A New Chapter

After 12 years of home schooling, Chandler will be graduating on June 5. That's SO hard to believe. No! Really! Like a "weird" hard to believe. We started this journey when he was 6 years old. He will be 18 in 16 days. I'm actually holding up quiet well. Well, so far! I've loved having my children at home for their education. Has every single day been a piece of cake....PSHHHHH.... Yeah, right! But, I would not have changed it, not for one single day. Even the days of agony and tears. The days of..."I cant do this"....."I don't want to do this"...."I don't get this"....."how many more?"....do I have to read it all, today?"...."can I use the answer key?"....and on and on!!!!!

I truly count it an honor to have been able to help my children learn and watch them grow. It's all happening. The graduation announcements, the last soccer game as a senior, Senior pictures, meeting with the college and much more. I can do this.....I can do this....I can do this......

Did I do it "all" right?! Well....of course! NOT!!!!!!!!!!!! But, my hope and trust is that I did something with the help and guidance of the Lord that made a difference. I'm proud of Chandler. He's a good kid! He really is! He loves the Lord and wants to do what is right. What more can a mother ask for, right? He's not really sure what he wants to do with his life. But, that's ok. As long as he is seeking the Lord for direction, he will do fine. He's gonna start out here at the Community College. SHEW!!!!! So glad! He's not leaving me! He's staying at home, for now!

So, I ask for you, if anyone even reads this blog, since I'm not the best blogger anymore, to please pray for Chandler. Pray for his future. Pray that he will always keep himself centered in God's Perfect Will!!!!

pick your mouth up

Yes....that's right! Close your mouth! I am blogging! I know, I know, it's been a really long time. I thought this would be a GREAT weekend to pick it back up. I want a new background and picture but Morgan does that for me and she's not home right now. I'll get her to hook me up later.

Of course, there is absolutley, positivly NO way to catch up from October but maybe I can start with Friday. One word to begin...SNOW!!!!!

So, the weather people began to prepare us probably a week in advance. And, I am one that USUALLY ALWAYS believe them as if they really, really know! HA! yeah, right! 9 times out of 10, they are wrong and I am disappointed to wake up to nothing white anywhere in sight. So, after being burned many times, this time, I did not let myself get "all caught up" in the "snow talk". My response this time was...."I'll believe it when I SEE it". No, I'm NOT a doubting Thomas, I just simply live in TN...haha! Well, sure enough, what do ya know....they were right!

Around 10am or so on Friday morning, it started. It snowed and snowed and snowed and snowed. By Friday night we had a beautiful winter wonderland. Now, you guys up north, don't laugh! For us Tenesseans, this is big stuff. We don't see 5-6in of snow in Middle TN! I was like a kid! I'm not kidding! I was just as excited as Christmas morning.

I decided I wanted some snow cream. I had never made it for myself before, so I got online to find an easy recipe. Milk, sugar, vanilla and of course SNOW! It was soooo good! I decided to add a little something extra so I added pecans and peanut butter. Very nice touch, I must say!

During the night, we got probably an inch of ice on top of the snow. Around lunch time, a group of young people decided to make a football field out of the area behind my house. They played and played. They came in to warm themselves by the fire and then head out again for round two. Oh to be young and not care how much pain you receive from falling on hard ice. Shew!!!! No thank you! So, I watched (from inside mind you....I have gained a small amount of wisdom with the years) ha! oh wait...I did run out there to take some pictures.

After a while, they made their way back inside and decided they wanted pizza. After pizza and some chill out time we had another plan. And this time, I wanted to "play". I wanted to go sledding. We may not see this snow and ice for another 10 years and I really wanted to sled. So, that's just what we did. I know, I'm completely contradicting myself with the whole "wisdom" with years and staying in but...i wanted to sled! HA!

We headed over to some church members house that have a really great hill in their neighborhood and this 41 year old, along with my 43 year old husband decided to be kids. OH WHAT FUN!!!!!!!!! I even got on my sons back and we laid down on our bellies and went down head first together!!!!! YEP!!!! you read that right! I did it!!!!!! And, had a BLAST!!!!

After about 1 1/2 hrs, and absolutley frozen solid toes, we decided we were finished. So, we headed back to the house and ate. I had beans in the crok pot, made some rice and then made smores!

