Joy Rocks!

Last weekend I went on the HCBC NW Women's Retreat with two of my sweet friends. We went to the Log Country Cove on Lake LBJ. Our cabin was the Redtown River Retreat (in case you wanted to check it out). There were 20 ladies in our cabin and we had a BLAST! The blog title, Joy Rocks, was the theme of the retreat. God is funny that way. Just when I'm trying to figure out how to find the lost joy in my day, He sends me an email for a retreat all about JOY. So I listened and I went.

I didn't end up taking any pictures, but my friend Jen did. She is an amazing photographer, and you can see the pictures that she took on her photo blog: JenBarnesPhoto

As for the joy, I'm practicing my mental discipline, seeking it out, basking in it, and praising God for it.

Some "Check Your Joy Moments of the Day" that I've had since being home include:
* Logan singing along to "Today is the Day," by Lincoln Brewster. It was our theme song from the retreat. I didn't know he knew the song. He said they sing it in Ms. Patti's class at school. He was "oh, oh, woah oh-ing" all day!
* Getting a $10.00 off your next purchase coupon at HEB on Tuesday.
* Being on the receiving end of the "great big hugs" from Mattie during the Barney song.
* Hearing all 3 kids singing Jesus Loves Me before bedtime.
* Singing praise and worship songs while getting the 3 bathrooms clean.
* And I'm anticipating joy in about 30 minutes when I bite into warm, yummy beer bread that my hubby made.

"Be joyful always." 1 Thess. 5:16

Tech Cuties!

Babysitter's Club - The Next Generation

This Is The Day Grammy's Been Waiting For

Grammy's pretty, pretty princesses.

We've Been Waiting All Day for Thursday Night!

Watching the first quarter of the Saints vs. Vikings.

You know what they say.....Train up a child in the way he should go!
This family loves football.

"I'm With The Band!"

Yippee! We made the trip to Lubbock for the first football game of the season. It was also alumni band weekend, so Matt got to march on the field at half time and play in the stands. We hit all of the mandatory spots: Jazz, One Guy, Daybreak, and mega shopping. Here are the boys getting a taste of Bahama Buck's:

The yearly photo ops.

A new tradition: Raider Walk

A New Era: Guns Up Coach Tubbs!

A super hot day in the hub city.

Fight Raiders Fight!

Touchdown Red Raiders!

Daddy's still got it!

The benefit to being with the band. The best part of the whole trip for these two.

It was so much fun to be there for the first game of the season, in a new era of Texas Tech Football. Mommy gets her turn to be on the field in November! She can't wait.
Go Tech Go!

For The Love of All Things Cute

I love this bundle of trouble.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Fantasy Football Draft 2010
Paul and Amy hosted this year. Shannon and Amy are set up and ready to go:

The kids played outside and inside and had 2 babysitters to help keep them occupied:

The upstairs draft room:

That's my computer set up in the corner. And if you look really closely at the arm of the couch you will see a cell phone. On the other end of the phone was my mom and my brother in Houston. They only had one computer up and running, so Matt (the Commish) was having to draft for my brother. We have a lot of fun smack talking during the draft and over the next 4 months. One thing is for sure: having a fantasy team makes Sunday football watching more exciting. Go Drew and go Puffs!

I Did It!

This was the trip that kicked me into high gear. We got home from NOLA on April 19th. I had finally had enough. It was time to stop whining and complaining about something I could change! On April 20th, I set out on a mission to lose the rest of the baby weight, and maybe even a little more. NOLA:

This was September 2009.

This is a year later:

And this is me, drinking my reward!

To date, I have lost 22 pounds! I now weigh less than I did before I started having babies. I told myself that when/if I reached my goal, then I could have a Dr. Pepper. It was sooooo good. Thank you Weight Watchers and Jazzercise!

Logan's First Day

High Hopes Preschool
Ms. Karri's Rainbows