Six Word Saturday

WALKING FOR A CURE FOR EMMA!

This morning - I got to join my friends in support of that cute little girl - Emma! Remember her? The one from the Dancing Video from Memorial Weekend... here's a reminder of how cute she is!

Emma has Rhematoid Arthritis & she just turned two years old. She has it in her knees & just yesterday found out it is now in her neck & possibly her hips...Pray for this little Angel!!! Her joints swell up & its painful for her mommy to even touch her sometimes...

But today, we had a big-o team do a Arthritis Walk in support of her & others who suffer from arthritis... incluidng her Nanny & my dearest friend, Lynn (You can click on her name to find out more about Emma too).... TEAM EMMA V!!!!!

Every shirt had names with who we are to Emma.. I LOVE mine..AUNT-ISH! Isnt that great!

For those that suffer, there was a 1 miles walk - & for anyone that wanted, there was a 5k.... me, Lynn & Carly did the 5K... it was a perfect day! Cool, sunny but a nice breeze... a great walk, a little bit of a run & lots of laughter!!!! So proud of Lynn for making it the full 5K!! (Mini Marathon - here you come!!!!)

I dont think this organization gets the recognizition as so many others, such as AIDS or Breast Cancer, but there are so many causes out there & so much people suffer from. The interesting thing to me - most of the bigger "Teams" there were in support of children that suffer! Oh, if a cure could be found to help ease this before they turn into adults!!!!

The walk was at Louisville Slugger Field so this is me, Carly & Emma's brother, Levi, who turns one year old in a few days....

But Lynn, Carly & myself got to go to the best place in the world... Panara Bread. They were so kind to humor me because I usually cant go there on a normal day. Ricky doesnt dig the place - but he was awfully happy when I came home with a fresh loaf of cinnamon raisin bread! MMMM... But I swear, they have the BEST chicken noodle soup in the world!

I love spending time with my friends, happy to support Emma & just enjoyed my afternoon something fierce.... didnt like it when I got home though! Talking to Lynn & Carly as they were leaving... look what happened... DANG BEE STING!! Yes, that's swollen on the back of my knee... so I'm now sitting here with ice on the back of my leg! Little booger!

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend as much as I've enjoyed mine!!!

Friday Fragments

(Click on the "Friday Fragments" button to join or visit other "Fragmenters")

*Still going with no air conditioning - going on a week! Praise the Lord though, its been very tolerable! But Monday, the heat & humidity comes back so pushing Ricky to make sure its fixed by then! AuburnChick, can you come over & fix it... (You all - this lady is Mrs. Home Repair!)

*You know I love Christian Music... but two songs are out & popular that I am totally not feeling - "Two Hands" by Jars of Clay & "Perfect People" by Natalie Grant! And I love Jars of Clay & ADORE Natalie Grant... but everytime I hear these songs, I cringe...

*So you Think you Can Dance has made me happy this week..... but Mary's scream still aggravates the tar out of me!

*Praying for Yaya as her & her huband are finishing up their adoption process & looking at potential children. Look at these babies faces! All four need a home & these could be the children for her... pray for this family to make the right decision if these children are the ones that God has led them too... & Pray for these kids... those faces are precious!

*SWEET ALERT!!! My dad said when he's taking the twins out for donuts on their usual morning trip to Krispy Kreme - they both automatically bow their heads & fold their hands & pray..... is there anything sweeter then children praying to God?

*JUMPY DEATH TRAP UPDATE: No, the twins did NOT get back in after I left! Their mommy even told me that Sophia came up to her & asked "Where you afraid that I could have died in there?".... yeah - I think jumpy's are now going to be a thing of the past!

*My parents have had a string of air conditioner thefts! Isnt that crazy! Someone is stealing the whole units! I'd think it was nuts if it didnt happen at our work! We couldnt get the air on a few weeks ago... walked outside - the WHOLE UNIT was gone!!! Apparently people are stealing them for the copper? My question - how do you carry one of those things off? Aren't they like, really heavy?

