Sweets for the Sweet - A Mommy Shower

Our group of friends started giving "Mommy Showers" to those who were having their third baby a few years ago.  Guests were encouraged to bring items for the mommy - to pamper, to help, to let them know we were thinking of them.  Allison chose to have a Mommy Shower even though it is her second because she is having another girl and could use a lot of things again.  We looked and looked for the perfect them and (thanks to Pinterest) came up with the theme Sweets for the Sweet because you can't find many people sweeter than Allison!!!  All the girls brought non-sweet finger foods, and Sandy and I prepared the ice cream sundae bar!!!!!  I thought it turned out just precious!!!!

I found the cutest labels on Pinterest and was able to download them for free from this website.  Once I downloaded them, I was able to make them my own. It was VERY nice!!!!!  I found all different kinds of sundae dishes at Wal-Mart to hold the various toppings and spoons.  I am excited to have these in my collection now! I think we will use these a lot.  Kristen made the precious pom poms you see in the pictures.  Thank you, Pinterest, again!!!!

For the centerpiece on the food table and on the end table, we filled at small vase full of bright colored flowers.  Next, we placed it inside a larger vase and filled the larger vase full of jelly beans and gummy bears.  Note to self, Sandy said the gummy bears were easier than the jelly beans!!!!  I thought they turned out super cute though!

YAY, for good friends!!!!  This had been a super stressful week and that day had been an oh so crazy day, but what a way to end it.  Sitting around talking (and eating) with some wonderful girls!!!!

Allison got some great things for her (and for baby Shelbie), and I hope she realizes how much we love her and he precious family!!!

The Night of the Moving Tailgate Party

Our Sunday school class from church had a great night last week.  We spent the night celebrating SEC football at its best, great food and wonderful fellowship by having a tailgating progressive dinner!  It was so much fun!!!!  We started the night at Cliff and Sherry Thompson's house (the first and last couple who got their picture taken by me!!) for appetizers.  We had buffalo chicken wings, pigs in a blanket, different chips and dips, etc.  It was great!  I was also introduced to white tea - OH MY GOODNESS!! Lipton hit the jackpot there and I will be getting some - raspberry flavored!

It was a great place to start the night! Then, we moved down the road to Anthony and Adana Buttrum's house for drinks and games.  They had iced down canned drinks and games galore for us to play.

Moving down the road, we wound up at Tony and Melissa Allen's house for the main course. They created a hot dog bar for you to create your own hot dog with every kind of topping imaginable!!!  Tony and Melissa just moved into the house so it was so nice for others to see what they have done with it!  Of course, the UT/Florida game was on the big screen at this house (and it flipped back and forth between that and the Bama game).

I left a little early and crossed the street to get to our house where everyone came for desserts/drinks. The desserts were actually across from our house at Joe and Sarah Ellis' house. I was not able to go over there as I was getting ready for them to come to our house.  Sarah had desserts to go at her house, so they got their desserts and came to our house.

Under the carport, we had Coke floats or other basic drinks for people to enjoy as they just sat around the house and relaxed watching football or just talking.

It was a GREAT night and we have already put into plan something for later in the year.  It was nice that all 5 houses were in a mile from each other! In fact, the last 3 houses, people could just walk from one to another.  We are so blessed with a wonderful church family and wonderful Christian friends.

If ANY of you have a great tailgating drink idea (non-alcholic), please send it my way!!!! I had the hardest time finding one.

Devotional Thoughts on Scrapbooking

A few months ago, I did a devotional for a college dorm after we had done a scrapbook activity.  I found it the other day, and, as I am trying to cut down on the papers all over my house, I thought I would share it here. . . .

I love my scrapbooks.  I love my kids looking at scrapbooks.  I have been accused of trying to scrapbook everything, especially now that I have my blog.  However, I want to remember it all!!! I want my kids to know it wasn't always easy with sunshine and rainbows.  We look at our scrapbooks and we see how our family has grown, but, also, how our family has lost.  We see our college kids and how the group has changed over the years.  We see so many changes in ourselves - the kids getting older and changing so much, but there is One constant through it all. One who sees it all and that is God.


In our scrapbooks when we see that we were alone (or at least felt alone),  GOD WAS THERE!

• Matthew 28:20 - " . . . lo, I am with you always . . ."
• Hebrews 13:5 - ". . . I will never leave you . . . "

In our scrapbooks when we see we were at our saddest, GOD WAS THERE! He is our strength to get through whatever comes our way.

• Nehemiah 8:10b - " . . . the joy of the Lord is your strength . . ."

When we see in our scrapbooks that we just felt hopeless, GOD WAS THERE! He will deliver us and surround us with His love.

• Romans 8:38-39 - "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor death, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to celebrate us from the love of God . . ."

When we were at our happiest, GOD WAS THERE!  He gives us all good things to make us happy.

• James 1:17 - "Every good and perfect gift is from above . . ."
• Matthew 7:11 - " . . . how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!"

