Saturday, November 26, 2011

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Monday, November 21, 2011

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Day 19: Best Friend

Day 19
Best Friend

My mom is my best friend!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Buddies

I wouldn't call these two "best buddies" but I hope someday they will be.
On the other hand...it seems these 3 are best buddies.


Thursday, November 17, 2011

Day 17: Memories

Day 17 
Memories 

Remembering my grandparents, Grandpa Jim Cassiday and Grandma Lillian Cassiday.  
(The 3 young adults in the front are my dad and his 2 sisters.)

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Monday, November 14, 2011

Storage Building

After many (many) years...we finally have a storage building!

The floor frame

2 walls

2 walls and a kid

3 walls

3 walls and a front and a dog and a kid

Trusses

Grafiti!

Lazy!

Decking
It's almost finished!

Day 14: Movement


Day 14 
Movement 

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Friday, November 11, 2011

Day 11: Something Old


Day 11
Something Old

"Old Glory"  
She's pretty...and old.
Thank you to all the veterans for serving our country and ensuring the lifestyles and freedoms we enjoy continue to remain everyday blessings.
And considering wars...fox holes are old.  Even small fox holes filled with small kids.



And this might not be old, but then again, maybe it is.  The love and a boy and his dog while watching cartoons...

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Day 10: Nature


Day 10
Nature

 When I think of "nature" I think of many things.  Beauty is the first.  Awesome.  Crisp.  Awe-inspiring.  Natural is another, and this...
...just isn't so natural.

Wild also comes to mind.  And this...
is pretty wild!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Day 8: Favorite Color


Day 8 
Favorite Color


Yellow shines with optimism, enlightenment, and happiness. Shades of golden yellow carry the promise of a positive future. Yellow will advance from surrounding colors and instill optimism and energy, as well as spark creative thoughts.

  • Stimulates mental processes
  • Stimulates the nervous system
  • Activates memory
  • Encourages communication

Monday, November 7, 2011

Day 7: Something Funny


Day 7
Something Funny

With parenting, something funny happens everyday!  Realistically it happens many, many times a day if you'll let it.  Or maybe you just have to stop and find the "funny" in it.  For example, this picture...  The day it was taken I did not think this was very funny at all.  I was less than a week home with my brand new baby boy, Evan.  I was sore, tired and frenzied.  I was still trying to figure out the whole breast-feeding thing and Evan was very picky.  I was trying to just stay afloat as a new parent of two.  Ryan was needy and Evan was needier.  Wade had already gone back to work.

On this particular day I sat Ryan at the table with two pieces of bread, peanut butter and jelly, and a dull knife.  I got him started on making his own sandwich. Evan was soon voicing his need for food too.  I went around the corner to feed Evan.  The doorbell rang!  I jumped up to welcome the home-health guy (ugh!) with home bili lights in hand for my jaundiced newborn.  I walked around the corner to find this! (See picture above).  Ryan wasn't making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but rather a pb&j boy!  Oh my!  I left him at the table and offered a decent degree of threats that he MUST stay at the table until Mommy was through talking with this nice man.  So now I have a slow-talking home health guy, new equipment to learn, a list of papers to sign, a screaming hungry newborn, sore leaking breasts, a new "light box" that I was to leave my sweet infant in all hours of the day and night except during feedings, and a three-year-old smearing peanut butter and jelly on everything!

Funny, huh?!  Yes, it is.  At the time...no.  I probably even cried.  But within a few days of this event I was laughing.  Today as I thought about "something funny" for my day of gratitude I found myself looking at everything with a bit more joy.  I laughed more.  I enjoyed everything more.  Did I loose my temper today?  Yep, I did.  Did I love my kids and all their little quarks and silliness a little more?  You bet I did!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Day 6: Books


Day 6 
Books 

I love books!  Books are great!  Here is just a mere glimpse at the books that I love, like, am reading, would like to read or just represent what I like.