*Awaiting my new cross stitch patterns to come in the mail! I've been lost since I finished the one I did for my mom - that took me, GASP - 2 years!!! Yes - two years... this thing was HUGE!!!! But it was lovely! So I finally found 2 more that I couldnt decide upon... but they are both big projects so one will probably take me a good year... but who knew those patterns could be so expensive! Cost me $45 for just two!!! .... Here's the one I did for my mama....

So click the button above... join along... put your week into fragments...

10 Things that make me Happy

I'm taking Mama's Challenge this week of naming 10 things that make me happy! Let me think....

1. A day off work.... mmmm - a day to sleep in late is just the best!

2. A good book! I love getting into a story that completely wraps me up - love a hardback book, the feel of pages, the way books even smell! Not sure I'd love a Kindle just for that reason...
3. Doggies... mine, yours, everyone's - I LOVE dogs!!! All animals really, but I'm totally a dog person

4. Surprises - good surprises, I should say. (Not like the picture below... but I do miss me some Buffy the Vampire Slayer!!!) Fun little things that catch you off guard but make your heart smile knowing someone thought of doing something for you.

5. Finishing a knitting project & loving how it turned out! Such a feeling of accomplishment!

6. Spending time with the youth at church... they just make me happy every time - seeing them grow into amazing young adults - totally makes my heart smile!

7. Disney... You know I'm all about Beauty & The Beast - but all things Disney make me happy! All the Princesses - the movies - the theme parks... If Disney doesnt make you happy, then you just aren't human!

8. Friends who are on your side no matter what! I have so many friends that are like that - I'm so amazingly blessed with great people in my life! (Wish I could post pictures of you all!)

9. The two cutest little girls in the WHOLE world! Spending time with my nieces always just makes me love them more & more. Especially seeing them grow & getting such different personalities!

10. The biggest thing that is making me happiest right now... awaiting the visit from Julie & Isaac!!!! They'll be here in 2 weeks... Oh my gosh... I think I almost jumped out of my chair thinking about it!

Of course, I have WAY more then just 10 things that make me happy - my family, my husband, my LIFE, my JESUS!!!! But here are 10 quick things..... now, What makes you happy?

Rescued

I have said this time & again - but I work at the coolest place ever! They dont mind if you bring your pet in every now & then - & I have taken Buffy, Zoe & Sydney up at different times... I just realized Bruno hasnt made the office visit. I'll need to take him in for a day. Zoe, when she was spayed, tore her stitches out (That's a whole other story... very dramatic) & I was NOT about to leave her at home after she had surgery to put all her "inners" back & had new fresh stitches... she ended up coming to work with me for 4 weeks... she became a regular member of the office. (She wasnt allowed to run or play - so she had her little area... believe me, she had plenty of attention so she didnt mind being in her "caged" area)

Well, one of the guys that works there always had a cocker spaniel named Rocket that he would bring up... this dog is great! But he & his wife split up & she got the dog. Poor dog-less man was so heart broken - even asked for "visitation' with Rocket but it just wasnt enough. He ended up going to a Rescue center & found another cocker... he named him Sprocket! Yeah... from Rocket to Sprocket... he's not very original with names...

Sprocket has been up a few times already & knows which offices to go in for the most attention - but when his daddy leaves the office to run to our front office building, Sprocket will sit by the door & whine for him... already! He's only been in his new home for a week - but he already knows who saved him - who rescued him!

And have you ever been around a rescued animal? I always say I believe they understand they've been rescued. They just seem thankful & want to please so badly! Our Zoe was rescued... I've seen it time & time again... just the happiness they put out... they just seem like the world is theirs again!

I always say, can you imagine Sprocket's life before he was rescued... he was sitting in a cage for HOURS every day - probably only let out for bathroom breaks... & then caged back up. Now, he's free to roam. He probably only had a limited amount of shelter food - Today, he's eating the best food with treats at his beck & call. Toys are abounding now for his play, clean water is given to him whenever he drinks it all up - just a whole new life.... (Here's a picture of him playing in our office chasing a teddy bear)

The comparisons hit me so vividly looking at this dog who so badly wants to please his owner... who looks so happy - who has a new life...

