Four Christmases!!!!

After having Christmas at Bill's dad's house, Nanny's house, our house and Ma Ma's house--I came through the door tonight and almost screamed! I thought our house had been ransacked! Then I realized what I was seeing was the result of all those Christmases--gifts galore; wadded up paper and cut ribbons; empty battery packages; cardboard boxes; and the makings of a great start-up toy store! Whew!

The Activity Scene

We took the kids to a live nativity scene the other night. A congregation near us has a display in the front yard of their building. William thought it was the neatest thing--because of the live animals. So, every night since then he has asked if the people were out there again...at the 'activity' scene. I thought that was really cute. He keeps getting the story of baby Jesus and baby Moses confused, though. He wondered if this was the same baby in the basket in the river. Innocence is so refreshing.

Less of me

I have known for some time that I needed to do something about my weight. I joined Weight Watchers on November 12. Since then, I have lost 16 pounds! Yay! Bill and I are going together to the meetings and weighing in every Saturday morning. He has been going since February. And he has lost 40 pounds! Woohoo! We are tracking our food and watching portion size. The neat thing is that we can eat whatever we want to eat---as long as we track it and count it. That makes me feel good because the minute I tell myself I cannot have something to eat...I want it. Also, this program is realistic to me. I am learning about food and what it "costs". Sometimes I decide that I don't want to eat something because it isn't worth the points. This is something that I can incorporate into my life. I don't have to do something drastic for a few weeks--experience dramatic weight loss--and then, once I go off of it--gain it all back plus more. We are both walking just about every day. It is encouraging. I am already noticing a change in the way my clothes fit. Plus, even though I am still what you would call "a big girl", I feel better about myself.

I wanted to go ahead and share because it helps me be accountable. Thanks to all my friends and family that are cheering me on in this endeavor. When we leave our meetings, the leader always says, "Never give up! Never surrender! I'll see less of you next week! You can do it!" I like that!

Red and White Striped Candy Fun!

William says "candy cans" for candy canes. I absolutely love it. Because he also, with his accent, makes it have about 10 syllables! So cute!

Just call me Betty!

Christmas time is here! Today, mom and I decided to have a baking day. We have been wanting to get together and do this but have been busy with other things. So today we were little Betty Crockers!! We made: 88 oatmeal cookies, 113 Rolo pretzel pecans, 56 kiss cookies, 42 coconut macaroons, 80 pieces of peanut butter fudge, 24 Frosty the snowman cookies, 24 Christmas tree cookies, 13 peanut butter sandwich cookies and 6 mini loaves of pumpkin bread. Doesn't that sound yummy? There is no telling how much stuff William ate. He just kept running into the kitchen saying, "I'm still hungry!" Then he'd grab something and run off. I tried 1 coconut macaroon and 1 kiss cookie.

That is when I decided I had better get some gum and start to chewin'!

The Ho Ho Box

My mom has a Santa Claus figurine that has 24 little boxes built into it. She calls it "The Ho Ho Box". She decided a couple of years ago that she would like to use it as an advent calendar-of sorts-to count down the days until Christmas. She puts two little slips of paper in each box; one with an "S" and one with a "W" and the gift they are to receive. Then, she buys gifties for the kids and gives them one each day.

That's how it was supposed to work. She was going to buy inexpensive little trinkety items and candy. But, she has gone CRAZY with it! She need not buy them any Christmas presents because they are spoiled beyond rotten every day before Christmas!

The thing that makes it so neat, though, is not only the look on their faces as they open the boxes each day. It's the look on hers....

Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart

Have you ever just sat down and thought about how you are blessed? I mean really just sit down for the sole purpose of thinking about how God has blessed your life? It is awe-inspiring. Almost unfathomable. Sure, you can quickly list family and friends, house, car, job. But go deeper than that. Why and how are those people and things blessing your life?

And then consider another question. How are you blessing others with your blessed life? Are you being stingy with your time, money, stuff? Or are you daily trying to be a servant in some way to someone with something(time, money, stuff)?

I could answer this several different ways depending on what day and what time I thought about it. And I don't mention it now to make myself feel guilty. I just need a reminder sometimes. I need it to be at the forefront of my mind more often.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mid-Town Circuit Closing

Well, my Curves location is closing in December. The lady that owns it doesn't live here and she refuses to put any money or effort into making it what it should be. I hate it because I have been going there for over a year--Monday through Friday--to work the circuit. I have met a great group of ladies and we have so much fun. I would never have met them otherwise. I am the youngest of the group but I have the best time with them all. We have vowed to keep in touch and do things together. I hope we can live up to it.