Today, Sunday, due to the icy roads, church was cancelled. The sun has actually been shining today. The sun and the ice everywhere is beautiful. I have some trees in my yard that are so gorgeous! We did head out around 1:30 to meet some friends for lunch and some of the roads are still bad.

I have absolutley, postively loved this weekend! It's just been fun! The Lord let us southern folks enjoy the beauty of some snow. I so wish we would get this every winter but oh well! It truly has been one of those "good and perfect" gifts from the Lord! Thank you, Jesus for the snow!

OH MY.....

......it's been a llllloooooonnnnnnggggg time!

Nay, not today either :)

re-decorating

Actually, more like re-arranging. If you know anything about me, you know that I love doing things in my home. I love decorating and such! I also like change in my house after a period of time. I re-arranged my living room yesterday. l like doing that ever couple of months. Makes me feel like I've got a new room or at least a different look in that room. It also gives me a chance to clean behind furniture that I don't do every day.

I was watching a show this week and a interior decorator was saying how people really don't have extra money right now to buy new stuff for their house but that you could actually shop in your own home. He said walk into each room and decide how you can move furniture to a different room for a different look. Well, I did just that. I took a book shelf from my bonus room and brought it downstairs into the family room. I love it! I just think it's so fun to do stuff like that. Your probably thinking....."poor Tam, she just gets excited over the silliest things". ha! But, my home is actually a hobby of mine. I love taking care of my home. Ahhh!!!!!! just brings me comfort!

But now, my husband is gonna have to hang a picture for me in the dining room. The wall where I put the book shelf covered the picture that was hanging on that wall so I had to take it down. I think it will look really nice in my dining room. I would just do it myself but the picture is huge. Steve and I have a totally different way of hanging things on the wall. I "eyeball" it, hoping it's half straight. My husband gets the tape measure out to make sure it's exactly right. ha!

So, that's what I've been doing....among other things!

One of those "Mondays"

Yesterday, Monday, I woke up frustrated. O.K. let me forwarn you, this may be one of those posts that gets alot of comments or none whatsoever.....

I don't understand peoples choices and priorities! Can't we realize how serious the times are in which we live?????!!!!!

I DO NOT understand the lack of church attendance AND SUCH LIKE!!! How can we do everything else we want to do but not come back to church Sunday night? How can we make everything else THE priority and the Lord A priority. I don't get it!!! I really, really, really don't get it. What is it gonna take for us to get serious? Completely sold out to serving the Lord and EVERYTHING that includes.

I did ALOT of praying yesterday!!! Alot of soul searching! I reminded myself...."Tammy, stop looking at man"....Look to Jesus." I will stand before God one day very soon for MY choices!!! I must get it right according to God's Word!!!! I have to do what's right! Regardless of what I DO NOT UNDERSTAND....God holds the record. He sees ALL and knows ALL and HE will reveal what is not right! When he does his revealing and purging, I have to find myself pleasing and accepting in HIS sight.

I'm responsible for me and for rearing my children in the ways that are right! I want to be a blessing and to minister with the love of Jesus!!! I want to be real in HIS sight!

So, after much prayer and scripture reading, I feel better. I still don't understand choices that people make but it's not for me to "figure out". It's ALL in God's hands. I have to keep Tammy right! Pure, Holy, Blameless, before HIM in ALL matters.

God is keeping the record....HE's taking notes!!!!!
GOD HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only by His Grace and Mercy will I make it!!!!!




hmmmmm.....I wonder if I can count this on my report....hahahahahahaha!!!!!!!

Yard Sale Jack Pot

I got a text yesterday that said...."Leslei and I are going yardsaling in the morning, if you want to go....Early!" So, I texted back..."I'm in". Kim texted me back and said..."Be at my house at 6:45"....I texted back..."I'm out". I was kidding. I even got there at 6:30. Morgan said she wanted to go but when she found out what time we were leaving, she decided that she really was "out". ha!(wimp)!

So, I got to Kim's and we headed out to pick up Les. Let me just say, Kim was serious about this. When we got in her car, she had two pages of addresses and directions of where she had found yard sales advertised on Craigslist. It was great! I had never yard-saled so organized and let me just say, it was well worth her effort. We had a plan!!!

