Autumn leaves

We usually go to the mountains to the beautiful fall leaves each year. We went a couple of weeks ago, but the leaves were not really at their prime.

BUT lately around home, the leaves have been awesome this year. The colors have been amazing this fall. A few days a week, we travel down a country road near our home that is bursting with color.

 The other day I pulled on the side of the road much to my children's surprise There was really no shoulder on the side of the road and I had to use my hazard lights. My truck hung over the edge of the road in the ditch, but I just had to take some photos of this beautiful autumn scene. I stood on the running board of my truck and snapped a few photos...

This is a very picturesque view on my way to drop Karlie off at her Biology and geography classes.

 A photo snapped hanging off the side of my running board and taken in between cars passing by.

 The fall leaves look great with that nice rust colored barn in the background.

Usually, our weather goes from hot boiling sun with green leaves to naked trees with no leaves...with not much time in between with the pretty fall leaves. This year, we have not had much rain to knock off all of the pretty leaves, so our family has enjoyed the bursts of color around our town and countryside.

Thank you, God...for such beautiful scenery year round.

Sunday Snapshot~Gam's birthday

Today is Gam's birthday. We celebrated with birthday lunch. Karl made his famous rutabagas. We also made Paula's porkchops. Honey made her cabbage casserole. I also made this yummy pasta salad. For the cake we made this birthday cake. Gam has been on weight watchers since February and has lost about 50lbs. So we made sure to WW all of the recipes...

Shek is the official cake candle lighter.

happy birthday, Gam!

Gam and her cake.

Singing Happy Birthday...if you're my facebook friend...you can see a cute little iphone video of jolie and shek singing happy bday.

Blowing out of the candles.

 After lunch we relaxed in the living room. Honey read a book to Jolie.

Gam with her two oldie grandkids.

 Shek and Pop

Winking Karl...I was at the party too, but behind the camera not in front of it.

Happy Birthday GAM! We love you!

Point University Choir Concert

Last week, my hubby and I ran over to Point University for their Homecoming concert. I snapped a few pics of my oldest singing and playing with the choir and with Signature Voices. It was an evening of great music and talent.

The choir and alumni singing together

The Point University Choir Directed by Dr. Cartwright

Raised eyebrows and dropped jaw...he's got that down.

Here's a video of Zach singing Lay 'em down

Duct Tape Night

Tonight  was duct tape night at Karlie's youth group. So this past weekend we bought a lot of duct tape and set to work. Duct tape has come a looooooooong way since the ugly grey duct tape that I have used over the years.

Karlie chose zebra print and hot pink duct tape for her outfit.

We took an old cap and covered the bib with zebra tape and covered up the old sports symbol with a round medallion with zebra tape and then used a sharpie to print out her monogram.

We duct taped an old pair of sneakers with hot pink tape and then covered the tongues with zebra tape.

We had Gam help us fix the church's logo with the tape. The church's logo is a cross inside of a square and is usually red and white....we thought it would be cute zebra and hot pink.

The pastor always closes each sermon with the phrase, "Live for Jesus!" So we put Livin' for Jesus on the back in pink duct tape...

The entire ensemble complete with a few duct tape accents on the capris.

Duct tape night looked like a fun and awesome night at church. There was even a duct taped car out front when we arrived. As I made my way to Bible study, I passed by many youth and youth workers dressed in their cute duct taped outfits....I couldn't believe all the creativity.

We asked Karlie what the lesson was about tonight and she summed it up with:

Duct tape might help for awhile...but Jesus sticks for ever!

Keep

Livin' 

For 

Jesus!

Sunday Snapshot~Snapshots

My daughter Karlie is involved with Pure Fashion. I have blogged about it before. It's a faith based program teaching teens that they can dress modestly and fashionable at the same time. This is her second year in the program. It is hosted by the Catholic church, but you do not  have to be Catholic to participate. I am so thankful that they open the program up to all faiths; we are Baptists and this program is a fun and needed one for all of today's young girls. In fact, there's a few older girls my age who could use a refresher course on looking fashionable without showing all their goods. And NO you do not have to wear a feed sack, and no makeup to look modest. One can be hip and cute with out looking frumpy and without showing all.

