Holy Week

I really have never thought much about the week prior to Good Friday and Easter Day much before today. Do not get me wrong, I have always known why we celebrated Easter. It was never about the big bunny bringing me a basket full of candy, but about the Hero of all times who died and rose again to save me from Hell. But today after listening to Rick and Bubba, I meditated on the idea if I knew this was my last week to live how would I have wanted to spend my life and what would I have done if God had designed me to die for the world. I do believe I would have spent much of my week like Jesus did. I would have wanted to be surrounded with my best friends and have a wonderful feast with them. I do not think any of my friends would turn me over to the bad guys like Judas did Jesus or at least I hope not. One thing I would have done different would have been to run, run, run. I can't even imagine knowing that on this Friday I am going to be beat so that no one would recognize me, parade through the streets of my town while being mocked, and then nailed on a cross between two people who deserved to be there when I did nothing wrong, being pierced in the side with a sword and then having the executioners auction my clothes. I would have ran away before they could have found me. I am a chicken! Thank you Jesus for not being a chicken for me! You know He is an awesome Hero! Jesus was not placed on the cross, He crawled onto! He turned the other check when he was being beaten and never said a word when He was being mocked. He asked HIS Father to forgive the people who were doing this to Him. Even if I was the only sinner in the world He would have done all of that just for me! What an awesome GOD!

After meditating on this for the morning I have decided that I need to be bold in my walk and faith in GOD! I do not need to be afraid of what others think of me about serving my God. I need to stand up for Him. We as Christians need to take this week and show the world how we are set apart from everyone else. I need to be fearless! I need to tell the world forget what you stand up for, I stand up for my GOD and nothing else. I need to be willing to be crucified for the only one I need to care about impressing! I love you Jesus and thank you so much for dying on the cross for me, but better than that thank you for rising from the grave and being victorious over death! I serve a LIVING GOD!

Happy Birthday 4th Julia

I cannot believe my sweet little baby is 4 years old. It just seems like yesterday she was arriving in this world. This year we had an Easter Egg Hunt birthday party. She had a great time hunting eggs and even had a visit from the Easter Bunny.

FCHS Coronation

Our special friend, Caroline was a contestant in FCHS Most Beautiful/Most Handsome. She got 4th runner up. Isn't she beautiful!?! She is a great girl and is so precious.

(Caroline, Julia, Savannah, Jack and Maddie Moore)

99 Meme

I copied this from my friend Merry's blog. I thought it looked pretty cool so I thought I would post with my answers. If you decide to put it on your blog, please leave a link in the comments because I would love to see it!

99 Things Meme

Bold: Indicates the things that I've already done

Italics: Indicates the things that I'd like to do

Plain Font: Indicates the things that I haven't done and don't want to do

1. Started your own blog. (You kinda know this already since you are reading this on my blog.)
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band. (I was in the marching band in high school. I played the trumpet. Well actually I held a trumpet, I didn't really play it.)
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
   
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland/world. (I've been to Disney World a ton of times. The last trip was November 2009. I can't wait to go back!)
8. Climbed a mountain. (We climbed Stone Mountain in Atlanta, GA last summer. Not a huge mountain, but a mountain to say the least.)
   
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
    
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
    
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. (Hopefully soon we will be able to do this. I have never been to New York and cannot wait to go see everything there.)
18. Grown your own vegetables. (tomatoes.)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked. (No way)
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill. (Aren't those called Mental Health days.)
24. Built a snow fort.
    
25. Held a lamb. (Savannah got her picture made with a lamb when she was little and I held it with her.)
26. Gone skinny dipping. (No additional details will be given!)
    
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise. (3 to be exact: high school graduation, honeymoon and 10th anniversary)
    
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community. (When we lived in Baltimore, we would drive to Pennsylvania to the Amish community a lot.)
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo's David in person.
41. Sung Karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant (At Starbucks drive thru. Pay it forward!)
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business. (I would love to own a children's clothing store)
    
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason. (I wish Trey liked to give flowers for more than Valentine's Day!)
    
64. Donated blood.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check. (Oops)
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square. ( I hope to soon)
    
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person. (From an airplane. Does that count?)
    
80. Published a book. (I am publishing my blog into a book for my family. That counts, right?)
    
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car. (Never again)
    
83. Walked in Jerusalem. (But I cannot wait to walk in the New Jerusalem when Jesus returns for me!)
    
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House. (Not inside, but all around it. I'll go pack boxes for the President in office now, GLADLY.)
    
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. (I haven't, but my dad and my husband do!)
    
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someones life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
    
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby. (3 to be exact: Savannah Grace, Walter Jackson & Julia Catherine)
    
95. Seen the Alamo in person. (I want to)
    
96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.

Animal Life

We love to visit zoos in different cities. During spring break we went to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. I am still trying to learn how to use my camera so I took advantage of the animals in the zoo.

Spring Break 2010

Spring Break 2010 was a blast with my sweet family. We started the week by heading to New Orleans on Sunday. We visited the zoo, the aquarium, IMAX theater, Cafe Du Monde, and rode cable cars. The kids loved the wonderful Cajun food in New Orleans. This was our first trip to New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina and we were interested to see how it was. New Orleans seems to have built back better than ever in some places, but there are still some places that need work. Outside of our hotel there was a piece of artwork remembering the people who lost so much during the storm. The kids really surprised me at how interested they were in hearing about the history of New Orleans.








Monday afternoon we left New Orleans for Natchez, MS. On Tuesday morning we got up early to head out for some tours of the antebellum houses. This time we toured Auburn, Linden, The Banker's House and Rosalie. While touring Linden and Rosalie the tour guides asked if anyone could play the piano and Savannah told them she could. So during both of these tours, Savannah got to play the antique grand pianos. She was very excited about playing for everyone. Rosalie was my favorite this time. It sits directly on the Mississippi River and has a wonderful view, not to be outdone by the beautiful house and wonderful decor. We ate a great lunch at Fat Mamas (great tamales) and visited the Kelly's Kids outlet. Not too much going on there this trip, then we headed to Monroe, LA.Trey worked a lot in Monroe but we made the best of it. We swam in the indoor pool and visited with one of my best friends from college, Robin. Trey took us to eat at one of his favorite seasonal places to eat in Monroe, Crawfish City. It was wonderful. The crawfish and the shrimp were great.
After Monroe we traveled to Greenville, MS. Greenville, MS was not exciting at all. We did go to the Jim Henson Museum and ate dinner at Eat at Does. The dinner at Eat at Does was a highlight from everyone. Jack has been wanting to go there since we saw it on The Food Network.We got up Friday morning and headed home. We stopped in Starkville for a lunch at Little Dooey's for chicken on a stick! After lunch we stopped in Columbus at Fashion Apparel and got the kids some great new clothes at discounted prices. I will have to visit this place every season when they are opened to get the kids new clothes. Loved it!

All in all we had a great spring break. Now back to the grind with school for a about 9 more weeks and a full season of baseball and softball.