducted a survey for all women from different denominations and ages that asked what they thought the toughest thing about being a woman was. The top answer was yielding. When I heard this, I thought, "Ok God, so I am not the only one that has a hard time with this issue." But isn't it comforting to know that we don't have to try to do this by ourselves. He will show us how to be a submissive wife through His word and daily prayer. :)

Lord thank you for giving me guidance on how to be a godly wife through your word and thank you for a wonderful husband that loves me regardless of my shortcomings.

X is for...

2009-02-17T15:02:00.006-06:00

TeXas...San Antonio to be eXact! :)

Okay...I know this one is a stretch, but X is such a hard letter. I am getting ready to fly out to San Antonio, Texas tomorrow for a conference. My principal, my assistant principal, my co-worker, and myself are going to be there five days. We can't wait to enjoy the Riverwalk and the authentic Tex-Mex food. Yummm! Oh yeah...and the sessions where we learn lots of good ideas to bring back to school. :) I will have to add pictures later. Just pray that we have a safe flight and great weather while we are there. YEE-HAW!

W is for...

2009-02-10T09:56:00.005-06:00

Walking by Faith

This is something that I try, but many times fail, to do on a daily basis. With all the negative talk about the economy and difficult day to day decisions and situations in my life and my friends' lives, I have to remember that God is in control and He is sovereign. Altough the challenges and situations are real, we still have to believe that God is holding us in the palm of his hands. Hebrews 11 shows many Bible heroes that lived faithfully -

Noah, who had enough faith to build the ark even though there was not a rain cloud in the sky and everyone was making fun of him
Abraham, who had enough faith to offer Issac, his son, as a living sacrafic without knowing God would stop him and who ventured out to find the promise land, but never got to see it in his lifetime
Sarah, who relied on her faith when she was considered barren but later became a mother
Moses' parents, who hid him for 3 months after he was born because they had faith that God had great plans for his life
Moses, who refused to be known as the son of Pharoh's daughter and chose to be mistreated along with the people of God because he was looking ahead to a much greater reward
The people that were with Moses, who had much faith as they crossed the Red Sea with the Pharoh's army close behind them

This chapter in the Bible gives me a hope that if God did such great things in their lives, then he can also work in mine. I have to remember that faith is not wishing; it is believing to trust in our true God, who gave us many examples in his word of how walking by faith can give us the confindence we need to keep on keeping on! :)

V is for...

2008-12-21T13:00:00.000-06:00

Visiting with friends!

My friends, Erin and Rebecca, and I got to go to Tupelo to spend a few hours with our friend Audie. She has been in South Korea teaching for the last 6 months and came back to the States to spend Christmas with her family. It was so great catching up with her and hearing all the good things God is doing in her life and how he is using her to touch the children she is teaching. We sure miss you around here Audie! I will be praying for you! :)

(Rebecca, Erin, Me, and Audie)

What a special day!

2008-12-19T21:00:00.003-06:00

Today is my birthday and what a special day it has been. My day started off with some sweet messages from some friends and a thoughtful card from my wonderful husband. When I got to work, I received a beautiful purse from my friend Rebecca and a delicious chocolate cake with cream cheese icing from my friend Erin. Yumm-O! :) It was all gone by the time I went home that day. Don't worry...I didn't eat it all myself. Also an added bonus about today is that we got for a two week Christmas break! Yeah!

Jason also had some surprises for me up his sleeve. I knew that we were going out to eat, but I didn't know where. He kept giving me clues to where I thought we were going, but they were misleading clues. :) He is such a trickster. We ended up going to the Melting Pot, which is a fondue restaurant. I love to eat any thing that I can dip so he thought a fondue restaurant would be a great treat and boy was it! I would definitely recommend it to anyone. The surprises did not end there. When we got home, he had a scrumptious red velvet cake for me and another envelope. Inside it was a gift certificate for massages, dinner, a night's stay, and breakfast at Bonne Terre, a bed and breakfast nearby. I don't want to sound like I am bragging, but I must say that I have the best husband in the whole world. He sure knows how to make a girl feel special! :)

U is for...

2008-12-18T14:42:00.011-06:00

Understanding... the true gift of Christmas!

This time of year is so spirit filled and busy. We have so much going on from Christmas parties to finishing up the last minute shopping for that special gift. With everything going on, I can honestly say that I haven't taken the time to really think about why we celebrate Christmas. This last week at school before we got out for Christmas, we read the students "The Legend of the Candy Cane." If you haven't read it, I urge you to do so. It explains that the candy cane is a special Christmas candy that is shaped like the letter J for Jesus and when turned over it looks like a shepherd's staff, who were the first to hear of Jesus's birth. It goes even further to explain that the red strips stand for Jesus's blood shed on the cross to save us from our sins and the white stand for how His blood can wash away our sins, leaving us white as snow. After reading and explaining the book about 20 times this week, my mind has been refocused on what the true gift of Christmas really is. . . Jesus. I wish everyone reading this a Merry Christmas. Celebrate the birth of Jesus!

T is for...