Ever hear that song from NewSong "Rescue"... its one of my favorite. I went to one of their concerts & they passed out bracelets that said "I've been RESCUED"

A weird comparison between a shelter dog & us as people created in God's image - but we're all created by His hands... & yes, I've been RESCUED.....

I am no longer caged - I am given all the blessings in my life abundantly - I want to live to please my Master & Lord....

Thank you for Rescuing Me Lord!

Happy Memorial day

AAHHH.. Memorial Day! A day off work - a day to gather with friends & hang out - a day to relax - a day to remember the people who sacrificed for our country... a day to SWEAT!

Why am I sweating? Our air conditioner is broke... sigh... Oh mercy, its been getting about 85-88 degrees in the house. Not fun... my only hope is some sweat will waste away some weight.

Luckily, our awesome friends, Lynn & Mickey had a cook out & it was the perfect place to be today! Not just because of the air conditioner - but to be with friends, eating some yumminess grilling, playing some Scrabble, singing some Karaoke, & challenging everyone in some Disney Scene It! A good day all around....

Emma, who is Lynn's grand baby & Rachel's daughter is just the cutest little girl you could come across!!! I love to call her Emma-Lou-Who because she has that cute, adorable look from the Dr. Seuss "Grinch" story.... She was killing me saying "Let me hold you"... I'd drop everything to pick her up with that! And to hear her sing "Jesus Loves Me" - it made me want to cry each time! Is there anything sweeter then a little one singing that?

Her brother, Levi, was busy bouncing along with the Karaoke

My friend Erica was able to get out of the house for a little bit... pray for her! She's on bed rest to the end of her pregnancy, which isnt very far - but just being down for 6 days is already driving her nuts.... we made sure she stayed down... we are so anxious for this baby to arrive!

& I'm going to leave you with a video of little miss Emma dancing.... this child danced ALL DAY long! And girlfriend has some RHYTHM!!! Get to about 42 seconds & watch how she is bouncing right in time with the music.... tell me she's just not the most adorable little thing ever!!!

Close to Death?

My brother invited me over to his house for a cook out today - even after the confession I gave in the lats post! I guess he hasnt read it yet... sshhhh!!! But who knew the day would turn into a DANGEROUS situation....

The day started with some beautiful girls jumping in their Blow up Jumper that my brother's friends rented for the day just for them! (Tell me these girls arent spoiled - they have like 10 men who are their beck & call).... Look at these ladies... who can resist these faces?

Then we get to play on the swing set with lots of upside down playing......

And lazy tetter totter rides......

& THEN... the moment where it all came crashing down... LITERALLY!

The twins & I were in the Jumpy.... they were showing me how high they could get & wanted me to see if I could catch a picture of them in the air... I'm Aunt Bec... I can do anything for them..


Then my brother's friend, Dan, jumped in... He is yes, a man, & yes, jumping like he was 5 yrs old... I will admit, I jumped in there myself - but some fun light jumping... this dude was JUMPING - like his life depended on it. He wanted to make the girls fall down from all the unstableness... & unstable is what happened!

He jumped so hard, it knocked the air out of the thing.... I was sitting in the corner & as soon as the air stopped, the corner I was sitting in dropped....

Sophia looked at me with the biggest look of fear on her face that I have ever seen.... because my corner was sinking - she tried to run to me & with me going down fast, she stretched her arm out to get me, but then, I was covered with heavy plastic.... Dan was yelling for them to run to him... I could hear them screaming... Then all of a sudden as I'm trying to lift the plastic off of me & just get to the net area for air... I hear the most pitiful voice EVER.....

Sophia screamed: "I DONT WANT TO DIE!!!!!"

How does a 4 yr old even know to yell that????

