Thank you, Pinterest.

I don't remember exactly when I succumbed to the temptation that is Pinterest, sometime after seeing fun things my friends were posting on facebook and sometime before we moved to Mississippi.  Are you pinning?  If not, you need to be!  You can check out my boards here, and if you like I can send you an invitation to pin, just let me know!  If you are already on this great site, let me know so I can follow you.  It's something else.  I have seen so many things I love, so many things I want to do, so many things I think I can do.  After months of pinning, but not trying anything, I got to thinking that I should probably try out some of these pins.  I have not captured on film all of my attempts, but here are some recent big hits at our house.  

I love green beans, love them.  They get kind of boring though, and the ones in the can just aren't as good as the real thing.  The same goes for the ones in the freezer.  So, at a recommendation on Pinterest, I tried roasted green beans, and they were heavenly.  I think they could have cooked a while longer, but we were hungry and ready to eat, ha!  

Next, I tried a recipe with only two ingredients, that's right, two!  Cake mix and a can of pumpkin.  

I recently bought a mini muffin tin at a Pampered Chef party, so I used it for my pumpkin muffins.  They were so great!  Even my somewhat picky husband liked them.  The children loved them!

Another recent favorite, cake mix cookies.  I used a chocolate cake mix first and later a yellow cake mix.  Both turned out great!  

Here's the finished product on the chocolate ones.  They look so pretty on this platter, don't you think?  My grandmother gave it to me, so it's extra special!

The last dish I have pictures of is a cranberry dip I made for Thanksgiving.  It's a cranberry relish over cream cheese served with crackers.  Spicy and yummy!  

Lastly, the Pinterest find that has changed my world.  The south Mississippi climate does not entirely agree with my hair, that and the fact that I'm badly in need of a cut, ha!  So, I have been wearing my hair up.  A lot.  While I am bumming around the house, it's no big deal, but for church I like for it to look nice.  I am loving the sock bun!  It's so easy and looks so nice, classy, I think.  In the next few weeks leading up to Christmas, I am excited about making some gifts for friends and family based on ideas found on Pinterest.  I will be sure to update!  So, if you haven't checked out this amazing site, you are certainly missing out.  Give it a try.  You are sure to love it!

Happy birthday, Daddy!

Happy birthday, Daddy! It's sure been a fun year, and we've been up to a whole bunch since we celebrated your birthday last year.  We hope your day is extra special, just as you are to us.  We want to start your day by saying thank you. . .

Thank you for helping us to pick out the biggest, prettiest Christmas tree around.  Thank you for being strong enough to put in on our car.  

Thank you for sitting out of rides with us when we are too little to go.  

Thank you for sitting on Santa's lap with us when we are too scared to do it alone.  

Thank you for working super hard and for teaching us the value and importance of an education.  

Thank you for loving Mommy so good and for teaching us what a godly husband looks like.  

Thank you for exercising and working to be healthy, so you can have more energy to play with us.  

Thank you for getting us Hundley.  We love him, too.  

Thank you for taking us on fun family dates on Fridays.  

Thank you for taking pretty pictures with us on special days.  

Thank you for letting us take ballet and for being our biggest cheerleader.  

Thank you for holding us tight and for letting us sit in your lap and cuddle.  

Thank you for running and playing with us.  

Thank you for taking us out to get ice cream.  

Thank you for taking us on special dates for our birthdays.  

Thank you for being a shoulder we can cry on and lean on.  

Thank you for taking us to see new places, especially the beach!

Thank you for dressing up as Bible characters during vacation Bible school to teach us more about God's Word.  

Thank you for teaching us the importance of loving the color red and how to call the dawgs!

Thank you for showing us the importance of telling others about Jesus and for taking us with you on mission trips.  

Thank you for taking Mommy on special dates and for being a daddy full of courage.  

Thank you for coming to our special programs at school and supporting us in all that we do.  

Happy birthday, Daddy!  Thank you for all the things you do for us, even the things we don't know about, but you do anyway because you love us so much.  There are so many more ways we can say thank you and so many more things that we can thank you for.  Mostly, we are thankful God gave you to us to be our daddy!  You are our favorite!  We love you to the moon and back!

Wordless Wednesday.

Bobby Bowden signing an autograph for Carter. 

Hunker down, dawgs!