2008-12-10T09:56:00.005-06:00

Okay...back to the alphabet posting. :)

Traditions...
Every year my church has an annual Women's Traditions Dinner. Ladies in the church sign up to host and decorate tables and sell tickets to other women in the church or in the community. During the time there, we ate a delicious meal that was catered, listened to a terrific and uplifting speaker, and participated in a silent auction that was used to raise money for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. This was my third year to attend, but my first year to decorate a table. I loved decorating my table with all types of red and lime green decorations that I borrowed from Jason's aunt and mom. I also enjoyed spending time with all the wonderful women that were sitting at my table. I hope to continue this tradition each year! :)

This is a picture of my lime green and red table. :)

All the precious ladies that sat at my table. (my friend - Emily Melichar, my friend and coworker- Susan and her daughter Kathryn, Jason's aunt - Patti Guest, my neighbor -Heather Colston, my friend and coworker - Rebecca Emerson, me, and my mother-in-law - Charlotte Dawkins)

Girls' Weekend

2008-12-08T08:58:00.001-06:00

This past weekend, my friends Sally and Melissa came to see me. We had a great time catching up with each other until 1:00 in the morning. That may not seem too late to some people, but for me (who goes to bed by 9:30 every night) it is super late! :) My sweet friends got to my house late Friday night, then we woke up Saturday morning and got ready for a fun filled day. We enjoyed a Premier Jewelry party at my house in the early afternoon, shopped at the mall until dark, and then ate Japanese food until our hearts and stomachs were content. We also enjoyed a great service Sunday morning at my church. Thanks Sal and Mel for spending the weekend with me. I also must say a special 'thank you' to my sweet husband who was such a good sport about sharing the house with three women all weekend. :)

Food, Yahtzee, and Lights

2008-12-01T08:43:00.000-06:00

We had a great time in Nashville for Thanksgiving. We ate too much, played lots of Yahtzee (my grandmother's favorite board game), hung out in downtown Nashville, and admired the beautiful lights at the Opryland Hotel. We also celebrated my Moma's birthday while we were downtown. Her birthday was November 30th. There's nothing like spending quality time with you family for the holidays. I miss you all already!

This is a picture of us at the Opryland Hotel.

(Meagan, Jeb, Me, Jason, Mamaw, Daddy, and Moma)

S is for...

2008-11-21T14:20:00.004-06:00

Special Delivery...

There are some very special people that are going to have a baby sometime in July...my little brother and his wife!! :) They just found out they are having a little one next summer! We are all so excited for them, and Jason and I know that we are going to be the best aunt and uncle ever!!! Congratulations Jeb and Meagan! Jason and I will try not to spoil the baby too bad! ;)

R is for...

2008-11-20T13:52:00.000-06:00

Ready... for Thanksgiving Holidays! I know that everybody out there (especially teachers) feel the same way. We are always ready for a break. :) Although we get a break from work, that is not the only reason I am ready for Thanksgving. It is such a special time of the year when you get to see family and eat lots of yummy food. I am excited about getting to see my family this Thanksgiving. We are traveling to my grandparents' house outside of Nashville. It is going to be one big slumber party. My parents, my brother and his wife, and Jason and me are all staying in my grandparents' cozy house. My parents get the guest bedroom while all of us "kids" get to sleep on air mattresses in the living room. :) I am sure I will have lots of stories to share when I get home. I hope everyone that reads this has a Happy Thanksgiving. May God bless you and give you lots to be thankful for!

Kreativ Blogger Award

2008-11-19T13:11:00.000-06:00

Although I really don't deserve this award, my sweet friend Sally gave me the Kreativ Blogger Award. When you receive this award, you have to think of 6 interesting facts about yourself and then tag 6 other people with the award. I am not sure if I can think of 6 interesting facts about myself, but I will give it a shot. :)

1. I plan out my menu every week so it makes my life easier. I don't like to have to think about what I am going to cook for dinner when I get home. Having it already planned out allows me to just come home and cook up what I have on the menu. :) If you don't do this, you should try it. It really is a time saver.

2. One of my favorite things to do is read recipe books. I know it sounds weird, but since I am planning out my menus, I love to read through a recipe book or magazine to find any new dishes that might be a hit with Jason and me.

3. I talk to my mother every day. My moma is my best friend and I look forward to talking to her every morning on my way to work. Someone has asked me before, "Who are you always talking to in the mornings when you get to work?"...Well, my mother of course. :) Some mornings I talk to her for the whole 30 minutes it takes me to get to work and some mornings, we just simply say hello, have a good day, and I love you. It doesn't matter the length of our conversation, it just matters that I get to talk to her. Can you tell that I am a moma's girl? :)

4. I cry when I watch The Biggest Loser...I know what a loser I am. Haha! Jason and I will be watching the show (especially when they are weighing in and they only lose a few pounds) and he will look over and say "Are you crying?!" I just can't help it. They work so hard to only lose 1 or 2 pounds and the look on their faces just make me sad. :( I know, I know...that is pathetic, but its a fact. :)

5. I am a former Tomato Queen. :) Yes you read that right...a Tomato Queen. My hometown used to be the tomato capital of the world and every year a Tomato Festival is held which involves a queen. My junior year in high school, I was the Tomato Queen. I basically was the Miss Hospitality of the town and went to all the ribbon cuttings. And no....my crown was not made of tomatoes. :)

6. I love to get up early in mornings, sit on my couch with a blanket, and drink a cup of coffee. Sometimes I will read my Bible or watch TV, but there is something about the stillness and quietness of the early morning that I just love. I know that I will enjoy this time even more once we have children. Who knows, once we have children, I might enjoy the sleep even more than the quietness. :)

Now I tag Tori, Audie, Nicole, Kelly, Ashley P., and Sara Whitten. Good luck girls! I can't wait to read your interesting facts!! :)

Q is for...

