Trying to set up mobile blogging...which could be a bad idea....so....did I get it right??

And To Think, I Didn't Want To Go

This weekend was amazing....why?? Because I was able to spend time with my family. I just let the house go and didn't worry about what was clean or dirty... and because this is sort of an online journal for me..be prepared for picture overload...

Friday night the kids went to a birthday party for a friend from church...not just any birthday party either. It was a murder-mystery theme. While they tried to figure out who killed "Jack" as he fell down the hill with his pail, Quentin & I went to a 50th birthday celebration for his boss. It was a nice break for all of us.

Saturday, we got up early and headed to the lake for a day trip. I have to foreshadow this by saying that I had a little meltdown on Wednesday about this trip and pretty much made myself look like an idiot.... but the trip turned out to be the most relaxation I've had in a while.

The first stop we made was at Henderson, Arkansas to the cabin I spent my summers in with my grandparents. I can't believe I didn't stop and take a picture of that...I have so many wonderful memories of summers at the lake.

Then on to the Norfork Dam....

...where it seemed everyone was trout fishing, but us....

...a little side creek off of the Norfork River


Our next stop was just across the road at the Norfork Fish Hatchery...Blake is all into wildlife management and this was right up his alley...

Blake & Me posing for a quick photo...

...these are trout as they're coming out of the egg...called sac-fry...I had never seen fish at this stage, other than in a book....very educational...and FREE...

...the little sac-fry grow up to be these...Rainbow Trout....

...while at the hatchery, we seen this young man learning to fly fish...he just caught a pretty good size trout in this picture....

Blake, Me, & Quentin

....lunch time...

Me & Quentin....standing on top of the Dam at Lake Norfork

Ok, by this point, I'm sure you're wondering where Mallorye is in all this family fun. Well, she stayed at home to deliver Easter baskets to the Children's Home and go to the movies (Hannah Montana) with some friends. You know, when you're 16, it's just not cool to hang out with mom and dad anymore :(

We left Lake Norfork and traveled about 20 minutes to Bull Shoals Lake & White River....

Bull Shoals Dam...looks alot like Norfork Dam don't ya think??

...but...Norfork didn't have this super cool Visitor Center...

...where we got to play with this camera thingy that panned across the lake and river...super cool...and once again...FREE....

....this is the State Park at Bull Shoals....definitely will be coming back here this summer for an overnight stay...clean and beautiful.....

...one last stop at Gaston's Resort...where the guests have their own runway to land their private planes....that's impressive..

...and dessert at Gaston's Restaurant overlooking the White River....

...one last look at the water from Gaston's...and then it was home we go...

Wow...I haven't even told you about Easter Sunday....guess I'll have to save that for another post. Really, Saturday was an incredible day. No agenda. No time limit. And to think I didn't want to go...what was I thinking??!

10 On The Tenth (April Edition)

It's the 10th again ...already....which goes to show you how little I've posted this month. Anywho, I'm participating in Meredith's Meme because 1) it's fun, 2) it gives me something to post, and 3) because I love learning about other people.

So...since this is Easter weekend, I thought I'd share my Top 10...things I'm praying for;

1. for my dad to realize his need for God and return to him

2. that Quentin and I would learn to "fight fair"...

3. Mallorye's protection (safety & purity) during prom on April 24th.

4. phenomenal Easter services...at least 850 people in attendance

5. that our entire worship team will become uninhibited in their worship

6. for those I'm "bringing along" on our worship team

7. direction for our Small Group

8. Quentin to find his passion and pursue it

9. the marriages of those I love and know are hurting

10. strength and courage to live an authentic life of integrity

Go over to Life at 7000 Feet and check out other folks 10 things...and feel free to play along!

A Little Me Time

soaking my tired feet

Last night I relaxed with a friend, Jenny, for a little girl talk and pampering...both of which I needed desperately. I think as women, we often put ourselves on the back burner to care for everyone else around us. At age 35, I'm finally realizing the importance of "me time." I need to connect with other women. I need to relax and feel the stress of life fall away.

We didn't do anything elaborate.....ordered pizza, lounged in our PJ's, soaked our tired feet, pedicures/manicures, and talked....but what a difference it made. We laughed and we cried. We learned alot about each other and the great thing? The entire night cost us each less that $10. That's my kind of fun!

