Flashback Friday

I did it! I made a banner for Flashback Friday! One of my blogging friends emailed me last week and said I should do this ....That way other's could put it on their blog and participate in Flashback Friday too!! I thought about it, and decided that I would make an attempt...and Here it is...I thought the vintage look would be nice, since it is history we are talking about =)
(If you want to use my banner, just right click on the above banner, save it to your computer, then attach it as a picture when you write your post for Flashback Friday) I hope you all will copy it, and join in on the fun!!!

When I saw this picture, I had to post it...When the kids were little a bunch of us used to go to the local pool in the area...a lot...like every day....The first picture is of Ian and Hunter...They are 4 years old in this picture...I think it is really amazing that they are still such good friends almost 6 years later....Too cute...the other photo is Miss Macey with her friend Jarrett...I think they look so cute!! They are about 2 years old in this picture...Boy, times sure does go by fast....Hope you guys enjoyed my little "flashback"...Have a Fabulous Friday!!!

Was This American Idol?

James and I were sitting here watching American Idol tonight...the show opened with Ryan Seacrest saying..."here are your 8 finalists singing Shout to the Lord once again"...This can't be the same "Shout to the Lord" song that we know...Can it? They came out onto the stage and it was....I was amazed...I can't believe that we are watching American Idol, one of the most popular television shows in our society today, and they are singing a praise and worship song...on prime time television....Unbelievable....Our God is so worthy of praise....I was very happy to see this, I had goose bumps the entire time....I did a little research online before making this post...seeing different comments on the "version" of this song they sang last night during Idol gives Back..People are saying they replaced the word "Jesus" in the song with "Shepard"...I didn't watch last nights episode, so I wasn't aware of any of this, until tonight's results show....But in the episode tonight...they used the word "My Jesus"...I think picking this to death is pointless...I think the choice that American Idol made to put a praise and worship song on the show is a reputable choice for them to make...James and I clapped and cheered when they finished singing...and we were the only ones in our family room...We were praising our Lord right along side of our favorite idols...

My Jesus, My Savior Lord there is none like You

All of my days, I want to praise

The wonders of Your mighty love

My Comfort, My Shelter

Tower of refuge and strength

Let every breath, all that I am

Never cease to worship You

(Chorus)

Shout to the Lord, all the earth Let us sing.

Power and majesty, praise to the King.

Mountains bow down and the seas will roar

At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the work of Your hands

Forever I'll love you, forever I'll stand

Nothing compares to the promise I have in YOU!

He is There

I read a devotion this morning that made me think...(that could be scary, I know=) I think sometimes we go through our busy days....working, getting the kids here and there, cleaning the house, doing laundry, chores, running errands, dinner, baths, homework, bedtime..The really mundane tasks that we "do" on a daily basis...and we forget...HE is there...We are HIS children...I try to imagine how he feels when we ignore him. We get up, fix breakfast, get the kids out the door...and start our days...without even talking to Him...Can you imagine if our children did that to us? Just ignored our presence in their lives....Ignored the fact that we love them more than anything in this world....and they just continue on their ways, as if we are NOT there....I think many times we do that to our Lord....I have been making an effort to spend time with him...talk to him through prayer...He wants to spend time with us...even if we don't realize it....He is ALWAYS there....One of the verses that my 4 year old memorized a few weeks ago...sums this up perfectly-

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20

Guess Where?

Believe it or not...I took these pictures today of Macey beside a busy road in our area....I have passed this field of flowers a few times during the past week and decided it was time to take advantage of them...Before someone decided to mow them down....=) I also learned a couple of new photoshop actions that I tried out on these....She didn't enjoy this shoot as much as she usually does...she said there was 'too many bees'...I will have to post a couple of the pictures that show the "fear" in her face....It was funny...If someone could have heard us arguing over this perfect photo opportunity...or so I saw it...Macey just saw it as an opportunity to get bee stung!! Ha ha...Anyway, I thought the outcome was worth it....But that is coming from a photographer's point of view....Anyone that is from around here have any idea where this is? You will be surprised...

Cade's going on a Field Trip

A conversation between Cade and I after I picked him up from school yesterday.....

Cade: Mom!! Guess what!! We are going on a field trip next week!
Mom: That's exciting, Cade...Where are you going?
Cade: We are going to Big Bear Mountain!! I can't wait....
(I paused and thought a minute...where is that? There isn't a Big Bear Mountain around here...Hmmmm, so I pulled his folder out of his bag, and read the Field trip information sheet....He is going to BAYS MOUNTAIN!!-a local park...) He cracks me up!! I couldn't help but laugh....

A Blessing

I couldn't help but share this little blessing that happened to me this weekend....I was sitting at home on Friday evening, when someone knocked at my door...it was one of my good friends..and she said she needed to talk to me about something...No sooner than she had knocked on the door, my phone had rang, and it was Ian telling me the bus had broken down...I had to run and get him...He was just a few streets away...so my friend offered to stay with Cade, while I made a quick emergency "pick-up"...

When I got back home....She told me, that she had been shopping...She proceeded to tell me that she was so proud of James and I for doing so well on our budget and how we were taking our Financial Peace class so seriously ( I tell everyone we meet we are taking this class-great testimony!) Anyway, I was talking to her the other night about how I hadn't bought anything for myself..and it was KILLING me...just "girl talk" you know....nothing more =) She handed me a bag, and said "this is for you"....I was so surprised...I opened the bag, and this is what was in it....The cutest crocs, I think I have ever seen!!! I love crocs! Those of you who know me well, also realize that these are my favorite color also!! Pink and Chocolate brown!! Tears came to my eyes...I am truly blessed...Friends that love the Lord, and mean the world to me...and encourage me when I need it...Believe me, I need encouraging a lot!! =)

Thank you Lord for blessing me and my family...thank
you for placing the friends that I have in my life....Thank you for putting
us in this Financial Peace class...and for allowing us to learn the things
that we have put into action...Our God is Good! All the time!

