SUMMER FUN

So I finally downloaded all my pictures off of my little Cannon Elf and thought I would share a few before we left for the beach, we are waiting on Brady's friend Jordan to get here then we are off. I am going to take my big Cannon to the beach and download those if I have some free time at night.

This is Brady enjoying the sack race at the Homestead.

Dad and Brady in the 3 leg race at the Homestead

Brady on his rip stick telling me no pictures please (9 year old boys hate the camera)

A new pet Brady and Grayson found in the cat water when he was over

Brady and Jordan after leaving the Club for lunch when Jordan spent the weekend with us.

Elizabeth licking the cupcake bowl on July 4th (this child is a firecracker!!!! she can keep up with all the boys and she is only 6)

Richard and Brady at the River casting.

Brady just hanging out in the pool. We have enjoyed our pool so much.

Richard over for a swim, the boys would get on floats and play ball and when you fell off you were out.

Brady and Huntley racing to the other side of the pool.
I love having Brady's friends over, it seems this summer we have had at the least 3 and allot of times 4 boys every night hanging out and staying over. I love the laughter and fun times we have in our home with all these children. I have been making folders for each of them with pictures and letters they write us from camp and can't wait till they get married and can give them all back to them. Enjoy your Tuesday.

FINALLY FOUND IT!!!!

Did a little shopping this afternoon while waiting on the air guy and look what I finally found at a good price this whole set!! Yeah, I am pumped. I have been looking for this for some time now and can not wait till it arrives.


Now I am on a mission to find the small suitcase that goes with the set I bought while in Ponte Vedra Beach and at a good price to.

I LOVE THE ICE BOX

**UPDATE The air is working great now downstairs but the upstairs seems to be a little warmer now. What is up with that. So I am going to wait till the morning to leave for the beach and make sure its ok.


So for the past few days I just couldn't get the downstairs cold enough and the digital thing on the wall is driving me crazy!!! I still like the old fashion slide thermostat. So I haven't left for the beach house yet because I am waiting on the Air guy to check things out. I can never seem to get there when I say I am for some reason. Like last week we were going and going to spend a long weekend at the house with Mikees mom and just us and Brady had the stomach bug so we didn't get to go. I haven't been all summer, what a waste. We do like to go in the fall though so maybe we will be there on the weekends and enjoy it when its cooler. Anyway back to the air it may be that it is so hot outside this is as cool as my house will get. Don't know but going to find out. I like to keep the house 69 or 70, when my family visits they all bring sweaters they say we keep it like a ice box, I LOVE IT like that.

A LITTLE SEUS FOR THE BOYS

Last Friday night Tara and I took the boys to the Blue Bird Theater to see Seussical Jr. They had a great time and it was a cute show. This is put on by the youth and might I say there is some talent there. Several had solos that were just fantastic.

This is Brady with Amazing Mazie after the show.

This was the boys being silly after they got their Italian Ice and we were heading home to have a little sleepover.

UPDATE ON PRAYER REQUEST

I just got an e-mail from R and she got a little sick from the chemo on Thursday night but she is feeling good now and is at the beach. It just so happens that Brady and I will be leaving for the beach in the morning and hopefully I can run over and see her or have her over to watch a chic flick. She did ask that everyone say a prayer for her Mom she starts her chemo this Thursday. Thanks for your prayers.

PACKED

**Update** Oh my the dorms were like jails when I unpacked Brady. Its been a long time since I have seen a dorm room. His coach was a really nice guy he has about 12 boys age ranges 9-11 so they are having a blast. Brady did call me last night from the room on his Uncle Jimmy's phone we borrowed and said he liked camp but didn't want to stay at night its very rowdy on the halls so Dad is going up and they are going to stay at Aunt Leigh's house tonight and have dinner out before their scrimmage in the Graveyard. Brady's excited about playing at the USC Graveyard.

Well Brady is all packed to head to this Soccer camp for a few days with his buddy Andrew. I have to say I am a little nervous for him, this is a serious soccer camp and not that Brady is not serious about soccer, he loves it, but it is 2 full days of skill technique and games with the senior USC players. He will be in the dorms just like a little college student. Another concern is he has to set his alarm to get up in the mornings. Any of you that know Brady know that he is not a morning person (like his mother) and this will be interesting for him. Maybe just maybe he will be trained after this for the upcoming school year and he can get up on his own. Ha Ha!!!

I'VE BEEN GIVEN AN AWARD

Oh my, me!!! I am flattered. I love blogging even though I have been a little slack and it started off as a journal for our adoption but has turned into daily life in the middle of adoption. I want to thank my friend Windy who I have known since 1st grade I think can't even remember how long now for giving me this award, you can check out her blog and see her lovely family.

Now, the rules are to choose seven bloggers and return the award.

