30th Birthday Pictures

I had a great 30th birthday!

We went to Spartanburg and had lunch, cake, and opened presents. My parents got me an incredible watch, Kelly got me great silver earrings, and Charlie got me my big Canon professional camera that I have been using this year.

Then, Charlie and I went to Barnes and Noble and had Pumpkin Spice latte, lounged around, and went shopping at Old Navy. Next, we ate at the best Japanese Steakhouse on the West side of town I have ever been to. It was so nice to be kid free for four hours. Finally, Virginia stopped by a visited for a while. It was a wonderful day, and I am so blessed!

Tuesday's Tip: Order WeightWatchers Magazine

Even if you do not "do" WeightWatchers, the magazine they put out every two months is very helpful. It has usually 50 great receipes and articles like, "Are you Really Hungry?" In this article, the author states you are often hungry just because it is "time" to eat, or you smell something that triggers the feeling of hungry, or you tend to eat in response to moods.

Click here to order the magazine for one free trial. Since I am a previous Weight Watchers member, I just got a code to get one year's worth for $9.75.

How have I been doing with overeating?

Bad! I have gained 5 pounds since I quit the gym (classes I want to go to are not offered at times I can go anymore). That is one reason I am eating, another might be because I turned 30 this month. But, the main reason is because I am a sinner. I see, I look, I take, just like Eve (that hit me hard this morning at Community Bible Study).

I was planning on joining WeightWatchers back at the beginning of the year for sure to try to become a lifetime member before next summer, but now I feel like I might need to join back now for some accountability.

I have been doing Jillian work outs, "Last Chance," and "Shred," on exercise tv on demand FREE with Time Warner Cable (so thankful for my facebook friends telling me about this!). I do them 2 or 3 times a week, but think I might need to be something more like every day to get me back on track. Love to hear what works for you!

Overall, I need to ask for wisdom from Jesus on how to overcome this sin of mine, like Charlie preached on Sunday. I also need to pray for the Holy Spirit to empower me, and finally for God to give me the precious gift of faith. Faith, that He can help me overcome this for His glory and my good.

30 Years Old Today and Sentimental

Wow, today I turn 30.

I feel like I have been thirty for a while considering I have two kids already, but to actually turn 30 is crazy.

Crazy, because when I was in college time went by not to fast and not too slow, just right. Now, after having babies time is just flying by so quickly, too quickly.

Maybe because I do not sit in a class room praying the time will go by faster. Now, some days it is 5:00 and dinner time, and I do not even know where the day went.

The next 30 years I want to be committed to enjoying life, and not be so concerned with what all I have to do. I am very thankful to be a part of Community Bible Study this year (teaching 1 year old babies), which is actually helping me getting my priorities back in order.

But more importantly, the next thirty years I want to somehow be like Paul and count all but a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ my Lord. I want when people see me, to somehow see Jesus Christ, our risen Lord.

What I daily strive for (this passage was read at our wedding), Hebrews 12:1-2:

"¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Lord help me to throw of the sin that so easily entangles me, and let me run the race fixing my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Lord grant me the precious gift of faith. Faith that you will work out everything for your glory and my good. Faith that the Holy Spirit will give me supernatural strength not to overeat and do the many other sins that I do daily. Help us have the peace that surpasses all understanding that you have us exactly where you want us to be (especially me being a stay at home mom). Help us reach as many people as possible for Jesus and let us be instruments in the process of growing in the knowledge of Him. Lord, most of all help me and my family be all about Jesus period (for the next 30 years). Amen

Overal, I am very thankful to God for everything he has graciously given me at 30 years old. It is beyond my wildest dreams. Today, I am just very thankful to Jesus Christ our Risen Lord!

PS- Great article on "Why Gluttony is a Sin" by a pastor wife at Mars Hill Church here

TGIF!

My babies are growing up so fast into little people. Time flies (probably getting sentimental because I am turning 30 on Saturday!)!

Tuesday's Tip: Preschool Books

Jackson's speech therapist that he had in Columbia, was so gracious in emailing me the books of the month for this school year for Preschool age children.

September: “I Love You”

October: “The Very Busy Spider”

November: “Clap Your Hands”

December: “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie”

She does not know any of the authors. Do you know who the author of "I Love You," is? I googled it, and there are many Preschool books entitled "I Love You."

If you have a Preschooler, these would be great books to get and work on each month (I usually get my books off amazon used).

It's Soccer Time

again!

*Pictures taken by Dana Blanton

*First one is after Jackson scored a goal. The rest of the game he got frustrated that he could not do it again, and that it was not "his turn." Charlie is the coach again and we are doing Upwards Soccer and his good friend Xander is on his team!

*Keep praying for Jackson he has not had his pacifier since Tuesday morning and the last 24 hours he has asked for it a lot. He has not been able to go to sleep to most nights till 12:30 or 1 am so we are all tired (most all of those days he did not even have a nap!). He was so tired last night and got to sleep before 10 pm, which was a miracle. Still am really proud of him because it has not been nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Second Family Birthday Party fo Jackson

This party we had on his actual birthday last Sunday. It was so great that Charlie's family and grandmother were able to come up and hear Charlie preach and celebrate Jackson's birthday!

Keep praying for Jackson tonight will be night three without sleeping with his pacifier, and they say in that if you can do something for three nights in a row it creates a pattern. He really has not even asked for it that much, which is a miracle! He was not able to go to sleep till close to 1 am last night though, because he had a nap since it was Wednesday and we had church late (I let him nap on Wednesdays and Sundays because of church...I try to limit it to just a 2 hour nap). He was just not tired at all last night.