It is going to be a beautiful day outside today....Sunshine makes me happy!=)

"Wii" had a Great Weekend

We went to eat with the Hite's last night, and then to TCBY for some yogurt afterwards...Macey is spending the night with a friend, so we told Ian if he continued to do well in school, he might get a break from being grounded (he has been grounded since January). This six weeks his grades have made a huge turn around...he hasn't had any grades below an 89...All A's so far....If you know Ian, that is not normal for him at all...We have been going through some serious changes as far as school work is concerned, and I believe it is beginning to work....

So, needless to say, I tell you all that to say, we let him have Hunter(Ian's good friend since he was little) spend the night on Saturday night...When the boys come over they love to play the Wii...So, I had to steal a few shots of them playing...They were cracking me up...Ian and Hunter are hilarious anyway..."trash talking" each other....But always the best of friends afterwards =) Here are a few from the Wii games night...I think they were playing baseball in these pics.....I love the face Ian is making in this one...It cracks me up...He was pitching and Hunter was batting....Here is Ian partaking in a little "I am the Champion" chant.....They both love to rub it in if they are winning.....Typical boys....

They switched roles here...and Hunter is pitching...I took a ton of these, but I won't bore you with them...=)
Cade fell asleep on the couch while the Wii games were going on...He had a very long day...Up early for soccer on a yucky, muddy field(didn't want to get the camera out in the rain-therefore no pictures)...a birthday party for Kenny....and then Cade got to play at Kenny's house for a while...so by the time he made it home, he was exhausted.....I popped some popcorn for the boys, and we all sat down together and watched "We are Marshall"...It was a very good movie...A very emotional movie...We loved it....I had never heard this story, until this movie came out....We give it a 5 stars!! I actually own this movie now...We rented it 5 months ago...and Blockbuster has this rule...when you keep a movie so long...it is yours...(this was prior to FPU-now we know better) Well, off to church....We had a guest speaker this morning, and he did a great job....Hope everyone had a great weekend...I am just so glad to see the sun....It has rained for 4-5 days...and today it is sunny and warm...and I LOVE it!

Flashback Friday

There is Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Sing Along Saturday and so on and so on.....and so I began thinking "What about Flashback Friday????" I created this one...Myself...I know, I thought it was a good idea too....=) I was reading a few of the comments people left yesterday...Diana left one about our 'infamous beach trip' a few years ago...that Diana, Jennifer and myself took....and how she loved to take walks down "memory lane"...and so do I ....so I thought I would start posting an "old but good" picture from the Allen's past on Fridays. It may not be every Friday, but I will make an attempt....I think looking through old pictures is fun, and believe me, I have plenty to choose from.....So, here is my first one...I was reading my Bible yesterday and saw this picture tucked into my Bible...It has been there for a long time...It was there where someone gave it to me from this so-called "camping trip"....There were like 18 of us packed into this camper and it RAINED all weekend!!! Maybe this is why I am not a "camping fan"....But even though we were packed in this camper together...we couldn't have been with a better bunch of people...We had a great time this weekend with some amazing friends! I look at this picture and it is amazing at how much we have changed over the years...Time sure does fly when you are having fun!!! (If you read my blog, and went on this crazy camping trip..be sure to comment!! I love to hear what you guys have to say!!) Worked last night...so once again...good night!!

Can you be Allergic to Everything?

I know I said earlier this week that I would update on how James was doing...He had his appointment yesterday, and had allergy testing done...We found out he is allergic to EVERYTHING!! You name it, it came up positive on his test...He got started on some maintenance asthma medications, and is going to be starting allergy shots next week...I am so thankful that this issue has been resolved...or at least headed in that direction....He has been struggling with this way to long now.....Thanks so much for your prayers....Hopefully he is on the road to "better breathing"....Worked last night...so, Good Night....

What War are You Talking About?

Macey and I had some "girl time" last night...The boys headed off to baseball practice and she and I went to the soccer fields.....She loves soccer and she is playing so well this year....While she practiced, I did some serious walking....along with working out yesterday morning....but back to my story.....I will take some pics this weekend if it isn't rainy....But after soccer they always give the kids a snack, and she got Dorito's....(which I hate because they smell like feet!) But she loves them....So we were heading to the baseball field, after soccer, to pick up the boys...and the following conversation occurred...

"Macey, you have that nasty Dorito cheese all over your fingers....Get a napkin out of the glove compartment and get that off....."

She looked at me and said smiling, "Let me show you a trick I learned in the SILVER war." as she reached for her water that she was planning on sticking the napkin in to help get the cheese off.....

I just started cracking up...."What did you say?" I asked.....

"The SILVER war...." she said again..."That is what Daddy always says.."

(a little bit of info...James always tells the kids...."let me show you a trick I learned in the Civil War....when he is trying to show them how to do something, or he is fixing something....not really funny to me...but He thinks it is...obviously Macey does too.)

"Macey, It is the CIVIL war....." I informed her....

"OH!!!" she said, " Now that makes sense, I always wondered what Daddy was talking about when he said silver war...."

I love my kids...They make me laugh...Alot.