I'm already looking forward to doing this again...and I may even have to invest in my own foot bath!!

pretty piggies

Plugged Back In...

I survived. The world did not quit spinning. And no one died..not even me!

Honestly, this was an awesome task and challenge...I unplugged from pretty much everything. Blogs, Email, Twitter. All of it!

What did I learn? That I use up alot of time on these things and that although I do quite well at multi-tasking, checking email & blogs, while reading a twitter and running an invoice for work and thinking about what's for dinner is making me crazy!

The silence of not hearing that *ping of an incoming message or text was absolutely heavenly.

Will I do this again?! You better believe it!! I can see this being at least something I do on the weekends and quite possibly one day during the week. I'm not sure my family really noticed and that's ok...I noticed.

Check out A Soft Place To Land blog for more inspiring stories of Unplugging! Maybe you'll be inspired to join in on the challenge!

Unplugged....

I'm joining Kimba and unplugging tomorrow (Friday) for the entire day.

What does this mean for me?
*I won't be checking emails or blogs
*I will turn my Twitter's off for the day
*I will not respond to text messages
*I won't veg out in front of the television

Why?
*because life is full of enough distractions
*because I need to focus on some areas
*because God wants my best & I need to recharge by unplugging

In The Mean Time...
I will be spending the day in my normal routine, just without the technology distractions. I plan to use this "redeemed" time in God's Word and in prayer. Also, my family will get some much needed undivided attention. I'll be posting on Monday what I learned through this process and who knows...this could become a weekly challenge for me!

Interview With My Teenagers

Ok, I snitched this idea from Meredith...should be interesting since my children are teenagers! And no, I did not edit their answers.....and I did not prompt any responses. So..here goes....an interview with my teenagers.....

1. What is something your mom always says to you?
Mallorye-clean your room or your grounded
Blake-brush your teeth
(both were right)

2. What makes your mom happy?
M-scrapbooking
B-doing the work she tells you

3. What makes your mom sad?
M-fights
B-when I get hurt

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
M-trying to be cool (so much for that, huh?)
B-by tickling me

5. What was your mom like as a child?
M-craazy
B-wild & rebellious
(ok..they might both be right on this, but I wasn't too bad I don't think...mom??)

6. How old is your mom?
M-34 till Wednesday (she's right)
B-36

7. How tall is your mom?
M-5'8" (right again..sorry Blake)
B-5' 7-1/2"

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
M-clean...just kidding, read
B-clean

9. What does your mom do when your not around?
M-I don't know, I'm not around (typical sarcasm)
B-clean

10. If your mom became famous, what will it be for?
M-singing
B-singing

11. What is your mom really good at?
M-singing
B-singing & cleaning (ok, I'm starting to get a complex about the cleaning thing)

12. What is your mom not very good at?
M-keeping things alive (hey now...I've kept 2 kids alive)
B-letting things that are out of order, stay out of order

13. What does your mom do for a job?
M-accounting
B-work for an electrical company
(their sort of both right, but not really...I work for a contractor...electrical, plumbing, HVAC...and I do some accounting, but really more of an administrative assistant to the boss)

14. What is your moms favorite food?
M-not Mexican
B-chicken
(it's actually chocolate...one of the major food groups)

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
M-she stands up for what she believes in
B-coming to most of my games in every sport

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who should she be?
M-Wylie Coyote
B-the maid on the Jetsons (complex again)

17. What do you and your mom do together?
M-watch House
B-go to games

18. How are you and your mom the same?
M-we look alike
B-we both like sports and we both play basketball

19. How are you and your mom different?
M-I'm not OCD (now she's starting in on the cleaning...)
B-she likes to clean and I don't

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
M-cuz she writes about me :)
B-cause she tells me

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
M-I have no clue (isn't that encouraging?!)
B-that he protects our country

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
M-somewhere comfy with a book
B-Lifeway Christian Bookstore

Ok...so according to my kids...I love to clean and read...I'm good at singing...and not very good at being cool. Wasn't this fun?!

It is interesting to see their perspectives on things...kinda makes you stop and think about what your not saying actually says, huh?