And when she screamed that, it got Madi thinking "We can die in this?" - & she started freaking out!!!

By this point, we are SCREAMING for someone to come plug us back up...

& when they did, everything was of course, fine... but my corner was near the end of the area to raise back up... the girls thought I had died in this "HORROR"... when they saw me, they ran over to me - freaking out... then they DASHED out of this thing & ran straight into the house.

Me - I laughed for a half hour with tears coming out of my eyes....

I think the girls are scarred for life over this......

Next time you are in a Blow Up Jump.... remember that 4 Yr olds can think its a death trap!

Confession time to my Brother & SIL

OK - Tony & Juli... I have a confession to make...

When Sophia was just a few months old, I'd say around 10 months old, she was loving on me & she was just showing the love to her Aunt Bec.... & you know Aunt Bec always has a Diet Coke in her hands. Well, Sophia wanted to try sipping on a straw - you know I have to show her things in life - how to do some important things - like sipping on a straw of Diet Coke... So I gave her a drink! Mom gave me grief & said I shouldnt have done that (as she was sliding Tab to Madi)... oh, I kid about that... or am I?... anyways, I do think it was her first taste of caffeine.... & what happened next, I'll never forget.

Juli, you came to pick up Sophia & Madi & then Sophia started jabbering & jabbering & jabbering... I was dying laughing because it was like she was telling you:

"Mom, I just gave Aunt Bec a cute little look, and she gave in and gave me a sip and then the caffeine has kicked in AND THEN I JUST CANT TALK FAST ENOUGH FOR ANYYONETOUNDERSTANDMEANYMORE".... Honestly, it was the fastest we've ever heard her jabber... I had tears coming out of my eyes...

When asked "What the heck is wrong with her" - my acting skills kicked in when I said, "I have no idea"....

And then, this video came out & it brought back everything.... this little girl in this video - I'm no fool - they just dosed her up on something harder - I'm thinking Mountain Dew!

PS - I think this is why Sophia loves me so much to this day... she knows I'll give into anything she wants... that's the job of an aunt afterall!

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Need a laugh

Because I'm frustrated to no ends right now about alot of stuff... I just needed a good laugh. My buddy Chandra sent me an email with some comics in it that cracked me up ... so here's to a smile today!

Uncomfortable

Remember my closet clean out for the Spring/Summer? Yeah... I thought I had it all worked out - nothing but clothes in there that would be what I would want to wear. Then a morning like this morning happened.

I could not find ANYTHING to wear!

I put on a pair of pants, they felt funny around the waist. Put on a skirt that I wear all the time, but no shirts were looking right - they were clinging in the wrong places today! I put on a outfit I have worn MANY times - a tried & true outfit... I walk past the mirror - WHAT? It looked horrible!

Needless to say, I just threw 5 different outfits I tried on in a pile in my bathroom! Went for my always comfy, always pratical khaki's... & I'm STILL feeling uncomfortable.

That set the tone for the morning..... my hair is having an EXTREMELY bad hair day - my make up didnt go on right - my Diet Coke got stuck in my coke holder in the car (WHAT? How did that even happen?) splashing Diet Coke up on me... then it caused me to be late for work - that's what happens with 5 outfit changes... & the rest of the day has been just "off"... like nothing is going the way it should.

Think about it... how many times do we think we have it all cleaned out - ready to go - like my closet... only to find out that there is still more to do? More things that need to be thrown out? And I'm not talking pants that fit funny around your butt (but those pants are goners when I get home!) - I'm talking about our lives...

Have you ever thought you worked on your problem or issue or situation & thought, "Its taken care of"... only to find that its not? There's more work to do - more things you need to take care of? More things that need to be dug into deeper.... more things that God needs to reveal to you...

Because, lets face it, when you dont take care of a problem, just like the "off" feelings have just kept going through the rest of my day... problems, issues, situations - they can affect the rest of your day - the rest of your life - if not taken care of....

May my heart be open always for anything that God needs to work on or change...

May I be willing to change....