  • The first two:  DIY books for building backyard kids' things.  Yes.  I've thumbed through them many a times.  I love DIY projects.  I love outdoors stuff and I love doing/making things for my kids.  If finances (and time) weren't an issue I'd have a big "bodacious" backyard with an awesome space for my kids.  I'd also have a house full of DIY projects and furniture and projects and decorations and...and...and...  Oh how exciting!
  • Book 3:  A Woman's Guide to Spiritual Warfare. It's the book I'm currently reading.  The ladies at our church our doing a study using this book.  I'm not joining the study because of responsibilities at home but I'm reading the book.  So far I am very impressed.
  • Book 4:  Dare to Discipline.  I'm reading this one off and on.  It's good but it requires a little more attention than some others.  I am constantly reading and hoping to learn how to be a better parent and this book represents that desire.  I like self-help books although they are often difficult reads for me.  I find myself reading and re-reading only to get to the end and wish I had time to read it again so I could really "get" it.  I really hope I can get this book read soon and begin implementing its wisdom.  As a parent I sure do need as much help as possible.  
  • Book 5:  The Christian Atheist.  It's a great read, written by the pastor of Life Church.  It's one that will make you think.  I think I need to read it again. 
  • Book 6:  Les Miserables.  LOVE it!  You must read this one.  Just make sure you get the revised edition written in "today's" language.  The message represented in this fictional work is definitely one you won't want to miss.
  • Book 7:  To Live Is Christ.  A good one by Beth Moore.
  • Book 8:  All Cracked Up.  This book was given to me during one of my hospitalizations.  It was a fun, light-hearted read that made me laugh and smile.  It's kind of special for that reason I guess.
  • Book 9:  What Difference Do It Make?  I honestly haven't read all of this book, but it's predecessor, Same Kind Of Different As Me, is AMAZING.  You must read it.  It's the true story of a homeless man and his life-changing encounter with a very well-to-do couple.  It's a tear-jerker (grab a tissue) and one that will really make you think about things and if you'll let it, change your life.  I didn't have this book to photograph because I loaned it out.
  • Book 10:  Bringing Up Boys.  Another one of those parenting self-help books.  I figure since I'm raising boys this one might be a good one.  Actually, it was recommended.  I'll get to this one soon I hope.
  • Book 11:  Captivating.  Excellent book.  It's all about how you, a woman, are captivating to God and, as a woman, must find who you are in Christ. 
  • Book 12:  Let's Roll.  Another good true story.
  • Book 13:  The Shack.  A GREAT book.  It's a fictional story of one man's encounter with God.  It sure makes you hope that things might really be that way.
  • Book 14:  Experiencing God.  I've read the book and I've done the Bible Study.  It's one that always changes my life. 
  • Book 15:  Love and War.  I'm hoping to get to this one soon.  It came recommended.  In fact I think this book is borrowed.
  • Book 16:  Wild At Heart.  Somewhat of a companion book to Captivating, it's the "how God sees men and how men were created" book.  I hope I can keep my boys "wild at heart"!
  • Book 17:  Gathering Blue.  It's a good one!  A fictional story that is an easy read and has some interesting twists.
  • Book 18:  The Giver.  It's an EXCELLENT book.  I've read it several times and I'm ready to read it again.  I've even read it (along with Les Miserables) to Ryan when he was an infant.  It's a fictional story that will really make you think.  It's completely unexpected.
  • Book 19:  So Long Insecurity.  Another great one by Beth Moore.  I read this while I was on hospital bedrest with Evan.  It's one I need to read again.
  • Book 20:  Holy Bible.  It's the GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD!  I love my Bible.  Everything in it is God-breathed and is as applicable today as it was 2000 years ago.  It is truth. 
Wow!  Books are great!  This is just a glimpse.  I could go on and on and on about some great books.  I'm so thankful for books.

Togetherness

Togetherness...

...it doesn't happen too often around here.