2008-10-15T20:04:00.003-05:00

Question...who are you voting for?

With only 19 days to go before the next President is voted in, this question is definitely on everyone's mind. Mine and Jason's minds have been made up for quite a while, but for those of you that are still undecided, this website might be of help for you. This will help you find your match: http://abcnews.go.com/politics/MatchoMatic/fullpage?id=5542139

I can't take credit for finding this website though. I got this one off a blog of one of my friends. :) Thanks Sarah for sharing. I thought this was too good not to keep sharing!

P is for...

2008-10-06T19:33:00.004-05:00

Parents

I am so excited that Jason and I get to go see my parents this weekend and help them with the Crystal Springs Bike Rally. :) This is my daddy's last year as president of the Bike Rally Committee, so it is a must that we go. It is a fun and interesting event with bands and lots of yummy, fried 'fair' like food. Mmmmm....The Rally is held to raise money for the Baptist Children's Village. Check out their website: http://www.chautauquabikerally.com/ My Moma and Daddy have done a great job organizing this event. I will post more pictures from the rally later. You might even see Jason and me on a bike. :)

I have to say that I have the best in-laws anyone could ever hope for. They treat me as if I was their own daughter. This is a picture of us with Jason's parents at the Liberty Bowl. Can you tell it was freezing? What a fun and exciting time it was though.

O is for...

2008-09-30T19:19:00.004-05:00

October

What a great month! I love when October rolls around. It means cool weather, chili, campfires, pulling the sweaters out of the closet, decorating for a new season, and CANDY! :) It also means National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I know that everyone has known someone that either has breast cancer or has had breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. The chance of developing breast cancer at some time in a woman's life is about 1 in 8. In 2008, an estimated 182,460 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the United States. I wanted to turn my blog pink to 1). make women aware of how common this form of cancer is and 2) give a shout out to all the strong women I have known that have had breast cancer. One especially is Jason's Aunt Patti! She is such a strong, godly woman who puts all of her faith and trust in the Lord. She is also a great survivor! We love you Patti! Thank you for being a great example for all women! Happy October everybody! Enjoy the great weather and decorating.

N is for...

2008-09-21T18:12:00.004-05:00

New Addition...to our living room.

Jason "heard" that Best Buy had televisions on sale, so we went Friday night just to "look" at them. Saturday, we had to get up and go "look" at them again. This is what we came home with. We did get a good deal on it, but we decided that this was going to be our Christmas present to each other...even though we purchased it in September. While Jason was putting it together yesterday, I told him it would be appropriate if we played Christmas music. Ha, he didn't listen to my suggestion. :) Merry Christmas...in September!

M is for...

2008-09-18T14:17:00.004-05:00

Magic...

I bet you all didn't know that I was magic. Howard, a first grader, told me today that he knew I was magic. :) Imagine that...me magic. And to think, all I did was show him how to write the number 9. We were working on writing Touchpoint numbers that help the students add and subtract without using their fingers. When we got to the number 9, Howard was having a little trouble, so I just simply showed him how to write the number 9. I explained that it was just like writing a zero with a stick beside it. I guess it just clicked with him because after he wrote it, he said, "Mrs. Dawkins, I knew you were magic. Those glasses on your head must make you that way. (I had my sunglasses on my head from the drive to school.) I can write a perfect nine now. I am going to have to get me a pair of glasses that make me magic. Maybe I can get a pair of SpiderMan glasses and then I might could walk up walls. " I just thought this was too cute not to share. :) Gotta love those kiddos!!

L is for...

2008-09-16T14:39:00.006-05:00

Or as Celeste (and I'm sure others) would say Poptarts. :) I recently went to Columbus for Lockheart Preference Party and had a blast. My good friend Sally was the speaker and she did an excellent job portraying the memories our pledge class made the four years we were apart of the club. It makes me so happy to know that I made bonds and memories with such great women that will last a lifetime. So...thank you to all my Lockheart sisters for being so wonderful! Lockheart love and all mine!! :)

K is for...

2008-09-15T14:20:00.000-05:00

Okay so I know that I am so far behind and it has taken me forever and a day to do these alphabet posts. :) Here is the only thing I could think of that started with the letter K for now. I know I'm not being very creative but.....

KIWI!! :)

I visited my friend Melissa, who has gone completely organic, a couple of weekends ago. She made us a scrumptious organic spaghetti dinner Saturday night and Sunday morning I had an organic kiwi for breakfast. Can I just say that it was also delicious! I decided to give this organic thing a try. I didn't know how Jason would take it at first, but to my surprise, he was actually okay with it. I went to the grocery store and bought as many organic items as I could find. Guess what one of those items was... kiwi. Jason tried this yummy fruit for the first time Saturday morning and loved it! I think we have found our first organic winner at our house. :) One down and many more to go.