So, today, I will be going to join Weight Watchers. Bill has been on the program since January. And HE LOOKS GOOD! He has been asking me to go with him. Today is the day! I think, together, we will encourage each other to make better food and exercise choices. Wish us luck. To celebrate, we got new bikes. Yay!

Christmas Countdown

It has been pretty cold here this week--windy, blustery. Sort of makes me ready to bake and wrap presents. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Can you believe that there are only 50 days left until Christmas? I told my mom that she is the only person I know that has fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas decor out at the same time--other than the stores! Granted, she is taking the fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving stuff down but still...one of her Christmas trees is already up in the living room! William is ecstatic! He is ready for "Cribsen". He says he is going to sit in Santa's lap and tell him he has been a good boy and that he would like to have a Super Garage with extra cars! Actually, he wants just about everything he sees. He is carrying "The Great Big Toys 'r Us Toy Book" around with him almost all the time. So cute!

Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween!

--from The Wonder Twins, Super Girl and Superman

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. Please consider wearing a purple ribbon to honor, remember and encourage those who have lost loved ones or have loved ones struggling with this disease. It is one of the most terrible types of cancer you could ever have because, the majority of the time, there are no symptoms until it is too late to do much about it.

I wear a ribbon to honor and remember my father and my brother. Oh, how I miss them.

Ponder this...

I found this post that I never published from A YEAR AGO! Kinda funny...here it is.

Alabama lost...It hasn't rained here in, well, like forever...there are only 76 shopping days left until Christmas...I'm about to have a 10 year old...jeggings...I will be 40 next year...there are jobs that you can work your tail off doing and you get no pay(PTO) except satisfaction that it got done...I would love to be a runner...80s music is really good compared to today's music...when it comes right down to it, there are only a few people who can fit in the "best friends" category...date night with my husband means alot to me...the older I get, the younger it is...Bible study is so rewarding...there are some fast food restaurants that I can totally do without(Taco Bell)...I'd really like to get rid of all the furniture in my house...

A Day Out With Thomas

We traveled to Nashville several weeks ago to take William to see Thomas. If you don't have a 3 or 4 year old little boy you might not realize what a humongous deal this is. We were going to see the ACTUAL Thomas the Train--and get to take a ride. It was a scorcher that day but he did not care. It was the ultimate day of fun for him--and the rest of us enjoyed it, too. They had miniature golf, tattoos, movies, a petting zoo, photos with Sir Topham Hatt and much, much more! It was a bit pricey but I am telling you--it was sooooo worth it.

Life Group Conversation

We were discussing anger in our Life Group the other night. Funny how the conversation quickly turned to parenting! Our group has 14 adults and 13 children--so everyone had a story! It was refreshing to sit and hash things out with people who are going through the same things with their children that I am going through with mine. We didn't even have the "perfect solutions" to every situation--and it was ok. We have each other to help with accountability. But we also have the word of God. That's not nothin'!

The love of my life

God's timing is perfect. He brought a boy into my life back in 1994 and I have never been the same. That boy became my husband 15 years ago today. He has grown into the wonderful man that I am spending my life with. We have trudged and muddled, skipped and scraped, cried and celebrated so much together. I cannot imagine doing life with anyone else. I love him more and more each day. I appreciate him and the work that he does to provide for us as a family and for me as his wife. He is loved! Happy Anniversary, babe. Me most, me first...

My son

One of my best friends told me she would take some pictures of my son for me. She has a new camera and is trying to figure out all of its bells and whistles. So, we spent an hour or so together this morning working with a 3 year old--trying to get some smiles, looks, giggles and the like. Well, she has just showed me a few of them--and I just cried and cried. He looks so grown up! My sweet baby boy--the one that God loaned to me just three short years ago--looks so big in these pictures. I am overwhelmed when I look at them. It makes me want to grab him and hold him and never let go!

You know that song "I can only imagine...". It still baffles my mind that the God of the universe would let His son be sacrificed for me. He would do anything for me...just for me. When I think about it like that, it isn't so hard to imagine what I would go through for this little boy, this beautiful little curly haired boy that is mine for a time. God, help me raise him to love you and know you.

In Memory

"Bubba"
Scot Everett Akers
June 20, 1966 - June 18, 2004

Miss you so much, Bud.

