Well, it's here what can I say?

Well it happened...it's here...it came...it went...it's over. I'm 40. Yikes! Still can't believe it. I thought you stayed in your 30's forever! Not true, I've discovered. So far can't tell too much difference between 30 and 40. Still have to cook (yuck), still have to do laundry (the laundry fairy still hasn't found my house), still have to clean the house (my kids haven't become neat freaks all of the sudden); yep, it's still the same so far. I'll let you know how it goes...

it's been three years, really??

I can hardly believe it's been 3 years since we first became a home schooling family. I never started out with a desire to homeschool. It was never something I thought I would do. We took our first born to kindergarten just like everyone else. She did well there. We took our second born to kindergarten just like everyone else. He did well there also.

I know exactly the day and time that God first laid the desire to home school on my heart. Although, it took a while for me to obey this direction. Now fast forward to today, three years later. We finished with our third year Friday (although I do like one thing more to accomplish).

There are days where I LOVE home schooling our children and there are days where I don't like it so much, but there are never days where I wish I didn't do it. Yes, we yell. Yes, we sometimes fight.  Yes, we laugh. Yes, we have fun. And yes, we learn in the midst of all of that.  Homeschooling has brought my family close. My children are each others best friends (even when they fight!), and I wouldn't change that. It works for us. It might not work for everybody and that's ok.

But I am so very happy to say "SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER!" well till July at least!

Audis, bad toupees, and drugstore cosmetics...

As you know, because I admitted it in blogworld, I'm about to turn 40! Yes, it's true; I've checked my birth certificate there isn't any denying it. So, that being said I think I'm having a mid-life crisis. Now, if I was a super, mega rich person I'd probably buy an Audi R8 Spyder...or if I were a balding middle-age man I'd probably buy a bad toupee...but I'm neither of those (too bad on the super rich one!). So, what does an approaching 40 stay-at-home, home-schooling, mother of three buy...well, that's easy she buys drugstore cosmetics. Lots of them. Some are for wrinkles (yuck). Some are masks, peels, and scrubs. Some are BB Creams, and moisturizers. Some have been hits and sadly, some of have been misses. All in all it's a cheaper crisis than an Audi and hopefully looks better than a bad toupee! Here are some of my favs...

This stuff is AMAZING and it's only $3 at Dollar General!

Makes your face so soft!

The best American BB cream out there. Yes, there's a difference in BB creams but that's another blog post!

what do our lives say about us?

I never met this lady, Julie Askew Thompson. I wish I had. I have had the privilege to hear her sing on a few occasions, and let me assure you it was a privilege, the gal could sing. She died Tuesday, very unexpectedly. She was 36 years old, and she leaves five beautiful children and a grieving husband, along with a host of friends who loved her. I very much wish I could have said that this woman was my friend just on the basis of what everyone says about her. If you can live a life that can impact someone whose never met you and make that person sad because they won't ever get to, wow. God's word tells us that "All things work to the good of those who love him..." all things, not just the good things but all things even the hard things, the hurtful things, the sad things. Even the death of this sweet lady. Her testimony is an amazing one. By the acts of her life we know that she loved God; she served Him, she raised her children to love Him, she worshiped Him in song. What will our lives say about us? Could we, like Julie, make people sad that they will never get to meet us after we are gone? I hope so...

Listen as she sings this song...I can only imagine that she is singing it today in glory!

If I asked you a question...

So, I'm curious. What's your winter routine? I mean for example  (and since we live in Tennessee this is highly possible)...what would you do if on a freaky day in early March the temperature hits 71, could you like say slip on a fav pair of flip-flops and head to town? Or would your response be something more to the effect of "NO FREAKING WAY AM I LETTING ANYONE SEE THESE TOES," just maybe those said toes might have the remnants of last summer's polish! Is this you...?

Let's say on that same wonderfully sunny day in March your toes are ok, maybe bare of polish but that's alright, could you bring your favorite pair of skinny jean capris out from the back of your closet? Or would your response be "NO WAY AMD I LETTING ANYONE SEE THE HAIRS ON MY LEGS" just maybe it's been a while since your last shave! Is this you...?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, no worries, it's ok. You are like millions of other women who seem to put off these things in the winter in favor of the 1,000's of other more pressing things we have to do. I have been thinking a lot about this lately, for some wild reason. Maybe you hate to do either of the above, shaving and painting your nails, that's ok if you do, sad but ok. However if you enjoy doing them, if these and other beauty regimens bring you happiness, don't we owe it to ourselves to do them. 

Being a Mom of three, I know that there are priorities that we must fulfill; we MUST constantly put others before ourselves. Not only is that just right, it's biblical too. That being said I also firmly believe that we must also take care of our-"selfs" to! We must do things that will lift us up when we are down; we should do things that will make us smile. Whatever that may be? If it's little beauty regimens why not do them? Why insist on taking the winter off, so to speak?

I don't know what might make you smile, but you do. So do it. I promise you will be a better Mom and wife because of it (just don't spend hours daily soaking in the tub!!).

On a side note...if it has been a while since your last shave. Get to it. I'm satisfied that your hubby would appreciate it; 'cause who wants to snuggle with Chewbacca :) 

FINALLY...we have one!

I was in the 6th or 7th grade, I can't remember exactly, when I noticed him for the first time. He was so, just so, great...tall, blond haired, blue-eyed. Oh he was a hot looking thing with that mullet (don't judge it was the 80's). I remember being tongued tied; I probably didn't say 2 words to him I was so shy, but boy did I ever have the biggest crush on him. 

I had no idea at that point in my life that God was introducing me to my Prince Charming. I had no idea that about 10 years later I would walk down an aisle in a beautiful white dress to meet him in that church. I had no idea that we would have three of the best kids ever together. He is just as hot now as he was then (with better hair)...but in all our time together there is one thing we have never had...yep, one things been missing. 

What your asking could be missing from this modern day fairytale? A song, that's what...we've never had a song, which is odd because both Terry and I love music (we aren't very musical ourselves, but we love to listen to it) so, I would have assumed that we would have a song. But nope...we don't.

That is until now. I FINALLY found our song. It's perfect. If I could go back to August 2, 1997 we would dance to it at our wedding. 

This seems like an unimportant thing, finding your song, after you've been happily married for 15 years, but it's not. Anything that causes you to focus on your marriage, and remind you why you pledged your life to another person is a good thing. As I've discovered having a "song" causes you to think, reflect, and love on your man every time you hear it. 

I know your asking me, silently begging me even, to tell you what our song is...well, ok, I will! 

It's James Morrison's "You Make It Real"...it says what our love means to each other. So, if your married, or engaged and you don't have a song, find one that epitomizes what your love for each other means, and if you have a song already listen to it; I promise it spices things up!!

So, I'm curious to know if anyone else has a song! If you do, tell us what it is!

life interrupts...

I was on such a role with my blog posts! I was having a blast ( I really do love writing this blog)! I was constantly thinking of new things to tell you guys about...then...WHAM!! Life happened, don't you hate when that happens!