Okay, without further adieu...I would like to present the award for being BRILLIANT to:

1. Kimberley

2. Adele

3. Denise

4. Kim (just went private)

5. BellasMomma

6. Connie

7. Paula

THANK YOU FOR DINNER K

So my friend K called and said what you doing for dinner I said don't know she said I am going to make a Turkey Meatloaf so I will make you guys one and bring it over. Well my husband is in love with it. It was awesome!!!! We had a side of green beans and a salad with these crispy green beans on it. Yummy!!! I do have 4 boys tonight not counting the big one. And today three of the four went to the River and on the way stepped in a yellow jacket nest and were stung all over one happened to be hers and she was at the grocery store when it happened and I got the phone call from Brady that they were at a neighbors house and she was treating them. They are very luck little river adventure boys for sure. So today has been full of lots of excitement, they say it comes in threes so I am waiting on the third.

THE COTTAGE

This is my cousin Trista's house that she bought a year and a half ago. She lived with us for a while while she did her internship then graduated and decided to stay here close by us. I am so glad she was able to buy instead of renting and might I say I am very proud of her for doing it all on her own. Now when she bought this house it was in terrible shape and looked nothing like the picture below, but with the help on her parents (my wonderful and talented Aunt and Uncle) this is what it looks like now. They painted the outside and added the shutters put in a new drive and sidewalk and did a little landscaping but there was still something that it needed so a few weekends ago my Aunt and I did the window boxes and the basket by the front walkway while Trista was away in Charleston. She was surprised when she came home and loved it. For her birthday a few months ago I had done the planters on the porch and the ferns and she has done well taking care of them so I hope she will do as well with the new ones. Just thought I would share the pictures since it looks so cute. The inside is even more adorable after my Aunt got busy in there. I will get a few pics of the inside when I am over there next.

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST

**Update on prayer request. My friends chemo will be on Thursday so please please pray for her and she informed me that her Mother was diagnosed 2 weeks before her with breast cancer. This family needs to feel our prayers. Thanks so much.


I am asking all of you to please pray for a friend of mine. She is 30 years old and has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She has a daughter (20 months old) and a loving husband and very supportive family and group of friends to cheer her on in her fight. I have talked with her through e-mail since I found out and her attitude is great, she is a fighter and I can hear it in her e-mail. She was so supportive of me during my Dads illness. She sent me notes that brightened my day and seemed to always come at just the right time. Her brother and sister-n-law works for my husband and they are wonderful to and taking this news very hard. Please add this family on your daily prayers I know how scared they are with this news. She had her port put in on Friday and starts Chemo this week. Pray for her body to accept the chemo and have no or very little side effects so that she can continue a normal daily routine. If you would send me some notes of encouragement for her, verses or anything you can think of, these really meant allot to my Dad when I would take them to him. You can leave them in the comment section or e-mail me at cc@sc.rr.com
Thanks for your prayers and I will update you when I hear some news.

UPSET

(not the best picture you can't see all the flowers they go around the wall by Lilly Rae's closet)

WARNING The following is a vent post!

We live in a small town where everyone knows everyone I often call it Mayberry (like Andy Griffin). So when you have a party and your friends have a party it usually consist of the same guest list. Well the local artist who I have used for Brady's room and Lilly Rae's room and many many gifts, did another room locally and it looks like the flowers we did in Lilly Rae's room. I wouldn't have such a problem but this seems to happen to me allot. I get a great idea or at least to me, then I do it, or pay allot of money to have it done, then someone copies it in their home and I know this sounds little but I do host allot of things at my home and I want my home to be unique and when you hire someone I would think that they would want it unique to that person and would change it up enough if it was someone you knew would have the same friends over. Oh well I have another artist in Greenville and one in Columbia that a friend here and there uses and does some very detailed work that I love I guess I will come up with something again and by the time we get Lilly Rae I will have a unique room for her.

My husband says someone using your idea is the biggest form of flattery but he doesn't know the extreme I go to or money I spend to have things unique to our home.

Sorry for the vent but I needed to get it off my chest.

LOTS TO DO AND THINKING OF HIM

Well this week is another crazy one. I have about 60 people coming to dinner on Thursday night and my Philanthropy board for lunch on Wednesday at 11 and Brady happened to chip his back tooth and has a dental appointment at 11:15 on Wednesday so I am not really sure how I will be at two places at once but I will figure out something and then we have a musical to see at the Theater on Friday night with a friend and her children and leave for the beach on Saturday for a few much needed days of nothing!!! So I have lots to do to prepare and have really been putting it all off until today which has made me run around like crazy. I did make 6 lemon pies last night so that's done and I am having most of the food catered so that's done its just the small details that I love to do that are weighing me down. I will get it done one way or another that's how I am.
Brady had a great trip fishing this weekend in Charleston and caught his first dolphin (not the Flipper kind but the kind you eat) and was way excited! I think he and Dad are going back out on Saturday with Mr Richard.
I find myself thinking of my Dad allot lately and missing him. He is on my mind day and night. I get very emotional over songs I hear that remind me of him. I find myself just sitting and thinking of him and what would he say to me or the advice he would give me about things that I have had to deal with lately. He was a outstanding man and the constant in my life. He loved me no matter what, unconditional love for sure. It seems like forever since he passed yet it seems like yesterday to. I find comfort in scripture and my close friends who have been there through it all with me and have made me smile during such a hard time. Thanks to you all, I know you know who you are. The above picture was of the flowers my friend did for me in Greenville to go beside my Dad, they had all my favorites in it, she did a great job. Hope you all have a great week.