So Proud of Jackson...Getting Rid of the Paci

I do not think I have ever been as proud of Jackson as I am today.

Nothing has come easy for Jackson, and for many crazy reasons we did not get rid of his pacifier when he turned 3 like originally planned (I really wanted to wait until he could understand why we were getting rid of it).

So, by his 4th birthday, we were determined. Almost every day for the last two months, we have been preparing him for when he turns 4, he is not allowed to have his pacifier anymore (the doctor says we are not allowed to give it to him when he sleeps).

So, this is how we did it.

• Monday, I let him cut his green pacifier. Jackson likes to be in control, so I knew if we said he gave to some baby, he would beg to go get it. He cut it, and he threw it in the trash can.
  
• All day Monday he did not have it, and then by 11:45 pm when he still would not go to sleep we gave him his last blue one because I had to get up at 6:45 am to teach 1 year olds at Bible Study (CBS), and he had Preschool the next morning.
• Tuesday, when we got back from Preschool, he cut his blue pacifier (the silicon part), and threw it in the trash. I explained to him that there were no more in the house, and we were not allowed to give it to him anymore. I was determined to not give it to him last night and to be up all night with him, since we had no where to go Wednesday morning.
  
• We replaced it, with stuffed Mickey Mouse that he has been chewing on.
• Last night, he went to sleep on his own in his bed by 11 pm. I laid hands on him and prayed in Jesus' powerful name that he would have the supernatural strength to get through the night. God gets all the glory! I cannot believe he did not wake up crying. When I slept with him last weekend, at 3 am when he could not find his pacifier he woke himself up until he could find it.
  
• If he goes seven nights without it, he will get a Caillou dvd (Aunt Sandi's suggestion).
• Keep praying for him, he is very tired and all over the place. Pray that he can keep it up and the God's glory can shine through him. I am determined to never give it to him again, so pray for us as well! I am emotional because no one cut off my thumb when I was 4 year old...haha!
  

Jackson's 4th Family Birthday Party!

Last Friday, we had a family birthday party for Jackson in Spartanburg. We went to Monkey Joe's and Chucky Cheese. Aunt Sandi, Uncle Larry, Luke, Kelly, Matt, Gigi, and Grand were all there. We had a toy story themed party, and had a great time. Jackson was very excited about getting a "real" bike from Grand and Gigi. We had another family party on Sunday on his actual birthday and hopefully I will post those pictures as well this week!

Tuesday's Tip: Training a Preschooler

Pre-Kindergarten Class Goals (4 year olds)

Should be able to do by graduation:

Math Skills:

• Acts out a problem with objects
• Counts consecutively to 30 or above
• Identifies and matches number sets to 10
• Identifies 1st through 3rd positions
• Orders objects by length and size
• Creates an AB pattern

Not sure what creating a AB pattern is....

Language Arts skills I will try to post in a couple of weeks.

Jackson started Cubbies (AWANA) last night. We are so excited to have AWANA at our church. It just started last Sunday at our church and went great. We had 50 plus workers and kids. I would highly recommend sending your child to AWANA!

Our first verse is "God loves us....and sent His Son." We have been working on it all day and he can say it and is very excited to have it on his bathroom mirror.

Also, pray for us this week. This morning Jackson cut his pacificer. He has done pretty well all day, but at night time it is going to be hard for him. I slept with him the past weekend and when he could not find his pacifier he woke himself up until I could find it at 3 am. We have replaced it with Mickey that he has been chewing on (the one just like Luke's), but any other tips on getting rid of the pacifier, especially when you child is very attached, I would love to hear!

Cousins!

This birthday for Jackson was all about his cousins. They were his friends at his two birthday parties, and it was so special. He is still talking about cousin Luke, cousin Jake, and cousin Zach. His birthday turned out perfect, and I am so glad he was able to get closer with his cousins on his birthday weekend!

Hopefully, I will have the many pictures of both family birthday parties up by Wednesday. They are all still uploading!

Happy 4th Birthday Jackson!

We have had a great birthday weekend. Last year we had a party at the house and so this year we decided to take a year off. Jackson did not ask for a birthday party, so we decided to have two family parties. On Friday, we had a family party with my side of the family and cousin Luke, Aunt Sandi, and Uncle Larry, Kelly, Gigi and Grand in Spartanburg (he got a bike from Grand and Gigi that he is very excited about). We also went to Monkey Joe's and Chucky Cheese. Today, on his actual birthday Charlie's side of the family came and so he go to blow out candles on a cake twice. He was so excited to see cousin Jake, cousin Zach, Aunt Lauren, Mimi, Pop Pop, and Geemaw. We are so blessed!

I am so thankful for God giving me such a special gift as Jackson. I can already see the Holy Spirit working in his life. The other day he told me that "we need to pray when the Spirit says pray." Now that is a line from one of the Cedarmont Kids Dvds, but he was really trying to explain it to me. Also, randomly he will tell me who we need to pray for (Mimi, Gigi, etc). I cannot wait to see what all God does through my baby boy, who will always be my little boy.

Lots more pictures to come this week!

Monkey Joe's Back to School Bash

We went to the Monkey Joe's, Jackson's current favorite place on earth to go to, back to school bash a couple of weeks ago (half price to get in). Abigail finally got in the toddler bounce place for the first time and had a blast as you can see. We are back to school, and last week I had two days of Community Bible Study training (I am teaching Abigail's class on Tuesday mornings which I love), and so it has been crazy busy, but we are now getting settled into our routine of Jackson going to Preschool two days a week. Jackson lit the candle in chapel today at Preschool and is doing really well there now. He has already learned how to draw a person in the few times he has been there with legs and all. We are so thankful!