It is time to cook Y'ALL!!

I know, I know, it has been a very long time since the last time I blogged. Well over the next couple of days I will be updating you all on what has been going on. It all started back at the end of March. My grandmother bought my sister, mom, and I tickets to see the all time Paula Deen. I have been watching Paula Deen since we got the Food Network in Cleveland. It was a great show, she did more talking than cooking, but that is a woman, right? We even got to taste a little bit of German Chocolate Bars. When I say little, I mean little. Anyway, it was a great event and would love to see her or any of the other Food Network stars. I have a couple of pics to share!!! They are not very close, I forgot to take my zoom lens.

Puddle Jumping with Aunt Sammy!!

Hello, I know I haven't blogged lately, but a girl just gets a little worn out every once in a while. To be honest with you, I really haven't had anything to blog about in the past couple of weeks!!

Anywho, I got to witness one of the sweetest things yesterday. Lauren received a pair of rain boots from my mom a couple of weekends ago. She loves the boots. She wears them all around the house. Well, this past weekend, Aunt Sammy came into town and Lauren spent the night with her. Aunt Sammy called me and asked be if Lauren could bring her rain boots over so she could puddle jump with her. Of course it has been raining for the last week and you never know with this Mississippi weather, when you will get the opportunity to play in the rain. So here are a couple of pics of Lauren and her Aunt Sammy "Puddle Jumping". I hope that you enjoy!!

Not Your Normal Treasure Hunt

Hello to all!! As some of you may know, I am married to the biggest techie that could have ever been created. If it has anything to do with technology, you can be rest assured that it is probably in the vacinity of my house. Better yet, I could probably put my hands on it pretty quick. Anyway, normally when Ray tells me about some new technology that has been released, I let him speak, look like I listen, and then we are on our way to the next thing that was just released.

The newest idea of Ray's technology finding, is Geocaching. What is Geocaching you ask? Well in lamen's terms it is a world wide treasure hunt!! Who knew that technology could be so much fun, besides, your everday run of the mill computer. You have these different sites that people or geocachers, you may call them, set these "treasures" out and you find them with a handheld GPS with certain coordinates.

I have included several pics of our hunt so I hope you enjoy and I will definitely keep each and everyone updated.


Our first find, can you see it?


There it is!!


Lauren loves hunting for "treasure", we love doing this as a family, it gives us the opportunity to teach Lauren sharing, you leave something in the cache and take something out. It also gives us something to do as a family during the limited time that we have with Ray when he is off.


Our Second Find!!


Can you see it?


Looks like Lauren and Daddy found the "treasure"


Family pic time!!

Now this third find, well I have to say is my most favorite!! It was the hardest one that we started on Saturday and guess who found it today,which is Sunday, ME!! Yes, I said me. Can you tell that I am still pumped about it. Well here are the pics from the third find, we plan on doing this every weekend Ray is off, so stay tuned!!!

Teach Me To Pray!

This post is a little different from the rest. I really couldn't pass this up to share a wonderful gift that my daughter received a couple of months ago. I have always made a committment that I will teach my daughter who her Lord and Savior is, and try each and everyday for her to see him through my ways and actions. Although, Satan has tried many times and yes has sometimes succeeded to make me question the way that I am trying to show Lauren the right way to live. Of all the things that I could mess up in that little girl's life, I am sure that I can get this one right.

Along the way we tend to get so caught up in life and forget the reason why we have children. They are gifts from God that he uses to bless our lives. This is a huge gift that he has blessed me with, the least I can do is show her the right way to live through him. Since Lauren was born we have always had a "bedtime" routine that included prayer. I would read her a book, pray for her and thank God for the wonderful blessing he blessed me with, and then on to bed.

A couple of months ago, my mother in law was introduced to "prayer blankets". These blankets were made by a special lady in our home town, she never charged for these blankets. She would make them in her free time and then give them to those who are sick and in the hospital. Once she had one made, she would take the blanket to the church and have the congregation pray over them. These blankets would lay somewhere on the bed of the sick and ailing and people who come and pray for them would tie a knot in the string on the blanket. Well this sweet lady made two extra blankets, but changed the name to "Teach Me To Pray Blankets". She gave the two extra blankets to my mother in law for my neice and Lauren. Although, Lauren's bedtime routine always includes a prayer at the end, it was nice to incorporate this blanket into our routine. Now when we say our prayers, Lauren does not let me forget to "tie her knot"!!