In Memory

My Daddy

Robert Dale Akers
August 28, 1943 - May 11, 2003

The hard questions

I am going to have to work on quicker comebacks to the hard questions my 3 1/2 year old asks me. I try to anticipate those questions and have a ready response. But he stumped me with this one and I wasn't able to answer quickly. Luckily, he didn't notice. He asked me if the Easter bunny hopped to our house or drove a car. hmmmmmmm.....good question!

Hope you had a Happy Easter!

Did you get your favorites?

The 2011 Girl Scout Cookie Sale has come and gone once again. Our troop of 10 girls sold 4193 boxes of cookies--that is 350 cases! 197 of those boxes will be sent to our military men and women all over the world as part of the Troop to Troops program. We helped raise $14,675.50 for our local Girl Scout Council and made over $2300 for our own troop. The girls did an amazing job! My little girl set a goal to sell 1500 boxes of cookies and was able to end with 1502 sold! Incredible!

Special thanks to my sweet man for setting up and working all of our cookie booths. And, much props to our many friends and family and neighbors for being so willing to help these young girls reach their goals. This troop is planning on spending some of their earnings doing local service projects. They are also saving to take a trip to the Juliette Gordon Low National Girl Scout Center in Savannah, Georgia next year for the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting in America.

Way to go, girls!

One thing at a time

I have only had 1 Coca-Cola since January 18, 2011. For those of you who know me well--that is a miracle! Funny thing is, I haven't really missed them. I am doing great on lots of water, a bit of coffee and a bit of tea. I did experience a massive 48-hour headache early on--but now I am good. Yay!

Now, on to walking. I have GOT to start walking! I am just trying to incorporate more healthy habits into my life. This one, I fear, will be harder to master than kicking the Coca-Cola habit.

I was one of the top 3 Biggest Losers at my Curves in January! I know that the Lord is strengthening me and my resolve to make these healthy changes.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

I am soooooooooooo over winter! Cold weather, wind, rain, ice, sleet and snow--you may move along! I have had enough. Funny thing, though, here where I live we haven't had anywhere near as much as the northeast and Canada. But, I digress...please get outta here, 'Ol Man Winter!

Water, anyone?

I am in the process of kicking the habit...the soda habit. I absolutely LOVE Coca-Cola and Mountain Dew. And I know that they are not good for you. However, I was accustomed to drinking 3 or 4 and sometimes more a day. They are full of sugar and sodium and, really, when it comes right down to it just not good for you in any way. So as of Tuesday, January 18, I have not had any soda of any kind. I have replaced them with good ol' water. Plus, I have continued my Monday-Friday workouts at Curves and eaten a little better in the last week.

That being said--I weighed and measured this morning at Curves. I was down 6 pounds and 4 inches since December 2. WHOOEEE! Props to me! (just had to brag a little bit!) I didn't make any official new year's resolutions. But I think that I like this trend and me and the Lord are gonna keep this up!

Out of the mouth of babes...

William and I were sitting in the den. We were watching Word World on television. We had just shared a bowl of cereal. Then he said, "Prolly Sheesus gon come over here. He likes peoples." I said, "Yes, He does like people." Then he said, "He gon pay Pay-Doh here."

Translation: Probably Jesus is going to come over here. He likes people. He is going to play Play-Doh here.

Just precious.....

Can you converse with a 3 year old?

Please refer to previous posts about the language of a 2 year old, add these updates, and see what happens!

moo mankney--blue blankey
cribas tree or cibsen tree--Christmas tree
canny--candy
at mono--tomorrow
obdur--Mr. Robert(Sunday School teacher)
Gatlinburger--Gatlinburg
cooter--scooter
muchamuchamuch--alot
pinkles--sprinkles
Buzz Lightup Year--Buzz Light Year
shaptick--chapstick
boshurr--water
Miss Esa, Miss Cinny, Miss Deva, and Miss Obdur--Miss Lisa, Miss Cindy, Miss Debra, and Mr. Robert (his Sunday School teachers)
no-in--snowing, as in "It is no-in outside, mom."
I can I want to--I can if I want to
Kipper--Clifford, as in "Clifford the Big Red Dog"
Halloweenono--jalapeno
heemut butter--peanut butter
coshton--caution--he says, "red light say stop; geem light say go; yellow light say so down!" I said to him that a yellow light says "caution" and he said, "No it don't say coshton; it say so down!"