Giveaway...

Head over HERE to include yourself in a giveaway Chrissy is hosting for a friend! She is giving away an adorable apron from Dancing Zebra Boutique! You don't want to miss this awesome giveaway! Check it out!!

Random Friday thoughts...

This has been a great day. Lots going on so I thought I would share a few thoughts...Get ready this is RANDOM!!!

I am running a marathon relay next weekend...eek!!

Training has not been near as bad as I thought.

I am running the shortest leg. 5.3 miles

Today I ran 5.5 and it felt great!

Bella is still going "pee pee in the grass."

I received my ticket confirmation for Haiti today!

I can't wait to get my hands on those sweet kiddos.

I desire to live life outside my own little world.

Some of my favorite worship is while running.

My heart is HEAVY for a lot of people right now.

God answers prayers.

I have the BEST husband.

I adore my girls. Like a lot!

I love peanut butter crackers. Just a little fyi.

I really miss Taylor and Megan!!

Can not wait for the Caymans this summer.

I've been Thinking about Alyssa starting Kindergarden a lot lately. Time flies way too fast!

Happy Friday. Please don't judge me. I know this post was REALLY boring....and really weird. Sorry!

Potty Training

Bella has not been as easy breezy as Alyssa was at potty training! Alyssa was 21 months and by 2 she never even wore a pull up at bedtime. Little miss Bella is another story! She has done GREAT...but she is not as interested in the idea as sis was...UNLESS she is peeing outside! yep you heard that right! We are redneck around this house! Instead of Bella saying she needs to go pee pee, she says, "I go pee pee on the grass!!" it's very funny! She has been outside all sorts of times today to go "pee pee on the grass." I try to do it in the back yard so people driving by don't wonder what the heck those crazy people are doing but that does not always happen! We usually end up in the front yard...or landscaping! You know just wherever she wishes to go!!

She has been dry for 3 days straight. All. day. long! I know you may be saying about time...but it is what it is!! We are proud of her!

Bella you are one unique kid! Such a hoot and such a sweetie. This just adds one more reason why we love you sooo very much! I am so proud of you and how well you have done potty training. Some just take a little longer than others, and that is ok.

I mean look at this face!!:)

Cheap..Fun..Romantic:)

That is exactly what we had going on this weekend! We had our SS class Valentine Dinner on Saturday night. It was so much fun and such a great night with our spouses and great friends. We just decided it would be fun to do dinner at our church...make it romantic but cheap! We did an italian theme and let me tell you...WE have some AMAZING cooks in our class! Such great food with such amazing people! We love you all!!

Here are some pictures of the night!!:)

Tracy and I! We should have gotten a girls pic!!!

The centerpieces that my Mother in Law made. So easy an so cheap. But Soooo beautiful too!

Matt and I drew names and assigned couples at each table. There were name cards for each couple at their appropriate table!

The men wrote all the ladies a sweet card and had it sitting on their place setting. It was so sweet. We also each got a rose at the end of the night! Thanks to the sweet Lee Walchli! What a thoughtful family the Walchli's are!

Yummy food table! Way to go girls..you can COOK!!!

Games always make for some fun times...and a LOT of laughs!!!:)

I LOVE this picture!

We love you all and had a blast with you last night! We are thankful for each one of you and missed all those who could not make it!

Psalm 68:3
But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.

What a fun weekend...

Some of our great friends live in the amazing city of Charlotte, NC. We took a trip this past weekend to escape a little snow and visited them! We drove in the solid ice to catch our flight out of XNA last thursday to get there and see that our flight was cancelled. WE called before we left and they said sure come on up!! So, we were told they would add us to a standby list that consisted of about 18 people ahead of us! We left knowing we weren't going and were planning to go in a few weeks. Then...my brilliant husband says, "Call Fort Smith and see if we can get a flight out of there!" I was like, "WOw babe that's a great idea but it's probably not going to happen!" So, I called. They added us to a standby list of 3, and we went and waited hoping for the best! Well the best was that we were on that flight and were in Charlotte at 10:30 that night! It was a whirlwind of a day with lots of events...one including that I noticed my DL was expired...so before we got to the airport in FS we made a stop at the revenue office to get myself an updated DL. As I am waiting to get my photo, the machine breaks (No it was not my beautiful face that broke it!!:) JK! We had an absolute blast! I am sooo ready to go back. Charlotte is one of the neatest places I have been! A big city with lots to do, but such a southern home-like feel to it! I would go back tomorrow!

Taylor and Megan we love you guys and had an absolute blast with you! I am still trying to work off all the food we ate...but it was soooo worth it!!)

We fit a whole lot into 3 days. We went from the time we got there to the time we came home. Stayed up way too late every night (again totally worth it) and got up early to start our day together!

"The" fabulous friends!! Aren't they soooo cute!?!?!

This was at breakfast Friday morning...where the eating began:)

We took a tour of the Carolina Panthers stadium. It was such a fun thing! Got to see inside the locker rooms and in the suites and club seating.