Bringing a Little of the Delta to the City!

My post tonight is a little different than some, but they do contain pics of Lauren, so maybe not as different.
Last weekend I got the opportunity to spend some quality time with Ray and Lauren, experiencing some of the beautiful nature that God has created. You see, Ray and I are from the MS Delta, and you can enjoy the nature just stepping out your front door. The beautiful flat lands, the wonderful sunset over a cotton field, and just he overall ambiance of the summer sky. Ray and I took Lauren to Lefleur's Bluff State Park off of Lakeland Drive. It is amazing the vast difference that you can experience in one turn off of such a busy street. We took the nature trail along the Pearl River, and it reminded me so much of what Ray and I used to experience in the Delta. Now I am not wishing to move back or regret moving to the "big city", it is just great to take a break from all of the hustle and bustle and actually enjoy the day. I guess you can say, "you really do not know what you are missing until it is gone!!"





Also, Ray and I made an investment this week that I only wish I had when we went on this tour of nature. We decided to go ahead and bite the bullet on a Canon Rebel. I know it is a big purchase, but I honestly believe it was a good investment. The money that I spend on pictures, so outway the cost of this one time purchase that is going to last us for a while. With this new camera does come another decision that Ray and I are going to have to make.......How big of an external hard drive are we going to get. I love capturing pictures of Lauren and especially of her when she has no idea that I am taking them. So I am sure you will begin to see a little of my prodigy from our new purchase, I hope that you enjoy!!!

My Little Girl Is Growing Up!!

Okay, I know that I cannot have Lauren at the age of two forever, but it seems like it is passing by so fast!! This weekend was so wonderful. We went and had lunch with some friends of mine from high school. While waiting for my friends to get to the place we were eating, we were sitting in the car and I got Lauren to sing her ABC's to me. I know that she is mine but I can't help but realize how smart she really is and how fast she is catching on.

While eating lunch, Lauren acted so well. I was complimented on how well behaved and well mannered she was. I know that I get so OCD about things that she does, but it makes me so proud to here such wonderful comments. After we had lunch, we went and spent some time at the park, it was such a beautiful day outside and Lauren needed to get outside and breath some of the fresh air.
Today we had our first dentist visit. To think that she is old enough to go to the dentist is beside me. I guess when you think of the dentist, you think of adults of all ages and not children. Well children have to go to the dentist too!! We got a wonderful check up and Dr. Wren said that she is on the right path to a beautiful smile. We now refer to her brushing her teeth to "tickling" her teeth. She is very proud that she is going to the dentist now and is very proud of her new toothbrush. I have to over look Dora on the toothbrush, but if it makes Lauren happy then I can live with it!!!

I Want To Walk In Your Shoes Mommy!

So I love the little moments that I have with my little one and often wonder if I could just keep her at the age she is now. I am educated everyday by her, hmm, who would have thought that I would be learning from her. The two years that we have had Lauren, I have learned many things, some are listed below:

1. Look at it through a child's eyes. You can only imagine how different things look to a small one.
2. Little ears are always listening and little eyes are always looking!
3. The most simple things excites little ones. They don't care how big and elaborate things are.

Normally, while I am getting ready for work, Lauren watches her Mickey Mouse and eats her breakfast. Well this morning Ray was running late, so I was having to entertain her. I was putting my makeup on when I realized Lauren was in my closet messing around with my shoes. She looked at me and said, "Mommy, I walk in your shoes." She had my black heels on and I just looked at her and just smiled the biggest smile. You see, being a new mother you learn things every day. Growing up and keeping children while I was a teenager, I knew their were children that looked up to me, my sister told me she always did. This time, coming from my very own daughter's mouth was different. In one sense, I was extatic that she wants to be me and the next, I was scared to death. I felt like a million dollars this morning and no one could take me off of my cloud. It is amazing how just a couple of words out of a child's mouth can make you feel great!!!

I have included a pic of her this morning. She was too precious to pass not taking a picture of this.