Larry Munson, the legendary voice of the Georgia Bulldogs will be heard no more.  He passed away Sunday, November 20, 2011.  I'm so very sad that my children will not experience Georgia football through his eyes.  Thousands or more across our nation are mourning the loss of this iconic figure of the dawg nation.  Many, like me, grew up listening to his voice during the games.  In fact, I remember muting the television and listening to his familiar voice on the radio calling the plays of the dawgs.  It was much better than anything reported on television during game time.  One of his best moments can be heard here.  Can't you see the sugar falling from the sky?  And Lady Luck laughing?  Even if you weren't present at the game, you sure felt like you were just listening to Munson.  What a passion he had for the dawgs!

I'm so blessed that he was still around calling the plays for the dawgs while I was in college.  I remember seeing him in Tampa for the Outback Bowl and just being so excited to have seen such a legend in in the flesh.  Here's a video with the audio of some of Munson's greatest calls.  

I think if you listen carefully, you can still hear him shouting, "Dawgs win! Dawgs win! Dawgs win!"

Summer and Tilly's Thanksgiving Program, 2011.

Yesterday, Summer and Tilly had their Thanksgiving program at PCS preschool.  They have been so excited about singing for Mommy and Daddy, Summer especially has been talking of this for weeks.  

Here we are the morning of, not wanting to cooperate for Mommy's picture time.  I made their costumes; it took me most of Thursday afternoon, ha!  And I'm right proud of how they turned out.  I can say that on my blog, right?  

I forgot my big zoom lens, and I am still just sick about it.  I got there 30 minutes early with Story in tow, so our seats were the best I could swing, and we still weren't close enough for a great shot.  Those of you who know me well know I'm just not that mom who will prance up the aisles in front of everyone for the sake of a good picture.  Some days I wish I were that mom, though!

Tilly and Summer both spotted us right away, so sweet to see their little faces light up when they catch our eyes.  Tilly shouted out, "There's my daddy!"  So cute!  Can you see her little smile on the front row?  I made them a headband (or a crown as they called it), but she didn't want to wear hers, I guess.  

I loved watching Summer sing, with all of her heart.  She knew every word, every motion, it was just the sweetest thing to see.  

Tilly did really well too, right up until the end, and then I think she realized just how many people were in the sanctuary!  

After the program, they had a feast for all the little people.  

Tilly all smiles for her daddy.  

You can't tell from this picture, but Story put a hurting on that brownie.  She may or may not have had more than one.  Brownies are her favorite.  

The teachers did such a great job with the table decorations.  You can tell they have really been working hard over the last few weeks putting all of this together.  

Handsome Daddy with his two big girls.  Everyone at the reception talked about how much the girls favor their daddy, except the little one.  I get to claim her!

Oh, how they love their daddy, especially that little one.  His arms are full of love, don't you think?  

I got a turn with Summer and Tilly.

Girls, we are so proud of you for working hard to learn your songs and Bible verses.  We loved watching you perform with your classes today.  During this season of Thanksgiving, Daddy and I sure are thankful for the four of you.  Our arms and our hearts are full, indeed.  

IMB Commissioning Service.

Wednesday night, we had the opportunity to attend a special ceremony.  The International Mission Board had their commissioning ceremony right here in Hattiesburg.  Some of our special friends were among those to be commissioned.  What an honor it was to attend this special service on their behalf.  

 We first met Willie during the summer of 2003, when we were all on staff at MFUGE in Nashville, TN.  He was our worship leader for the summer and boy can he sing!  All summer long we heard about and prayed for his love, Emily, who was serving as a journeyman in China.  She finished her term, and the two of them were married that winter. The following summer we had the blessing of working camp with both of them once again in Nashville, what a gift!  Since the summer of 2004, we have only seen then once or twice, and our families have grown lots!  Between us we have 7 children!

The quality of the pictures aren't great, but you can at least see them.  Willie and Emily are waiting to share their brief testimony on the stage.  

Here they are testifying about the Lord's calling on their lives.  Prior to meeting Willie, I had never met someone so passionate about missions and the Great Commission.  It's contagious!

On the big screen.  

To me, this was just a precious time in the service, where the families of the missionaries gathered around the altar and prayed over them.  My heart was moved thinking about my own children and wondering about the calling placed on their lives.  Dr. King, the President of William Carey University, prayed over them.  

Dr. Tom Elliff, President of the International Mission Board, was the speaker for the evening.  He preached from Romans about how we are all called and have a responsibility to share.  

A group shot of the missionaries being commissioned, all 77 of them.  

One last group shot.  It warmed my heart to see this precious couple and meet their sweet baby boy, their older two girls were at home with Willie's parents.  I have no doubt this couple will take the nations by a storm and be used in a mighty way for the Lord.  Will you join our family in praying for them?