J is for

2008-09-04T11:37:00.002-05:00

Jason

Today is my sweet husband's birthday! I thank God everyday for such a great husband. Jason is everything that I dreamed of since I was a little girl! My knight in shining armor! :) Happy Birthday Jason!!!! I hope your day is marvelous!

I is for...

2008-08-26T19:56:00.006-05:00

Inspiration...to workout!!!
The picture speaks for itself. :) This is the new Leigha Clume. HAHA! (Jason helped me with this picture. Photoshop is a great tool. And we wonder how all those models look so good in their photos.) If I can look like this before next summer, I will be doing good.The Real Deal!

My New Do!

2008-08-26T19:35:00.003-05:00

H is for...

2008-08-23T16:42:00.003-05:00

Happy Back to School and Haircut!!!

Well, I have been back to work now for three weeks. I can't believe that August is almost over. My school is now much much smaller. We went from having grades K-5th and almost 1200 students to only K-2nd grades and a little over 600 students. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades joined with another school to make an intermediate school. Needless to say, it is so much quieter in the hallways with only the little ones there. I think I get at least 10 hugs a day from kids I don't even know. The little ones always like to give hugs. :)

I am doing the same thing that I did last year...Title 1. This is a federal program that is given to schools that have a certain percentage of students with free or reduced lunch. This doesn't sound like a good thing, but it is. It is a way for schools to get extra money to provide more things like computer labs, books, teachers (like me), and other resources to help students that need remediating. It is a challenging, but rewarding job. :) I am also sharing the site manager position with another teacher for an afterschool program our district has started. I stay late two nights a week and every other Friday, so it's not that bad. It is a way to make some extra money and I am looking at it as a ministry for these children and their parents. It gives me a chance to get to know these kids and parents I wouldn't otherwise know.

Okay...so I was brave and got my hair chopped off. :) Everytime I get a haircut, I get home and noone can even tell that I got one. Well...you can't say that now. I thought that the inverted bob was always so cute on everyone else, so I decided to give it a try. I am really loving it! :) You know from an earlier post about my picture posting problem, but I am going to try to somehow post some pics of my hair very soon. :)

Happy Birthday Mary Martha!!

2008-07-30T11:49:00.003-05:00

Today is my friend Mary Martha's birthday!! She and her husband, Don, are expecting their first baby girl, Rani Emeline, in August. Very soon!!! :) Keep her in your prayers as she is going through this exciting time.

G is for...

2008-07-28T08:45:00.001-05:00

Girls' Trip to Gulf Shores

What a great one it was! My moma, grandmother, Jason's mom, Jason's aunt, Rebecca, my coworker and friend, and I went to Gulf Shores last Thursday to Sunday. With six people, we were very packed into one car, but had a wonderful time. Before we went, we were all holding our breath watching Hurricane Dolly, but she headed toward Texas instead. The weather was perfect while were there. It only rained once Saturday afternoon after we had all the sun we could take. We ate lots of delicious, fresh seafood like crab claws, crab legs, crab cakes, boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, coconut shrimp, baked fish, and fried fish. Is anyone hungry yet? :) Of course we had to go to the outlet mall in Foley, but being so packed in the car spared our bank accounts because we couldn't fit much more. It was such a relaxing and fun trip, and I am so thankful to have been able to spend time with my family and friend before summer ends. :)

It's Been a While...

2008-07-22T07:37:00.001-05:00

Okay...this is for the very few people that read my blog. :) I know that I haven't posted in quite a while and this is why...my computer is sick. I have no idea what is wrong with it and neither does Jason. One day I turned it on and the monitor looked like it had a mirrored image. It was quite strange. Luckily, I have Jason's computer, but for some reason our camera will not download pictures onto his computer. You can tell that I am not computer savvy. :) I just hate posting without putting pictures on the post, but I am having withdrawals. I have to share what has been going on, so you will just have to read without having pictures until we can figure this dilemma out. :)

Back in late June, I had some girls from high school, Andrea, Kristle, and Jennifer, come into town to enjoy a nice Spa Weekend/Bachelorette Weekend for Andrea. We had such a great time catching up and getting pampered too. If you need a massage and live in the Memphis area, I recommend Germantown Day Spa. It was wonderful.

In early July, we celebrated July 4th and an early birthday for my Daddy. His 50th Birthday was July 11th, but since we just couldn't afford two traveling weekends in a row, we celebrated the weekend of July 4th. It was so great being home with my family. They are the best family in the world! :) We also celebrated Eric's, my brother-in-law's, birthday (July 8th). We had some fabulous food and some yummy cake and homemade ice cream. Nothing's better than homemade ice cream for your birthday.