All 3 of us racked up!!!!!!!!!! It was SO much fun! We were like kids at Christmas. Les and I have the same taste and we even got a little competitive over some items as to who "got" it. Fun! Fun! We had to help Kim control herself as far as her buying for her grandbaby, Olivia!:) The funniest thing happened. We came upon this house that had this huge, blow-up, jumpy thing in the front yard. As soon as we saw it, Les and I both said..."Kim, you are NOT getting that." She quickly said..."Oh, Yes, I AM"... We quickly realized it wasn't even a yard sale. They were setting up for a kids party. HA!!!!!!

I found Morgan the cutest shoes. They are wedges! I knew she would love them! They are Banana Republic and I got them for 2 dollars! Yes, Banana Republic is an expensive brand. (i think)! Anyway, I was right. She loved them.

I've been wanting some camo-gouchos for a while now. I found a pair, exactly what I wanted for .50 cents. Woohoo! I also got two really cute sweaters for .50 and $2. Love, love, love it!

About half way thru our journey, we stopped by the house and picked up Morgan. That child is just like me about deals. To be 14, she doesn't AT ALL mind yard sale clothes and Goodwill clothes. I'm very thankful. Les and I were talking today, it's ridiculous to pay outrageous amounts of money for clothes when you can get such good deals at theses places. Seriously, if you take the time, you can get some super good deals. I get so excited over such deals. :)

It's been a really good day!

Bad..... Bad.....Blogger!

That's what I've become.

Nonetheless, here goes....

There's absolutely no way, with MY memory, to go all the way back to my last post. NO way! Wonder why some people have really good memories? They can remember everything! And, then there are those, such as myself, that cannot hardly remember yesterday. I'm bad, really, really bad. I wonder if that's something that can be helped? I wonder if that herb, Ginko (or whatever it's called), really works?! Hmmmmm, I should check into that....IF I don't forget....LOL!

Last Friday, that's where I'll start. Les and I hung out. We had Chick-fil-A for lunch (my fav). Then, we went to Goodwill. Not the one in Smyrna, but this really huge one in Nashville. I really am on cloud nine when I'm in Goodwill. I love it! I found some stuff. I usually always find some stuff there. She and I hit Starbucks after Goodwill. She treated me to a Cinnamon Spice Doulche (not sure of the spelling). Yum!

We parted ways after Starbucks and I had some time to kill so I hit the Goodwill in Smyrna. Again, score! I bought myself 3 more skirts. Cute ones too! I had time to kill because it was 4:00 and I had to pick Chandler up from work at 5:00. His car is sick so I've been taking him to and from work unless I didn't need my car and then he would just take it himself.

Saturday, Steve and I cleaned the church. And..........(the memory thing is kicking in)..........

Oh yeah, I had to hit Walmart to get the things I needed that I was making to take to band service Saturday night. Band service was a true blessing to me. We gathered at Rick and Les' house and Rick did a SUPER devotion on Faith. He's been kidded since then that his "message" was very good. He's not a preacher. So, it's kinda funny. I also enjoyed the good fellowship and of course, food!

Sunday, of course, church. Always a blessing! If it's not a blessing, it's our fault, not the Lords!!!!! Right? Sunday afternoon has become my "nap time". I even decided this past Sunday morning, not to make my bed. That is a huge thing with me. I always make my bed. But, as I started to, I quickly remembered..."it's Sunday"....I'll be napping today! So, I just kinda straightened it and left it unmade. And, sure enough, after lunch, I turned on the fan and climbed in. Within a very short time, I was snoozin! AH! Gotta love that! I slept for a good 1 1/2 hours. Lovely! Simply lovely!

Sunday night, church again, was a blessing. We had a testimony service and that is always so encouraging. I love hearing of the goodness of the Lord. He's just SO good to us!

Now, I'm up to today...Monday....

Morgan had a Dr. appt today. It was time for her physical and she needed to have a sports physical to play soccer. O.K. so we knew she had gotten really tall. Everywhere she goes, someone comments on her llllloooooonnnnnnggggg legs and how tall she has gotten. The child is almost 5ft 8in!!!! YIKES!!! Good grief, Charlie Brown!

that's all for now!