Hello Monday

Hello early morning walk around the neighborhood.

Hello squinty eyes and my Big Bear hat, cuz I knew my parents were camping there this weekend.

Hello frigid temperatures at night and changing trees.

Hello breakfast of walnut oatmeal and fixing computers.

Hello bad dog that drank my coffee when I went into the other room. (this is my fresh cup, see how he's eyeing it. bad dog.)

Hello gettin' my craft on and decorating my bible study journal.

Hello exhaustion from a busy football weekend.

Hello boy that makes his own lunch and eats it like a man.

Hello family night ride to Goodberrys for some custard. Can you say Pumpkin Pecan Concrete!?

Hello extension ladder in my living room. Sweetie is fixing the drywall from our roof leak.

Hello to finally putting my feet up after a long day, with NO NAP!

A great start to a great week.

Sweet Sunday

"Now the Lord is the Spirit,

and where the Spirit of the Lord is,

there is freedom."

2 Corinthians 3:17

A verse I re-read this week, that made new meaning to me.

Throughout my week I found my thoughts being full of worry, anxiety, fear until yesterday I realized it was causing me to feel sick.

After some quiet time alone to reflect & pray, I embraced this verse, I meditated on it over and over and over again until God's truth took over and my thoughts were squashed.

Don't you just love it when that happens.

So thankful.

Thankful Thursday

In an effort to be joyful in Christ, I have found that being thankful in all things is the only way. Sometimes I share that Thankful List.

1. Repentance and forgiveness. Having repentance, receiving forgiveness and giving forgiveness. Love.

2. A wise husband who leads. And is pretty hot while doing it.

3. Teenage boys who still love their mama and don't mind showing it. And don't mind when she needs to kiss them and hug them, even if it's in front of their friends.

4. Enjoying TV shows with the whole family, while snuggling under a blanket. Even if the dog was 'pahooting' the whole time and driving us mad.

(pahooting (v): a made up word meaning 'fart', but I don't say 'fart' on this blog, cuz my Daddy reads it and he doesn't like me to use that word.)

5. Finally going to Ladies Bible Study at church and being so blessed by being so deep in the Word. Thank you sweet friends who held me accountable.

6. Making homemade Chicken Pot Pie for the Small Group last night and it being the epic comfort food. Even if I did make it the size of Texas and it sloshed all over the place in the car.

7. Making another pile of clothes to take to the Consignment Shop in town. Love that store, to buy and to sell.

8. Coffee in the morning and water, water, water all day long. So thankful we live in a country where we have plenty of fresh clean water to drink.

9. My church. Lately I have had a renewed love for our church. So thankful for our pastors and their wisdom and how they lead us.

10. Conversation on the phone with my sister, even if it was on her 15 minute work break and we had to both talk a mile a minute to get everything in. Was still precious.

**And these too, are the honorable mention for this week. They are on vacation with my aunt and uncle right now. Obviously having way too much fun. They are too cute, this picture is not a clear example of it, but still, how fun are they? Very thankful for them, their marriage, the strong foundation they gave me, the example they are to me, the way they love me. (sniff, sniff)

Funny Pictures

Schnoogie Bear trying for his smolder. Oh I could just kiss him.

Calvi-Poo in one of his famous faces. He's so handsome.

We were all at dinner, something was said, and I made this face...they all completely got quiet then burst out laughing. Sweetie finally told me, I looked like Shrek's wife. I didn't talk to them the rest of the night. But seriously, I kinda do.

Sweetie shaved the chin part off his goatee one morning...freaky looking isn't he. He insisted on going to church like this. I'm surprised the pastor could still preach. Ugh.

This is what the animals do each morning, while we are trying to enjoy our morning coffee. Goober pets.

What the 'HAIL'!!! mahahahahahaha!

This is my son's key chain. Hilarious. Whenever I have to drive his truck, I crack up with all the lego men bopping around from the steering wheel.

A Cozy Day

It rained yesterday. But it was all cozy inside. Dave went to work with Dad for the day and I got Calvin all to myself. Love that boy.

While I was taking this photo, the cat snuck inside the house and we didn't find her till later that night, apparently Calvin had been hiding her and snuggling with her while he did his school work. Stinker. Calvin, not the cat, the cat is adorable.

I had to do a major grocery shopping run, so I drove to my old Target, got myself a Pumpkin Spice latte and loaded up the buggy. Then I went on a drive, enjoying the rain, my coffee & some old familiar territory. Miss this place.

Last night Sweetie & I were craving vegetables. So along with our chicken cassoulet I cooked up some brussel sprouts. Oh my goodness, such yumminess.

River Walk

After a long week of Sweetie working really hard and me missing him terribly. Just the two us got away on Saturday morning for a little walk along the River Trail.

I absolutely love fall, but I appreciate it so much more now, after enduring long hot and humid summers where the evenings and mornings are just as sultry. Now I get to enjoy the cool crisp morning air of fall and the cool breezes at night.

It was so beautiful this particular morning...

The sad part was that I had to go potty at the 1-1/2 mile marker and had to turn around and 'very fastily' hasten back the 1-1/2 to where the bathroom was. Our new rule, Dena must go potty BEFORE we start on our walk. Nice.

We had football in Greensboro on Saturday night, Dave got a spankin' but he did get to be running back and made a touch down. We were all frozen by the time we left, but we got to enjoy a yummy pizza dinner with some precious friends in front of a cozy fire at a hole in the wall restaurant. Too fun.

Sunday was church, a cookout on the green with our small group & a precious Lord's Supper meeting in the evening.

This is my guys, on the way out the door for church. Dave is wearing Sweetie's shoes and Sweetie is wearing Calvin's pants. I just thought it was too funny. (and Dave's hands are blurry cuz he was in a rubber band shooting craze. Goober.)

Where I Work

I get the joy of working from home. For my husband, the cutest boss ever. Our office is tucked away in the furthest upstairs corner of our home. It's a small room, but it works. And I work.

I forget sometimes how cozy it is in here. How much I love the sunlight that comes through the window. How great it is that I can play my music and just get focused and get things done.

Working in here is my husbands love language. It blesses him to no end when I get things done for him. Right now he's working REALLY long days, so anything I can do to lessen that burden is good.