On July 16-17, I enjoyed a school retreat to Hot Springs. For the past few years, we have been completely over crowded with 7 trailors at Hope Sullivan Elementary. To solve this problem, the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades from our school and from Greenbrook Elementary are joining together to create Southaven Intermediate. Since Hope Sullivan is going to have a 'new' and smaller staff this coming year, our principal thought it would be a good idea to have a retreat to really get to know each other and become more like a family. It was such a great idea, and we all got to know each other very well. I can't wait to start the new school year with all my friendly co-workers. :)

After returning home from the retreat the night before, Jason and I woke up on the 18th and took his sweet Mom out to eat for lunch for her birthday. After lunch, we got back in the car and headed to Cleveland, MS for my friend Andrea's wedding. It was a great weekend. I am so glad that she found someone that makes her happy.

So as you can see, our summer has been quite busy, but it has been full of spending time with people that are very important in our lives. :)

Happy Birthday Amy!!

2008-07-11T11:58:00.000-05:00

Amy is such a fun loving, sweet friend! I hope that you have a wonderful birthday!

Happy Birthday Tori!!!

2008-06-25T16:20:00.002-05:00

I just want to wish my sweet friend Tori a very Happy Birthday! I hope that you have had a wonderful day and many more great ones to come!! Love ya girl!!

Congratulations Scott and Emily Melichar

2008-06-24T14:18:00.003-05:00

Jason and I had a great time this past weekend at our friends', Scott and Emily's, wedding. Their wedding was beautiful and they make a great couple. They are going to be our 'across the railroad tracks' neighbors. We look forward to hanging out with them more when they return from their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. Congratulations you two!!

F is for...

2008-06-23T16:47:00.002-05:00

FUN!!

I just have to tell everyone where Jason took me for our Anniversary last Tuesday. First of all, he showed up at the door all dressed up with flowers in his hand at 5:00. We put the flowers in vase, put the suitcase in the car, and headed out the door. I wasn't real sure where we were going, but I had a little bit of an idea. :) We ended up in downtown Memphis at the Peabody. YEAH! I had never stayed there before. Jason reserved a room for us there and had also made reservations for us at Texas de Brazil. We checked in our room and headed down to eat. And boy...did we eat!!! If you have never eaten at Texas de Brazil, I highly recommend it for a special occasion. We were so stuffed and decided we needed to take a little walk downtown. After walking a while, we ended up at Jillian's, which is like a big game room. We totally acted like kids again playing skee ball, virtual bowling, and air hockey. We had such a wonderful time and I couldn't have asked for a better Anniversary. Thanks Jason!!! :)

E is for...

2008-06-17T16:31:00.002-05:00

Excited!!

Today is mine and Jason's 2nd Anniversary. I couldn't have asked for a more romantic husband. He is so sneaky and creative when it comes to surprises for me. :) Let me just start from last night...He told me that he forgot to get me a card and he needed to go to Wal-Mart. I told him not to worry about it...all I needed was a "Happy Anniversary" from his mouth and that would be great. Well this morning he left to go to work, or so I thought, and then ran back to the door, rang the doorbell about a hundred times until I came to the door, and gave me a card. He is such a sneaky little devil. He already had a card in his truck. :) I sat down and read the sweetest card from him. Inside the card was a handwritten note with instructions for me. #1 - Pack an overnight bag for both of us. He also told me he knew what I was thinking (...but we have to work tomorrow) and he took care of that. #2 - Be ready by 5:15 - dressed for a nice dinner and a romantic evening and #3 - Leave all worries behind, have on my lovely smile, and be ready to enjoy the night with my husband of 2 years. He also added a P.S. - No questions and no snooping around. Boy does he know me. :) I am truly blessed with such a wonderful husband! I will have to post later where he took me. :)

D is for...

2008-06-13T18:40:00.006-05:00

My very sweet DADDY!

Where do I start about my Harley riding Daddy? He is everything a little girl and a grown girl could want in a father. He is a very dedicated, loving, cheerful, witty, and hardworking man. There were many times during my teenage years that our relationship was not the best, but we worked through that...I grew up!! :) I am so thankful that I have such a wonderful father and that he loves me unconditionally.

I love you Daddy!!

Happy Father's Day!!

This picture is so special to me. It captures a moment I will never forget!

C is for...

2008-06-09T20:58:00.004-05:00

COOKIES!!!

Who doesn't like some yummy cookies? I love my Kraft Foods magazine that I receive for FREE four times a year and their website - http://www.kraftfoods.com/ that has all kinds of delicious and easy recipes. I decided to make some chewy chocolate peanut butter cookies from one of the Kraft magazines Sunday afternoon. We had them for dessert for a prayer gathering at our house. I thought they were delicious and they were super easy even if you don't bake on a regular basis. I just had to share the recipe.

Enjoy!

Prep Time:10 min
Total Time:18 min
Makes:22 servings, two cookies each
1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
PREHEAT oven to 375ºF. Place ingredients in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 min., then beat on medium speed 1 min. or until mixture pulls away from side of bowl and forms soft dough.
SHAPE into 44 (1-inch) balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Flatten each ball, in criss-cross pattern, with tines of fork dipped in sugar.
BAKE 7 to 8 min. or just until edges of cookies are set. (Do not overbake. I actually only baked them for 5 minutes.) Cool on baking sheet 2 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

**You can also add chopped peanuts to the dough before shaping into balls. I made some with peanuts and some without. I prefer the ones with nuts. I just depends on your taste. :)

B is for...