The girls in Pure Fashion are having their first fashion show of the season next month. Today Karlie needed to take a few photos to submit to Pure Fashion for approval for the upcoming fashion show. The girls are given a few themes to chose from and then search their closet for an outfit that would work. So we picked the Christmas/New Year's Party theme.

We had fun taking photos...and even Jolie had to pose with her sister too.

Jolie had to be apart of the photo shoot.

 Jolie was playing with her puzzle, but when she saw sis posing for the camera, she had to get in on the action...

Jolie tries putting her hands on her hips like Karlie.

Jolie starts to get the hang of this modeling thing...she winks like me!

 serious 

 fun

 sweet

hip

Since we were having such a good time with our photo shoot, we decided to go downstairs to see Honey and snap a few more photos.

Karlie didn't want Shek to miss out on getting his photo taken.

Jolie hurt her toe...so Shek is checking it out...notice the iphone in her lap with the siren lights flashing and siren blasting...I guess they thought it was an emergency...lol

 Jolie loves Honey's flowers.

 She usually picks one or two.

 Sweet Shek

 Yah! Two photos where she is looking up and smiling.

And another good shot...

Happy Sunday Snapshot, Y'all!

He's Already There

Earlier this week, a friend of mine posted this image on her facebook wall:

And when I saw this, it reminded me of Mrs. Jeannine! You see, Mrs. Jeannine and her husband moved to my hometown when I was in high school and they attended my church. She was a prayer warrior to the ultimate degree. AND one knew that if you had a prayer need, Mrs. Jeannine was the one to call. It just seemed liked her prayers had a direct line to the throne...even though all of us have that same direct line...there was just something about having Mrs. Jeannine pray over you.

And for some reason, A God ordained one, I am sure, she picked my momma to mentor. She mentored her back when the word mentoring wasn't the big buzz word. She was just doing what the Bible said, and training up the younger women. I am glad she chose my momma to disciple because the rest of the family benefited.  I remember during one of these prayer meetings, that all the ladies were praying with another lady who so desired to have a baby. After some months in prayer Mrs. Jeannine said  to the young  mom-to-be, "I can see you holding a baby with a blue blanket." Sure enough that young woman had  a baby months later and it was a boy ....who has since grown up to marry and have children of  his own.

Mrs. Jeannine used to have a magnet on the fridge with the above phrase, Fear not tomorrow; God is already there. She used to give them out to everyone  for encouragement. She soon started giving so many of these away that the local Christian book store couldn't keep them in stock...so she had my parents make them by the dozens...(at the time, they were into wood crafts and painting).

Often times she and my mom would be praying through out the day over the phone...lots of time during supper! LOL

Now that I am grown, and a prayer need will arise, and I call all my prayer warrior family and friends...and sometimes I wish I could call her too, but she has been in glory for a few years now. I need not fear, about my prayer needs...we all have a direct line to the throne...and as Mrs. Jeannine so often told folks...

Fear not tomorrow...God is already there!

It's fall y'all

The calendar says it's fall, the temps are some what cooler but not much. We went to the mountains to see the leaves and grab some apples. We saw some fall leaves, but I don't think it was at the "peak" so to be speak last weekend.

fall foliage and powerlines..

At the dam in BlueRidge...which was underconstruction with road closed signs all around...

Karl and Karlie

Zach consoles Jolie after she fell on a large rock.

 Zach walking on the rocks

Shek balancing on the rocks.

Karl with his kiddos

Me with the kiddos

Sibs

The parentals.

Our quick trip to the mountains was fun, but we need to go back soon...maybe on a weekday when everyone and their brother stayed home...crowds...not my favorite thing...