MAKING IT HAPPEN

This is my Best Friend Kelly who lives in Greenville, this picture was taken at Vicorys in Charleston a few months ago not such a great pictures but a recent one. Since I moved we really don't get to spend much time together since I have a child and am busy with all his things and just life in general and she doesn't have children we haven't had much girl time. Well I decided this week that life is to short and I am going to MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!! I will be calling her this weekend and making a date for our beach trip. We use to always go to Myrtle Beach and stay for a long weekend and just be silly girls and have a blast. Well I need that and I know Kelly is up for it. I hope you all have a great weekend, we are getting some much needed rain and I am so Thankful for it.

100% CHANCE OF RAIN

Brady has been going to the First Baptist Church that his grandparents attend and his Dad grew up in this week to their 100% Chance of Rain Vacation Bible School. When you drive up to the church they have a huge Ark outside with animals hanging out of it, I will take some pictures in the morning I keep forgetting to take my camera. He has had a great week and made some new friends. I remember going to VBS when I was a kid and I believe that is where I learned the most about Gods love for us was each year in that week of VBS. I can tell that Brady has learned allot about the flood. He comes home and says Mom do you know how many days it rained??? I have to say I thought I did but I was off a few. I love seeing him learn about God and his plan for us it makes my heart smile. Hope you all have a great Friday!!!

NEW IN TOWN

So tonight with a few friends we went to the new 4 star restaurant we have, 4Moons that just opened while we were away at the Homestead and it was AWESOME!! We had a lovely meal with great service. I highly recommend checking it out if you live close by or going through on your way to the beach. The dessert was great to, I had Goat Cheese Cheesecake! YUMMY!!! Have a great week.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY HUBBY!

Today is Mikees 36th birthday!!! Happy birthday to you and many many more!!!!!

Hope you all had a safe and happy 4th. We were busy all weekend it seems with one thing or another. We had fun at the River on Thursday then great fun with friends at our house for lunch on the 4th then over to Uncle Jimmy's for a big night and it did not stop there we then headed to Bamberg to catch the fireworks and when that was over Brady said what next??? It is amazing how children can just keep going and going.

HAPPY 4th

I thought I would share a few pictures of our home decorated for the 4th. Since I have been back from my trips I have been getting things in order around the house so we can have some people over. Mikees 36th birthday is Monday so we will probably celebrate it on Sunday with his family here at our house. Brady has had friends over everyday swimming and playing we went to the farm last night and picked blueberries until dark (they are so sweet this year and Yummy). Hope you all have a safe and happy 4th!

Chrissy had just been groomed yesterday and was watching me water the ferns on the front so I had to get a picture of her sitting in the swing.

THE STARFISH BOOK DRIVE

I copied this straight off the Seventh Diamond blog, I thought it was a great idea and something we could all do. So go ahead and clean out those books that are laying around Amanda sure would love it. Have a great week!!!

Amanda at Starfish spends a lot of time in hospitals. When she was with Breanna for her heart surgery, she was required to stay in the hospital without leaving for many days. They did not provide her with a room or a place to bathe. She stayed on a couch in the hallway. This is a big part of her life as she travels all over China bringing the babies to different doctors who specialize in whatever their ailment is. While she was with Breanna I asked her what she did to pass the time and she told me someone had given her an old magazine. I asked her if she had any good books to read and she said she didn't. She spends her money on supplies for the babies and surgeries. She is very practical and very driven. She told me that she did not have access to a library, there weren't any in her area.So, you know me....my mind started working. Actually, this one has been in the works for several weeks now. Thank you to my partner Verna for the wonderful header!This is the project, if you would like to participate, please leave a comment and I will get you Amanda's address in China.I would like to encourage anyone who would like to help to send Amanda a paperback book. It doesn't need to be a new book. It can be one that you have enjoyed in the past. Keep it paperback because shipping to China can be expensive, so the lighter the better. Please also send a card. I know that Amanda doesn't have a strong support group of ladies to help her face the challenges in her life. She is a strong Christian woman, so she relies on God. But I think that a kind word of encouragement would go a long way. She also spends nothing on herself, so if you would like to send something small and personal, like a bookmark or something..I think that would be wonderful. I did get out of her that she likes Robert Ludlum and books about Chinese adoption, that's all I could get without revealing what I was up to.I asked her the other day if there were any small items that the children needed...I was thinking we could slide one in with our books.This is the list she gave me:Infant teething tabletsShaklee infant vitamin powderProbotics for infantsButterfly closures for wounds, small and largeInfant stool softenerIf you would like to include any of these small items with your book, that would be wonderful!Now, I want to prepare you that shipping to China is not cheap. The most cost-effective route is the US Postal Service, but the package will be handed over to the Chinese Postal Service where packages magically disappear on a regular basis. The best route is to use a major shipping company that tracks like UPS or FedEx. It's more expensive, but you know your package will get there. If you know someone with a discount at one of these places...ask them if you can use it. I know that Northwest Airline employees get a great discount.

Thank you.