2008-06-05T13:12:00.004-05:00

Busy, Busy, Busy...For those of you that don't know already...I have three jobs this summer. :) Yes...three! Doesn't that sound like fun!? I really don't mind it considering Jason is at work all day and I can only clean my house for so long before I get tired of it. :) On Mondays I am keeping two precious children, Jamie and Josh. They are Jason's cousin's two children. Jamie is a very smart and beautiful little girl that is going into the 3rd grade and Josh is a sweet, ball of energy (all boy) and he is going into Kindergarten. Their mother, Kelly, has a blog where you can find out more about them - http://www.jonandkellypack.blogspot.com/

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I am working at a summer camp, Trekkers, at a local church - LongView Heights Baptist Church. I have only worked there two days so far because of a yucky stomach virus, but have really enjoyed getting to know the other people and children that are there. I look forward to getting to know them better. Then on Thursdays, I will be working at our church's, First Baptist of Olive Branch, Mother's Day Out program in the baby room. Doesn't that sound exciting?? :) I can't wait to love on some babies and at the end of the day...send them home. :) Some people say this will cure my baby fever and some say that it will make me have more of a baby fever. Hmmm....we'll see. :)

A is for Adorable

2008-05-29T15:55:00.005-05:00

Ok...so I have seen lots of people doing the alphabet posting and decided to give it a try. It looks like a lot of fun. I just hope I can find something to post for every letter. :)

A is for adorable.

This is my cousin and cousin-in-law, Candace and Justin's, little girl, Camryn. Look at those pretty blue eyes. Isn't she so cute!? They live in Crystal Springs and we don't get to see them very often, but Candace is very good at sending pictures to keep us updated. This is just one of the sweet pictures she emailed us recently. :) Thank you Candace!! You have an adorable little girl!

Beautiful

2008-05-19T18:34:00.002-05:00

Last night my friend, Audie Van Dyke, and I went to a 'Shane and Shane' concert at my church. It was such a worshipful concert. Shane Everett and Shane Barnard make up the two Shanes in the group. I didn't really know a lot of their songs before last night, but I am so glad that I was introduced to lyrics of their music. I encourage you to go to their website, www.shaneandshane.com, and listen to some of their songs. Another singer, Bethany Dillon, who is Shane Barnard's new wife, was also there. I will have to say that one of her songs, 'Beautiful', was my favorite of the night. It is a song that every girl and woman needs to hear. Even if you don't ever get to hear it, just reading the lyrics is very touching. I am going to post the lyrics...take a minute and let the words really soak in. God makes us all beautiful from the inside out... Samuel 16:7 - "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

I was so unique
Now I feel skin deep
I count on the make-up to cover it all
Crying myself to sleep cause
I cannot keep their attention
I thought I could be strong
But it's killing me
Does someone hear my cry?
I'm dying for new life
[Chorus]
I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart, and be amazed I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful
Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me
Fighting to make the mirror happy
Trying to find whatever is missing
Won't you help me back to glory
[Chorus]
I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart, and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful
You make me beautiful
You make me stand in awe
You step inside my heart, and I am amazed
I love to hear You say
Who I am is quite enough
You make me worthy of love and beautiful

Tag, I'm It...

2008-05-18T14:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, this is my first tag...here goes nothing...

What was I doing 10 years ago?
Hmmm...10 years ago...I was was finishing up my sophomore year in high school. Man that seems like so long ago. I can't believe that I will soon be having my 10 Year Class Reunion. Scary how fast time flies.

The music that was popular in 1998?
I really don't remember what songs were popular, but I do remember listening to a lot of "rap" music at the time. I know...you can't believe I listened to that, but at that age you did whatever your friends were doing. :) To my defense...rap music 10 years ago wasn't like it is today. :)

Five things on my to-do list today:
Well the day is almost over so I will put my to-do list for tomorrow -
1. Go to work
2. Greet voters at the door of our school (our school is being used as a voting pole)
3. Pack school things to move up two flights of stairs to our new title room :(
4. Go to the police station to get my fingerprints done for a summer job
5. Cook dinner for my wonderful husband :)

Five things I'd do if I were a billionaire:
1. Give money to the church
2. Buy Jason the hunting land he has always wanted
3. Get Mrs. Charlotte a swimming pool without Mr. Gary knowing :)
4. Move my parents, brother, and sister-in-law closer to me
5. Hire a maid to clean my house once a week

Five bad habits:
1. Not reading my Bible everyday
2. Complaining way too much
3. Stomping my feet when I am frustrated
4. Not washing my face every night before bed
5. Not exercising like I should

Places I've lived:
1. Olive Branch, MS
2. Starkville, MS
3. Columbus, MS
4. Crystal Springs, MS

Five jobs I've had:
1. Title I teacher
2. 1st grade teacher
3. 5th grade teacher
4. State Farm (I was the go-getter and phone answerer)
5. 3 yr. old day care worker

I want to know more about (it's a nice way of saying TAG!):
1. Kelly Pack
2. Celeste
3. Audie

Jesus Loves the Little Children...

