Christmas Slidshow

I decided to play around with the slideshow option on Picnik (a site I use for light photo editing). I really like how it turned out...you can be sure there will be more of these as Christmas goes on!

"Christmas 2010"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

Sawyer's First Deer Hunt

Its hard to believe that as much as Sawyer loves shooting his Bow and BB gun he has actually never been on a deer hunt. So, Saturday evening they loaded up for the first big hunt.

 Although as Sawyer says "we did bnot have any luck" I know my boys enjoyed their together time!

Oh, the weather outside is...

frightful. crazy!

No, really. Yesterday we were out of school due to icy roads at it was 55 this morning! We turned on WAY too much heat in the house last night and we all woke up sweating. I think it may be the cause for the major sinus-type headache that I battling at the moment. I had to resist the urge to put on the fleece socks this morning, I did not pre-heat the car, and I did not bring a jacket today; what a crazy turnaround from yesterday. 

 

It is certainly the most wonderful time of the year. Having family and a wonderful church to share the celebration with makes it special. Having to beautiful kiddos to help you decorate, wrap gifts, sing carols, and share in the true meaning of the season is unexplainable. We have really tried to focus each of our activities around thankfulness and thinking of ways to help others. The kids were excited at the fact that they could help others by selecting someone from the angel tree and buy gifts for them. Sawyer wished that he could help every family who did not have presents and Carys felt that God would be proud of us for helping. Of course He would. This year we are going to set up a savings bank during the year so that next year we can help more families. Don't be fooled, my kids are little and at times it is hard for them to understand why they should give of their own money. But that is the point. I think it will be much easier to teach them this now that when they are older. Cleaning up Sawyer's room yesterday helped them to see that in fact they had WAY more that enough "things" and they are double blessed because they also have an abundance of loving people who surround them each day. 

I am so proud of Justin and myself. Have you ever watched the news around Christmas and gawked at the sights? You know like, "Who in their right mind would be in the mall on Christmas Eve?" Yeah well, that's usually us. Not that we wait until the last minute to buy everything, but we are usually missing a gift or two right up to the big day. And we ALWAYS stay up on that night wrapping presents for the next day. Part of it is that Justin's work is always REALLY busy this time of year. I always joke and say that it is due to the fact that there is a paper shortage this time of year due to all the wrapping paper (he works in the wood industry). As you may know, the two of us like to do everything together...see...

...and of course duck hunting takes up most of our "spare" time which leaves little room for shopping! 

Well, I got three words for you War Cam Eagle ahem, I mean...NOT THIS YEAR! 

We have one present left to buy and all of our gifts are neatly wrapped and tucked under the tree. Well, when I say neatly you do understand that Carys and Sawyer insisted that they wrap a few "on their own" and so neat is a relative term! Man, kids think you need a LOT of tape! 

Anywho, I am proud of us. We also stuck strictly to our budget this year. We always do a cash only Christmas. I mean we do know the meaning of the season! Jesus gave all He had and I think he wants us to celebrate that fact within our means. This year, we did a lot of internet research on the items we wanted and searched out the best price. I made a detailed list (with prices listed) and off we went. I had a budget for each store and in the end we still had about $80 left! That we will use for gas money to drive to all of our holiday destinations. Justin and I do not give each other gifts because we take a trip in February each year. BUT...I did snag him a couple of inexpensive items that I think he will love. I would tell you, but that would be the one time he would read the blog (hehe). So, wait for pics after the big day. 

(here is my darling hubby, My Duckman)

I am having difficulty taking in all the blessings. I mean everywhere I look I see ways that God has touched my life. He had blessed, He has taught, He has used us this year. Who could ask for more?

(Next Generation Hunters)

Okay people...

I cannot believe that I have not blogged in two months! It is NOT because there has been nothing to blog about! I have been so busy finishing up my school work, working on my job school, taking care of my little sweet things {yes that includes Justin}, preparing for Christmas, and working on the sin nature that remains in me despite the fact that I serve a Risen Savior! 

Whew~ and I did not even mention the EXTRA stress that came with rooting on MY team this year! More on that in a minute...

I have been praying lately over having joy in all of life's circumstances. It is so easy in this stressful journey I call my life to slip into a pattern of being overwhelmed at all of the tasks that I face each day. Instead, I am choosing to be overjoyed with the seemingly mundane things in life. It is such as blessing to have two healthy kids to clean up after and a pure joy to have a caring husband to attend to. 

Please pray for me though. This journey of finding true joy (not the kind you fake) in life requires me to listen carefully to the Holy Spirit. I feel changes in life coming. God is speaking this to me through scripure and truths that are playing out in my life. I am not even sure what this changes will be or what they will mean for my family. But I do know that HE is in control and I CAN (and will) trust Him to lead and take care of all the details. Bust even as I write this...satan whispers in my hear how, why, when...so pray that I can push fear and doubt out of my life.

Have you heard of this guy???

If not, this is Cameron Newton. This picture was taken after the Auburn win at the SEC Championship game. I was there! FRONT ROW and after the game I was able to TOUCH Cam :) No matter how you feel about Auburn or Cam I think it is awesome that I TOUCHED the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner! This game was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I love Auburn football and I love spending time with my family. This was our 16th year to Atlanta and the SEC game. My Grandfather made this possible and 'Thank You' seems very inadequate. I also have to thank my 3 uncles for taking a girl along to the game!

