Cupcakes for me!

A few weeks ago, we were going to make cupcakes, but realized all we had was a muffin mix. So, today, Joshua and I made REAL cupcakes!!!


Cupcake papers

Mixing

This is fun!
Clean up

Decorating

We will be finding sprinkles around the house forever..

Taste testing while we decorate

Play date

Joshua and Kylee had a great play date this past Saturday.

Please keep Kylee (and Sonya and Edgar) in your prayers. Kylee is having tubes put in her ears and her adenoids removed tomorrow. This is the same surgery that Joshua had in October. The doctors will tell you that this is "routine" surgery, but no surgery is "routine" when it's your child.

Fingerpainting Fun!

Plant life

Most people already know that I am not the owner of a green thumb. I really love having real live plants in the house, but for some reason, I can't seem to remember to water them. Today while I was vacuuming, Joshua decided our (sickly) little ficus tree needed a little pruning and some dirt moved around. I can't say that I disagree....

Happy Valentine's Day

Georgia Aquarium

We visited the Georgia Aquarium on Saturday. The website declares this aquarium to be the "World's Largest and Most Engaging Aquarium". Being that none of us have ever visited an aquarium, we were pretty amazed by all of the exhibits. As most any attraction on a Saturday, the place was packed as soon as we arrived, but we were still able to see everything without having to wait a long time. The crowds seemed to move from one exhibit to the other pretty quickly. Also, since all of the exhibits are housed fairly close together, you can always go back around to something if you missed it or just want to see it again.

The tank as you first enter the aquarium:

Since Joshua is only two, he wasn't very interested in sticking around any one location for any length of time, but he seemed to really have a great time. When we first walked in, there was a "touching pool". There were small stingrays and small sharks in this pool that you can reach down and touch as they swim by. That was pretty amazing....and, yes, I did reach down and touch them myself. It wasn't quite as slimy as I expected. Joshua really wanted to touch the fish, but every time they got close to him, he would squeal, giggle, and pull his hand up out of the water.

The touching pool:

From the touching pool we moved through the other exhibits and were continually amazed at the various sizes, types and radiant colors in each of the tanks.

The penguins!!!!

Looking for Nemo:

A Beluga whale:

An octopus:

After a few hours, Joshua was so tired we decided to call it a day. We went through the gift shop with the intention of getting one souvenir. $100 later, we were headed to the car with a shark, a whale, a fish, two t-shirts and a cap!!!!

All in all it was a great day! I look forward to visiting the aquarium over and over again and watching Joshua as he explores and learns something new each time.

Celebrating 40

I woke up this morning, no longer a "30-something", but now the dreaded "40-year-old"!! First I want to say - HOW did that happen? Where was I? I remember as a child wishing for summer to hurry up and get here or Christmas to hurry up and get here. My mother would say, "Honey, don't wish your life away, it goes by fast enough. And the older you get, the faster it goes." Another thing my mother was right about!

I've heard that age 40 is when people begin to evaluate their lives - what they're doing, where they're going, and is this where I thought I would be? Well, this shouldn't be anything new for me, I always evaluate my life. And I can honestly say that no, I haven't accomplished everything I thought I would by now, and there's always a thing here and there I wish I would have done differently, but then I think of how much my Lord has blessed me with a wonderful husband and precious child. And I wouldn't change them for anything in the world!

Ronnie and I discussed the signficance of the number 40 in the Bible. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness before they crossed into the land of Canaan (the promised land). Noah and his family spent 40 days and nights on the ark during the flood before the waters receded and they walked out into a new world. So you can see the number 40 is significant of trials and tribulations, but you can also see that after those trials and tribulations the tremendous joy and blessings that were bestowed by the Lord. Therefore, I'm not quite as afraid of being 40. I believe my Lord has watched over me and will continue to do so. One of my favorite hymns is

Thus Far the Lord Has Led Me On

Thus far the Lord hath led me on,
Thus far His power prolongs my days,
And every evening shall make known
Some fresh memorial of His grace.

Much of my time has run to waste,
And I, perhaps, am near my home;
But He forgives my follies past,
And gives me strength for days to come.

I lay my body down to sleep;
Peace is the pillow for my head;
While well appointed angels keep
Their watchful stations round my bed.

Isaac Watts

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Ronnie and Joshua have been celebrating my birthday for a few days. They have brought me flowers, candy, presents, and cakes (yes, cakes)! Of course, I have a couple of pictures to share and a video. The video is a little dark, but hopefully you can see my sweet Joshua singing Happy Birthday to mommy.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9