2008-05-12T20:02:00.004-05:00

I am asking you to pray for a couple named Ted and Kerri Dewett and their new twin girls named Taylor and Kamryn. I don't know this couple personally, but a girl I work with, Erin Odom, knows them through the IMB (International Missions Board). The couple was scheduled to leave for the mission field this past April. They were to go to Costa Rica for a year to learn Spanish and be mentored before serving as career missionaries with the IMB in the Dominican Republic. The couple had been trying to get pregnant for about 6 years, and they finally received the news that they were pregnant with twin girls back in December. Because of the pregnancy, the IMB rescheduled their departure for Costa Rica for January, which is when Erin and her husband, Will, are scheduled to leave. A little over a week ago, Kerri delivered the baby girls at 25 weeks. They have been on an up-and-down roller coaster since then. Please keep this family in your prayers as they are going through this difficult challenge. I have a link to their blog under 'blogs we visit' . They are updating the blog every few days. You can check it out to know specific details about this family and see pictures of these sweet tiny babies. I have no doubt in my mind that God has a special plan for this family.

Go Dawgs!!!!

2008-05-03T13:52:00.003-05:00

This week Jason and some others from his work got to listen to Coach Croom talk about the upcoming Bulldog Season!!! (Jason is on the right in the picture.) Coach Croom traveled to Olive Branch for the annual Road Dawgs Tour. If you want to read the article, go to http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/may/01/seeing-02/

Is anybody ready for football???

Go Bulldogs!!!

A Visit From Sal! :)

2008-04-27T16:34:00.004-05:00

I am often overwhelmed with how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends. This weekend was no exception. My best friend from college, Sally Wells Black, came to visit. She is more like a sister than a friend. She is one of those friends that you can pick up right where you left off no matter how long it has been since you have seen each other. We had a great time catching up and shopping until we dropped. We took advantage of the tax-free day in TN this weekend. It was great seeing you Sally. I miss you!! :( I know, I know...I have to come see you next. Can you promise me a tax-free day in MS???? :)

Soak It Up

2008-04-27T13:16:00.004-05:00

Participation was the title of this morning's message at church. The message this morning was one in a series called iWorship. I think about all the things that I participate in...sporting events, dinner dates with Jason or friends, meetings at work, events at church, etc. All of these things are important, but WORSHIP is the most important thing that I can participate in everyday of my life. Not just on Sundays. God has really opened my eyes through these series of messages. He has reminded me that worshiping is much more than singing on Sunday mornings. Romans 12:1 says "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind He will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?" How can our bodies be a living sacrifice, if we are not worshiping Him daily? As I am typing this, I am also listening to a song on my satelite radio by Warren Barfield called 'Soak It Up.' I think the title of the song is what God wants us to do with His word and His blessings on a daily basis...soak it up. I just challenge you, as well as myself, to "soak up" God's word everyday this week and exalt and worship Him. Is it really too much to ask after all the blessings God has given us?? :)

Congratulations for 4 months!!

2008-04-22T21:29:00.004-05:00

I just wanted to send out a little congrats to my sweet baby brother, Jeb, and his new wife, Meagan!! They got married December 22nd and have made it a whole four months! :) I know that the first of marriage is the hardest, but I continue to pray that God will strengthen their relationship with each other and with Him!! A friend once told me that a marriage relationship is like a triangle...the more your relationship with God grows, the closer you will become with each other as husband and wife. If you are reading this, I just ask you to say a quick little prayer for these newlyweds. :) I don't have a wedding picture of them handy, but this picture is from Jeb's graduation. Which was also a very happy day! I love you Jeb and Meagan!!

A Work in Progress

2008-04-22T20:27:00.008-05:00

Well...we have taken on another project around our house...the backyard patio. We decided that we wanted to extend our patio to have a place to build up the grill area and have more seating room. I am so thankful that Jason is a Landscape Designer. He is so good at envisioning things that aren't there yet. This is something that is very hard for me to do. It still needs lots of work, but it is getting there. The arbor that you see will soon be torn down and extended as well to cover the whole seating area. Maybe you can envision the finished project like Jason. :) The concrete was poured a few weeks ago and the grill was bought yesterday. We stayed up late last night to get this grill put together. As you can see from the pictures, Jason is very excited about his new toy...the grill!! I can't wait to get everything finished so we can enjoy our backyard!

'Walking in Memphis'

2008-04-21T21:00:00.000-05:00

We were walking with our feet ten feet off of Beale...:) Jason and I went to a wedding this past Saturday and instead of going home, we decided to go down town and get a bite to eat since we were all dressed up. It was such a beautiful day and the sunset over the river topped it off. I thought it was so breathtaking, I had to share. If anyone of you are familiar with the Mississippi River, then you know it is very high right now. The area where the tall trees are in the water is a grassy area that is used as a park. While we were watching the sunset, I overheard a little boy's conversation with his dad. It went a little something like this...Little boy - "Dad, we are usually playing frisbee down there. Why is all that water down there? What happened?" Dad - "Well...Son...(long pause)...(shrug of shoulders)" Then you hear laughter from Jason and me. I thought this was too cute. The little boy was so confused. :)

I also took a picture of the Memphis pyramid and bridge. You gotta love the landmarks of Memphis!!