 I only took 300 pictures at the game...

Also...

  Preparing for Christmas has been so fun this year. The kids are so into buying presents for others, decorating, wrapping, and baking cookies (which they want to do EVERY night:) But it still touches my heart when my 4-year-old tells me that it does not matter what he gets because, "Christmas is not about getting presents as stuff it is about Jesus' birthday." Just melts my heart! We are so blessed...there are no words...try Psalms 126:3 to sum up my feelings about life!

God Bless!

P.S. I am now on twitter so follow me if you tweet! I am Cham4Him...

Another Brave Member of the Family...

Although I think it would take a lot to knock Carys Jo out of the "bravest person I know" category, Sawyer decided to try out for the leading role. Well, I suppose it was not something he tried to do...but you get the picture.

Wednesday, I arranged for Justin's mom to pick Sawyer up from school. I had a nail appointment and she did me a great favor. Sawyer's Pop was very excited to spend the afternoon with him and they did all sorts of "boy stuff" as Carys would call it. One of these things was to feed the horses. After Pop put the feed out for one of them, Sawyer decided to try and pet the horse {who was eating} on the nose. Well...the horse thought Sawyer was trying to get his food so he snapped at him. Caught in the crossfire was Sawyer's right hand.

A couple of painful shots, five stitches, lots of gauze, and some pain medicine later he is doing well. This was what his hand looked like when wrapped.

This was Sawyer's setup before I left for church last night. He was all comfy with his pj's, blanket, pillow for a prop, chicken noodle soup, and coke in an UA cup. He took the doctor very serious when he told him to keep it elevated. At first, he was holding it straight in the air! We finally convinced him that the doctor meant to prop it up, not hold it over his head.

He had a good night and so far a good day. He was a little disappointed when I told him he could not go to school because he wanted to tell the story to his friends...He will be fine, just keep him {and his fingers} in your prayers! P.S. pics are from my phone.

Hold on Tight...

...becuase I am about to tell show you way more than you ever wanted to know about labs and retriever training! I am hoping that you will love the pics so much that you will pay no mind to the content...

I would also like to preface this retriever training session by saying that all of these pics are un-touched, un-edited, raw images from our adventures. You can either congratulate me or beg for edits next time :)

 P.S. this is more about the pics than the "training" those parts, which contain some truth, are just to set the stage for my pictures:)

Retriever Training Part One

It is such a shame when you stumble upon a gorgeous setting for a picture and you have no people to photograph!

When working with your retriever, you should first find a picturesque locale. This location will help the dog practice swimming in deep, but still, water. Also, the dog will be able to practice jumping from a dock.

A properly trained retriever will swim to the bumper with ease.

He will grip the bumper in his mouth and proudly return to his Man {or Woman it just all depends}.

You should often try and include some "cover" for the dog to work through. You never know what things your dog will face when you are in your favorite hunting hole!

Obedience is one of the finer qualities of Labradors. It must be practiced every day.

Never, ever forget to stop and observed God's wondrous creation.

You and your retriever should be as one.

Retriever Training Part Two

I cannot stress the importance of a training in a beautiful location. You should always look to your left...

and then to your right to ensure that the spot is indeed appropriate!

"Hmmm..."

"Yes, I think this spot will do." But...

"...I better test out the water before Bill!"

Have I mentioned...

That Labs are...

the quintessential...

companions. Especially,

 for rambunctious children...

such

as

these. Anyway, I digress...

As mentioned in Part One, obedience is the key. If you do not think this is a well trained dog, just look at the pictures above. His kids were splashing and playing, but he was obeying his Man's command to SIT and STAY. That was hard for even me to obey!

Properly trained retrievers will remain at SIT when their bird bumper is shot thrown {even when their Man is barefooted.}

A properly placed bird bumper will ensure that the dog must...

run through shallow, but moving water...

exit the water on land, swim in deep and moving water...

and make the retrieve.

A retrieve is not really complete, however, unless...

The bird bumper makes it back to the Man!

And of course praise is always necessary.

So, there

you

have it.

A good retriever...

is always more than happy...

to, well...retrieve!

I also loved these shots of the native "wildlife" at this training location!

Where has the week gone...

It has been a little over a week since I have posted. It is not because there has been a lack of things to post about. It was a busy week. 

Sawyer had a class field trip to a pumpkin patch. We usually take the kids to Clanton to THE Pumpkin Patch but I hated not to let Sawyer go with his friends. Carys also has a Pumpkin Patch trip coming up later this month.

We also packed in some fun in the evenings. We have had a warm spell {Indian Summer I suppose} this week. Add that to the fact that we had Bill home and that makes for some fun afternoons in the yard...and in other places. We even took Bill to the Cahaba National Wildlife Refuge for a bit of training and he and the kids loved it. I have great pictures of all of this, but they will have to come later...

BCHS Homecoming was Friday. It was a beautiful day for the parade and we loved the fact that they were allowed to throw candy this year {the first time in many years}. The kids were so excited to see all the floats and beauty queens. We ended the night with a 49-0 win over the Green County Tigers. It was fun!

So, I leave you with some pictures from the Pumpkin Patch