My studly husband! He was dying to take that ball with him! It was in the locker room!!

This was one of the club seating areas. Very nice!

We went to a Bobcats game. They were playing the Miami Heat. So we got to see Lebron and a few other star players...along with the owner of the Bobcats Michael Jordan. Yeah no biggie:)

I sure do love this girl!

This was a great pizza place. They guys had Chicken Parmesan Pizza. Very yummy!

At one of the many malls Charlotte has to offer!!:)

Before Dinner at Cheesecake Factory

We might have gotten dessert...:)

We ate dinner at a fabulous Mexican restaurant! Cantinas is a MUST if you are visiting Charlotte!

Such a great weekend with amazing friends. We missed our girls but it was a great time away. It's so important for us to make time together as a couple. Our love and relationship is so important to us. It's vital that our children see a strong relationship between us and A love that they long for in a future mate. I'm so thankful we took the time to go! Plus...they have a blast when we are gone!!!:)

Growing and learning and wanting to GO!

While talking to Alyssa about Nana being at a funeral she asked me why do we have funerals? I said, " Alyssa when someone dies you have a service for them to honor them." She said, "Well why is he going to die today at the funeral?" I said, "Well he has already died. He's in heaven now with Jesus!" She said, "Well, that's a great place to be!" I just smiled and said, "Yes baby it sure is!"

I'm so thankful she is getting an understanding of Jesus and heaven. She told us Wednesday night that she wanted to have Jesus in her life. She said, "But he's already in my heart!" "Cause I pray!" I said, "Well Alyssa theres a lot that you still don't understand but you just keep learning and keep asking questions." She said, "Yeah mommy there is a lot I don't understand. But I'm will soon!!"

Alyssa came home Wednesday night after church with a picture of a little boy. Not just any little boy. A sweet little boy from Haiti who's parents are dead, he is deaf, and he lives in an orphanage. He is just the cutest little boy. Such a bright smile. An innocent child left with nothing after the earthquake.

Our church has taken in an orphanage. An orphanage filled with close to 100 other children who are orphans. we are building a kitchen for these kids and feeding these children 3 meals a day. Three good meals a day that will sustain them and help with their growth and nourishment. We are sending a group from our church every month to send the money to buy food for these children and to love on and care for them. We are looking forward to going. Trying to picture what we will see when we arrive, but knowing nothing can prepare us! Praying for God to raise these children to mighty warriors for Him. Thankful for the call of God on our life to love and serve others and to tell the world about our Savior!

As I am looking at this picture Alyssa says, "Mommy I'm going to Haiti!" I said, "Well you are not quite old enough but you CAN pray for these kids!" She said, "Well I want to go and I will get my shots...even though I know it will hurt!" As tears fill my eyes I say to Alyssa, "This makes mommy so sad. It makes me want to cry." She full of wisdom beyond her 4 years says, "Mommy, it's going to be ok. He's going to be ok. You know why? Because you and daddy and many others are going to go and take care of him!" I said, "You are right Alyssa! He is going to be ok."

I am so thankful for a little girl with a heart for others. A tender heart. She might not be the most lovey dovey child, but her heart is more loving and compassionate than any hug she could ever give me! For that I am thankful!

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 13:34-35

Pizza Subs...:)

(This picture is from one that Alyssa made. You can stuff them as full as you want! I recommend them being very full it just adds to the yumminess!)

This is a modified version of a recipe that friend gave me for Pizza bread! Either way they are both so super yummy! I LOVE pizza. I LOVE pizza subs. They are just so great. Maybe not so great for you, but the taste totally outweighs the guilt!!:)

Pizza Subs

What you will need:

Rhodes bread dough (in the frozen bread section. Comes with 3 loaves)

pizza sauce

pizza toppings of your choice

shredded mozz. cheese

What you do:

First thing in the morning, take out your pizza dough from the freezer.

Spray a 9x13 or a bread pan with pam and place your frozen loaf of bread in the pan. Cover with saran wrap.

Let your dough rise all day. I usually let mine rise for about 7 hours. It should at least double in size.

Cut your dough in 3 equal pieces.

Sprinkle your counter with flour and begin to roll your dough out. It should be pretty flat and about the size of a salad plate.

Roll out each piece of dough and put about a spoonful of pizza sauce and spread on your dough. Then place your toppings (I use pepperoni, sausage, mushroom and cheese) in the middle of your dough. You will then folding all four of the sides of your dough to the middle where they all overlap and you can no longer see any of your toppings.

Turn the sub over and brush the top with olive oil. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. I usually flip mine about halfway through. At about 20 minutes, I cut the sub in half and place it back in the oven for another 5-7 minutes.

*They are done when the top is a little brown and the inside cheese is melted and the dough is cooked all the way through!

Serve with the pizza sauce or ranch. I heat up my pizza sauce and sprinkle in parmesan cheese. These are great for company and are quite filling.

Each loaf of frozen bread will make 3 pizza subs. Once they are cooked it makes 6 halves.