Thanksgiving Surprises

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! We had a great day... My Mom and Dad came up from Florida and got here just at lunch time. My Mom helped me get the last things ready and we had a big feast! I cooked a turkey, sweet potato cascerole, green bean cascerole, stuffing, cranberry sauce and an apple pie. My aunt sent some home made rolls and my Mom brought a salad, cranberry bread, pecan pie, cookies and fudge! We are in sugar overload!! But here is the surprise part...

My Dad woke up early Friday morning with indigestion (I was sure it was my cooking! :o) but as the morning went on it turned into tightness in his chest and we ended up rushing to the hospital! Poor guy has been in ICU ever since and is waiting for a heart catherization on Monday. If you know my Dad, he is very restless and would rather be up working! But this four days of rest is the best thing for him, and on Monday he will have the test to see where the blockage(s) is/are and we will go from there. He is feeling well and in good spirits, and we are thankful that he was here so we could take care of him! My Mom is also doing great and is being very strong. We just heard that they are moving him to a room and out of ICU which means the kids can go see him now! Yea! I think that will make him happy. We would appreciate your prayers and will keep you posted!

The Guilty (But Honest!) Culprit

Recently we've had a little plumbing trouble... The toilet in Anson and Ella's bathroom was stopped up and I could not tell why. After a couple days of trying to plunge it (luckily there was nothing in the bowl!) to no avail, I asked Anson the dreaded question. "Did you put something in the toilet?" He said "Yes I did!" After asking "what" he said it was Ella's sippie cup cap. And he went and got one to show me. I vaguely remember him playing with one in the sink... Well, he was right! The plumber had to remove the toilet to get it out! So now we've had the talk about when something falls in the toilet,we call Mom or Dad, we don't flush!

Our Favorite Tree * UPDATE*

Yesterday we visited our favorite tree in Piedmont Park. When the fan-shaped leaves on this tree change, they turn a bright yellow and blanket the ground like soft flower petals. We come take pictures here every year and have so much fun playing in the soft leaves. Anson and Ella really had a ball this year! Anson would throw the leaves to make them fall and Ella loved rolling around in them. It is fun to compare pictures from previous years and watch as the kids grow. I just wanted to share one of our Fall traditions with you. See the pictures at the top of the blog... I just figured out how to make a collage!

PS: Does anyone know what kind of tree this is? Please leave a comment if you do!!!!

**My friend Sharon just told me that this is a Ginkgo tree! Thank you for your arbor expertise too, Brittany! :o) And evidently there are a male and female version of this tree... the female tree produces a stinky fruit. Interesting! We actually saw some at the park and Anson HAD to pick it up and inspect it. Here is the pic...

Back From America's Oldest City...

At the Columbia Restaurant... our favorite!

The Old Spanish Fort, Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine

St. George Street ... many cute shops!

Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church

View from our porch

The Casablanca Inn

The Casa Monica Hotel

An old Florida road somewhere between Flagler Beach and DeLand





St. Augustine lighthouse in the rain and sun! I love those Florida rain showers!

Ella, Charlotte and Anson on the adorable kid-sized couch their Toto and Auntie Mel just found!

Anson and Ella with Gramma and Auntie Amy

Hi All!

We had such a great trip! Thanks to Toto and Pop and Gramma and Papa for taking such loving care of Anson and Ella (and Bella!) for us so we could have such a relaxing vacation! We could actually sleep until we woke up instead of waking to "Good Morning! I'm awake!!" at 6:30! Dusty and I went to St. Augustine and spent 4 days just roaming around and relaxing. The weather was beautiful. We stayed one night at the Casa Monica and 3 nights at the Casablanca Inn. We really enjoyed the Casablanca... we had a riverside suite with two big private porches and a double hammock! One night we took a horse and carriage tour and ate at the Columbia Restaurant (there are a few in Florida and if you have never been there, GO!) We also took a boat ride on the river and did a trolley and walking tour. St. Augustine reminds us so much of some little European towns that we've visited.

Sunday - Wednesday the kids were at Toto and Pop's house and on Wednesday morning Gramma and Papa picked them up and took them to their house in DeLand. The kids had so much fun with their grandparents! So Dusty and I went from St. Augustine to Deland on Thursday and stayed there Friday and spent the day with my family. Amy and Andy came to see us on Friday too! Then Saturday morning we headed back to Melrose to see Dusty's family. Jared and Brittanty and Charlotte came down from Jacksonville to spend the day so the kids got to play with each other, which is always so much fun to watch!

So now we are back home and getting into our little schedule again. Anson woke up early with his grandfathers every morning so he was exhausted and will be catching up on rest for a few days! But this morning when he woke up he said, "Thank you , Mommy, for taking me to Florida! I had a very good time!"

Birthday Wishes...
Happy Birthday Mel !! Hope you had a great day!

And last but not least, Happy First Birthday Charlotte!!! We hope you have a fun day, sweet girl!!

A Clean Heart

My growing girl playing outside!
Walking at the park

At our neighborhood park

Great view of downtown

I am choosing not to dwell on the election but rather to post some pretty Fall pictures! Seasons change...Life goes on ... and God is still on His throne in Heaven!

Some quick Ansonisms... yesterday he was having a hard time going to sleep for his nap. After going to his door a few times to tell him to lay down, he said "But Mommy, I already closed my eyes 5 times! I'm awake now!" To Anson, 5 is a very high number, and he was convincing me that he had slept enough!

Recently he has had a very hard time listening and obeying. Dusty and I believe in first-time obedience, not waiting for the threats, bribes or counting to three. (Very hard to do but I believe that is how God wants us to obey!) I have taken this opportunity to teach him more about what sin is, how God forgives, and what that means to him. (While trying to keep my patience!!!) When it was time to leave his friend's house the other day, he did not come when I called and ran across the lawn instead. He knew he had done wrong and by the time I got over to him he was saying "I'm sorry". So we talked on our walk home about how he was going to get a spanking and why. I explained to him that when we sin, (ie. don't obey our parents :o) our hearts get dirty. But when we ask God to forgive us, He wipes it clean and it is beautiful again! So when we got home I started to get dinner ready. Anson pulled his stool up to the counter to watch and said "Mommy, you did not spank me yet". So I said, "you are right! I almost forgot". So we went to his room and did our spanking routine. After praying, he looked at me with a huge smile and said "see? God wiped my heart clean!" He is starting to understand! Discipline is hard and exhausting but it is so worth it! It is definitely better than the alternative! "Discipline your son, for in that there is hope. Do not be a willing party to his death." Proverbs 19:18