Whewww!
Ok. So I know that it has been a really long time since I blogged! Life has been really really crazy the last few months! I don't know where to start. WARNING! There will be no pictures from the last few months....part of the extreme craziness was that my laptop D I E D..yes, died! I will at some point try to save my pictures but I just cannot deal with it right now! So here are some things that have been going on in our lives lately (maybe I can find some pictures on my phone..we will see!)
 1. Lettie turned 10!

2.  My Mom turned 60! We had a great surprise party for her. My brother and sister-n-law flew in from Canada for it.

3. Someone hit Jason in his car while the rest of us were in MS for my Mom's party. He is ok but his car did not survive!

4. Car shopping...uggghh! Finally we found something to replace the Taurus!

5. Owen went to soccer camp at UNC over spring break and we took a tour of of VA and NC (felt like it anyway!)

6. Jason's Dad turned 69! Actually a lotof Barber's had anniversaries and birthdays in April!

7. Jason and I both celebrated our birthdays in April too!

8. Jason has become addicted to Cross Fit! I participate also but on a much lower level.... I do not love it...but I do it (we are going to the beach soon)!

9. Soccer for Owen and Ella every weekend....and several days at the same time!

10. Lettie's fish "Gilly" died. We had a funeral. She got a new one the next day and names him "Swift". (after Taylor Swift, her favorite singer)

11.Like I said earlier....laptop died! Got a new one...yay!

12. The kids finished Timothy and the girls have their dance recital Thursday night!

13. Hopefully we will finish up school soon!

Slow Down

 Where did Christmas go? It seemed to pass so quickly this year! Now we are nearing the end of February. Time is passing to quickly....as you mom's especially know some DAYS seem to creep by at the pace of a caterpillar...but overall it is just too fast. Spring Break will be here soon and then summer just right around the corner. Summer camps and vacations are all being planned. The calendar seems to be filling up! Exciting times are ahead. As I look ahead to all the fun times I am so much aware that my  children are growing up more and more with each day, month, exciting event, and camp that passes!

Why?

I am wondering....why are the things that are best for us the most difficult to do? Why didn't God design it so that snuggling up on the couch (in front of the fire in my PJ's with a big bag of chocolate covered peanuts watching a movie with my kids) would be the very best think for me physically? Why are brownies better for you than broccoli? Why doesn't Seven Brides for Seven Brothers increase my intellect like Algebra?
Somebody please tell me that you wonder this too?

Is this not the Best!

 Don't they look so much alike! Of course Ella is on the left and this is my mom on the right (taken about 50 years ago!)  Love this so much!

Thanksgiving

Ok, so I  know that I am a little late with this post! But here goes!
     We had a great Thanksgiving in Mississippi. We spent the weekend with my family at my Mom and Dad's house. All of my Dad's side of the family drove up to their house on Thanksgiving Day. We had alot of great food. It was so nice to see everyone. We missed Spencer, Laurie, and Matthew! My cousin Mark was able to make it in from down in Louisiana. You know it was a great Southern Thanksgiving when the day is completed with cleaning GREENS on the back porch.....YES I AM FROM THE GREAT STATE OF MISSISSIPPI!
     I know you will all think that we were crazy, my husband and father sure did, but Mom and I left her house at 11:00pm. Thanksgiving night to shop in Tuscaloosa and did not return home until 3:00 Friday afternoon! We had a great time together. I do look forward to Black Friday shopping with my mom. Just so nice to spend time with her...no kids to chase. Oh! and lest I forget to thank my husband and father for taking care of the kids all day...."Thank You." We caught about 2 hours of sleep and then headed out to watch MSU play basketball. We cannot pass up a chance like that even if we are running on 2 hours of sleep. Thank goodness they won and made the sleeplessness all worth it! #hailstate
Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Can I Brag on my Owen?!?!?

Owen played in a soccer tournament the weekend before Thanksgiving. I am so proud of him and his team. Not only did they win the tournament but their sportsmanship was exemplary...as Jason would say "they were a class act!" My heart is full not only because they won, but more so because of the character that he and his team displayed.

The First Annual Great Turkey Hunt

   This past Sunday evening was our First Annual Great Turkey Hunt with the Northside Student Ministry. It was alot of fun and alot of work! So many people contributed. People parked cars in crazy locations, dressed up in crazy costumes, drove a bunch of crazy full of energy kids around for an hour, and hid in the woods to scare kids crazy! Thank you so much!
   There were sightings of the Grinch, a yellow peanut M&M eating ice cream, and lots of tanegrams! I know everyone will practice up on their tanegrams in order to be prepared for next year! One team was even detained in a store because of an ADAM alert (missing child....not one of ours.....I promise we came home with everyone!) I could not have planned something like that! Here are some pictures from the fun filled night!