july fun

What a fun July we've had so far!!

The kids and I have spent the majority of the month in Georgia while my sweet hubby is deep in the throws of ministry taking folks to camp and on mission trips.

Before he went north and we went south, we did enjoy a very relaxed 4th together. Because all the festivities in our hometown kept getting cancelled due to rain, our Independence Day was quite uneventful! We were prepared though...

The girls and I made these shirts just like we made the ones from this post. They were super easy and quick! (And what exactly is one supposed to do for little boys when it comes to this kind of stuff? I'm still learning about boys!)

My hubby did do something the morning of the 4th and I can sense a tradition developing! He woke up that morning and wanted to make breakfast - homemade donuts specifically!



The next day, Lee left for camp and so began our time apart. The kiddos and I packed up and were Georgia bound! I was a little nervous about the trip because it was the first time I was attempting the 10 hour drive with just me and all 3 babies! And you may remember the pictures I've shared of Sam in the car...riding is not his finest hour! Survive we did, but I was so thankful to see Parker Avenue and my parents front porch!

Because this was Sam's first time in the peach state, he met many family members that had been anxiously awaiting his arrival...





We all spent a lot of time by the pool...what else would one do when it's over 100 degrees outside?!?





We managed a trip to downtown Savannah for the afternoon and enjoyed some of the sites and stores there...







My brother, his wife and their boys were also visiting Grandpa and Mimi, so we not only enjoyed time with them, but were also able to celebrate my nephew's birthday together. We took the kids bowling and out for pizza...


As always, we enjoyed our time in Georgia and I was once again reminded of how much I love (and miss!) the sweet southern culture! I smiled when I heard words like "y'all" and "m'am" and "sir" and "pecan" (PEE-can!!!) roll off people's tongue with ease! It's a place where sweet tea, boiled peanuts and watermelon make the perfect afternoon snack and all things fried flow freely! It's common practice to lift a finger or two off your steering wheel to wave at all those you pass on the road - no matter if you know them or not!

There's definitely a distinct charm that I've grown to appreciate after being gone for a while. Isn't that life though...we don't usually recognize goodness until we're away from it!

sam's weekend

Let's just say the day didn't quite go as planned...

I've been tossing around ideas for Sam's 1st birthday party for months - really since we brought him home. Birthdays for our kiddos around here are a big deal and this one was no different! We wanted a day full of fun and excitement for everyone involved.

The plan was to have an outdoor brunch complete with tents, a bounce house and a cotton candy machine. We were going to have a chalk station, play-doh station and a bubble station. Games for the adults were on tap also! We planned on turning our backyard into a sea of balloons and streamers all to celebrate the special life God has given us!

But...a slow and steady rain greeted us the morning of the party. The clouds that loomed over promised a morning of dreary drizzle, so we decided to postpone the party for later that afternoon. As time passed, it became obvious that even if the rain did pass, the small pond that claimed a corner of our backyard would be problem! So after some deliberation, the "outdoor brunch party" became an "indoor afternoon party." We did our best to transform the gym in our church into party central!

Although things didn't exactly end up as I had imagined, we still had a great time! Sam was celebrated, all the kids had fun and we were surrounded by family and friends!

Here is a glimpse into the day...

bounce house & cotton candy


a boy and his cake!



To really get a "feel" for the party, click here for a quick video! The password is "holycow3." It's fun to see all the action!

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Gift giving is commonplace among the people of South Korea. They love to give gifts for any and every occasion and we experienced this first-hand while we were there. One of the gifts given to us for Sam was a "hanbok" which is the traditional Korean dress. These are typically worn as formal wear for festivals and celebrations. Traditionally, Korean children wear a hanbok for the celebration festivities surrounding their first birthday.

Although Sam's hanbok is way too big for him, we did try it on him so we could take a few pictures.

(don't be alarmed...pink is a common hanbok color for little boys!)

Isn't he just adorable?!?

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We decided to continue the trend of celebrating Sam and we had his "Baby Dedication" on the Sunday after his birthday party. It was such a treat to have family there with us! Here are a few pictures from the morning...

(can you tell it's nap time for sam?!?)

The weekend can be summed up with one word...THANKFUL!

THANKFUL...for our amazing friends and family that selfishly love our children and will rearrange their day (at the last minute!) to accommodate a birthday party!

THANKFUL...that our son is home! This time last year, we were deep in the "waiting" part of the adoption process.

THANKFUL...for the life and gift God has given us through our children!

summer days

I do realize it's been two weeks since Sam's 1st birthday party and as far as this blog is concerned, it never happened! I do hope to post pictures and stories soon from his party but we have so many photos and video that I'm trying to pick out the best. I am fully aware of that saying "no one thinks your kids are as cute as you do" so I'm being mindful of the amount of birthday pictures I post! :) I will give you a sneak preview of my cutie...
Until I get around to that...

The dog days of summer are in full swing around here and we are enjoying a {slightly} more relaxed schedule and some {temporary} down time!

Sam is enjoying one of his favorite pastimes - completely unloading one of the kitchen cabinets...

While these silly girls
do what they do best - make me laugh! Today, they served me this for lunch!
We spent most of the morning outside and they decided to make me something yummy to eat. Hmmm...

While they were "cooking" and Sam was napping

(i love how he sleeps with his blanket in his mouth!)

I decided it was time to tackle my out-of-control basil plant. I've been doing a little research to figure out the best way to preserve my herbs once the beauty of summer has passed. I compiled the the most common suggestions for drying them (freezing is next!) and here's how it went down...
I cut leaves from the plant in bunches. Most articles I read said to do this early to mid morning - soon after the dew dries.

Next I rinsed the leaves really well in room temperature water and patted them dry with paper towels. Apparently basil can mold easily so getting the leaves dry was important.

Finally, I rigged up a string in our dining room (adds a nice touch!) to hang small bunches of basil on. I secured the stems with a twist tie and hung them upside down. Honestly, if you peek around my china cabinet, it looks like I'm dabbling in some illegal activity!

I'll keep you posted on how it all turns out in the end!

annual family trip

For the past 6 years (with the exception of last year) my hubby's family has taken a trip to Gatlinburg together during the summer! This {somewhat} annual trip took place a few weeks ago and I wanted to share some of the highlights of the weekend that always promises much laughter and chaos! After all, there were 19 of us under one roof...

*the kiddos!*



*at the creek enjoying a picnic. this has become a "must-do" while we're there! everyone loves playing in the water and climbing on the rocks...*

*we celebrated my precious niece's 2nd birthday!*




*taking a stroll through the streets...the kids in matching clothes, no less!*

watching taffy being made!


*on a drive through Cade's Cove, the perfect background for a photo-op was spotted! although the request to stop for family pictures was met with a few grumbles, the opposition was out-numbered and we did manage to get a snapshot or two! we also walked through some of the old buildings there...*





my amazing husband seizing every opportunity to teach our girls the truths found in scripture. here, an old yoke initiated the conversation. i love this man!

Well, it's safe to say: Good times were had by all!

Stay tuned for a glimpse into the celebration weekend we had for this little cutie...

happy birthday sam!!

He's ONE!

Happy Happy Birthday to this sweet little boy who has captured my heart! I am absolutely in love with my beautiful son and his contagious smile!

I laugh when people talk about how fortunate Sam is that we brought him into our family. The truth is this: we are the fortunate ones!! I am so thankful to the Lord for allowing Lee and I the privilege of being his parents.

My precious Sam...you are loved more than you will ever know!