Weeked Trip to Little Rock

2008-04-14T19:50:00.005-05:00

Jason and I took a quick trip this past weekend to Little Rock to see my cousin Robert, my Aunt Laura, and Uncle Bobby. We haven't seen my Aunt Laura and Uncle Bobby since this Christmas at my brother's wedding, and we haven't seen Robert since before our wedding. It has been a while. They are from the Dallas/Fort Worth, TX area, but Robert was in a Tennis Tournament in Little Rock, which is a lot closer to us. He is very talented and we expect to see him go Pro one day. He tried to explain to us how you become Pro and the point system you have to go through. We slightly understood, but considering that Jason and I don't know much about tennis, there is probably much more we need to learn. :) Keep working hard Robert! We are very proud of you. You are already famous...you made my blog!! :)

Happy Birthday Mamaw!

2008-04-02T06:00:00.002-05:00

Today is my sweet Mamaw Brenda's Birthday! She is the best grandmother that a girl could ask for. She doesn't really look like a grandmother does she?? I hope I inherit those genes!!!

My Man!!

2008-04-01T19:56:00.008-05:00

1. Who is your man? Jason Adam Dawkins

2. How long have you been together? Since May 2003
3. How did you meet? Through our sweet friend Bo! :)

4. How long did you date? 3 years

5. How old is your man? 26

6. Who eats more? Jason

7. Who said "I love you" first? Jason

8. Who is taller? Jason

9. Who sings better? Neither one of us sings great, but I do think that I sing out loud more often.
10. Who is smarter? Depends on the subject...Reading...me....Math....Jason
11. Who is more athletic? Definitely Jason! I don't think I have an athletic bone in my body!

12. Whose temper is worse? Definitely mine..Jason is very mellow most of the time.
13. Who does the laundry? We share the job. :)

14. Who takes out the garbage? We share that job too!
15. Who pays the bills? Jason does. I don't even check the mail because I don't like to see the bills. It stresses me out!

16. Who is better with the computer? I would have to say Jason. He is very good at figuring things out with the computer although I am the one that updates the blog, so I am a little proud of myself for figuring it out!

17. Who mows the lawn? Jason. He won't let me because he thinks I won't get the lines in the grass straight. :)

18. Who cooks dinner? Me...I try to cook every weeknight.

19. Who drives when you are together? Jason
20. Who pays when you go out? Jason unless he forgets his wallet.

21. Who is most stubborn? I think that we are both equal with that.

22. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Probably me.

23. Whose parents do you see the most? Jason's...they only live 15 minutes away. My parents live 3 and 1/2 hours away. I did get to see them at Easter though! I love you Moma and Daddy!
24. Who kissed who first? Jason tried several times before I finally gave in!

25. Who asked who out? We were kinda set up.

26. Who proposed? Jason...it is the sweetest story...maybe I will post about that at a later time.

27. Who has more friends? I think we both have wonderful friends. It is hard to say who has the most. 28. Who has more siblings? We both have a younger brother. Eric and Jeb :)

29. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Jason. He gets to press the snooze button at least once every morning! :)

30. Who is the most romantic? I think we both can be romantic, but Jason is definitely better at coming up with creative, romantic things to do. He is absolutely wonderful! God knew exactly what I needed in a husband! I love you Jason!

Easter Sunday

2008-03-24T09:50:00.006-05:00

We had a great Easter! My parents came up to stay with us for the weekend. We really enjoyed their company. We haven't seen them since my brother's wedding in December, so it was a real treat for them to be here. Of course while they were here, we had to visit the Harley Davidson store in Collierville for my daddy. He can't come up this way without going there at least once. I think that he had Jason almost talked into getting him a Harley too so they can ride together! :) Sunday after church, we enjoyed a great lunch together and then went over to Jason's Aunt Patti's to see the Easter Bunny. Amanda, Jason's cousin, had her son dressed up in a bunny outfit. It was absolutely precious, but I am sure he will hate it when he grows up and sees the pictures. :) Jason and I truly feel blessed to have such a great family and the opportunity to spend time with them.

Jason and I

My Moma and Daddy

Cade, The Easter Bunny

Snow in March!

2008-03-11T09:42:00.001-05:00

This past weekend, we had about six inches of snow. We had a great time playing in it. I got hit way too many times with a snowball though. :) Drake loved it! He couldn't decide if he wanted to eat the snow or pounce in it. The snow was absolutely beautiful and it made everything look so clean and pure. It was such a great reminder of how God's mercy and grace can fall over our sin, making us clean and pure in His eyes.

First time in the Blogging World

2008-03-10T16:10:00.000-05:00

I am very excited to be starting our blog. Jason not so much because he thinks that I will spend forever trying to learn how. :) I didn't know for sure if I should start a blog spot because I don't feel like our life is that interesting yet. My friend Tori talked me into it, so I decided to give it a try. I figure if anything, it is a good way to share some pictures with my close friends and family. Who knows...I just might become an official qualified blogger before it is all over with. :)