When we don't know what will fill the future pages in our books, GOD IS THERE!  He see the big picture while our sight is limited.  

He wants us to come to Him.  Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayers and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

He wants us to trust, ask and let Him direct.  Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

He has great things planned for YOUR scrapbook.  Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning . . ..

that cold September day?

- Alan Jackson

I was running off copies while my third grade students were in computer lab.  I remember the preacher coming in and saying that the World Trade Center Towers had been hit.  I went back to my room and turned on the radio hearing all that was going on not realizing our world would never be the same again.

The kids could tell I was upset and we listened to the radio as we tried to go on with our work for the day.  Maggie remembers sitting in the reading center just crying although she admits she had no clue what was really going on in the world.  We heard about the plane hitting the Pentagon and the plane in Pittsburg and it was then we all realized that this was no accident.  I tried to play it off but I remember their faces looking at me telling me they knew this was serious.  Then, one of my boys heard the first tower fall moments later as our classroom was so quiet (very unlike us) we heard the second tower fall.  We did not know what to do.  So . . . .

we prayed.  

We talked.

We made cards for all of our Congressmen.

We made cards for President Bush and First Lady Laura.

We did all we could.

Our school made a HUGE American flag with our fingerprints and handprints

and we sent it to Senator Bill Frist.

He was so touched he sent us a flag that had flown over the Capital Building.

The news came out that day when his assistants came to school

to give it to us.

We did all we could to show our country that we love it 

and were going to stand by it.

We used every moment we had to make red, white and blue pins.

Some even made things at home.

We sold them before school to people and gave all the money to those who had lost

so much.

I will always remember that day and the precious ones that surrounded me during those days and weeks that followed.  I will always remember that even little ones can make a big difference and that pennies do add up to a lot. I will always remember going to the first Titans game after that Tuesday and seeing everyone come together to honor those who had lost their lives voluntarily and involuntarily.  I will remember the feeling that even though we are broken and numb life does go on and good can come from what evil has happened.  I will always remember those who lost so much and I promise that I will never ever forget.

God Bless America.

LB's September Book Club

LB has been so excited about her own book club with her friends.  We read the first book during the month of August and met last night with her friends to discuss the book.  We had so much fun planning the time together and being together!  For August, we read the book Katie Kazoo Switcheroo: Who's Afraid of the Fourth Grade.  I wanted to keep it simple for our first meeting, but to make it special as well.  For our table settings I found bright yellow square plates and round red plates at Target that sat on top of the yellow ones.  For the centerpieces, we used bright yellow and white daisies with some of LB's other Katie Kazoo books.

For our meal at book club, we made our own pizzas like Katie did in the book at her cooking club.  The girls loved making their own individual pizzas and got VERY creative with their toppings!!!

While the pizzas were cooking, we worked on our dessert - mud pies!!!  In the book, Katie's teacher taught them about earthworms by letting them make their own with chocolate pudding, gummy worms and crushed Oreos!!  The girls (and their moms) loved creating their own earth as well as sneaking a few gummy worms!

After we ate, we sat around and talked about our favorite parts of the books as well as the lessons we learned from the book.

To supplement the Katie Kazoo book (as well as the next book we are going to read), I read the book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today?  We talked about how we all have a bucket and it is up to us to fill each others' buckets as well.  We came up with ways we can fill other people's buckets.  To help us remember to fill other people's buckets (and remember when we fill other people's buckets, we fill our own), I got each girl a bucket from the dollar section at Target.  Cathy painted each girl's name on her bucket and decorated it for them.  In each bucket we placed sheets they can fill out each day to help them realize what they did to fill someone's bucket that day.

While we all enjoyed our chocolate earth dessert, LB revealed our book for September . . . .

 Drum Roll, please . . . .

We will be enjoying The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes this month.  I love this book and all the lessons that come from this book. I can't wait to start planning our next meeting!!!!

We Belong Together

We got back from Montgomery on Sunday and on Monday we celebrated Labor Day with our college kids!!! It is so nice to know they are so comfortable with us and will invite anyone over with them!!!! We love it that they feel at home with us.  I think these are some of my favorite pictures because it was the first time this school year we were all together!

Thompkins and CT get inducted into the Welch family with Just Dance

You can feel the LOVE between LB and Hunter (and the others who jumped in the background)

They think they are so tough!

BFF x 3

We are so glad we are all back together! A part of us was missing when they were gone!

Walker is ONE!!!!

We spent last weekend celebrating little Walker turning one!!! I can't believe that he is ONE already!!! It is crazy how time is flying by!!!!  We all met at Boo and Papa's house to celebrate and celebrate we did! I took over 200 pictures (I know . . .), but I will only share some of my favorites with you!

Richard, Walker, and Amy (with Inch inside)

Grandad, Walker and Gran

Feeding Gran

Hangin' out with LB on his new couch

Time for cake!!!

He was so proud of himself!

Carter, LB and Claire

Gran, LB, Walker, Grandad and Carter

Sweet Cousin Time

We love you ,Walker!!!!