Veteran's Day and stuff

The day before Veteran's Day, the third grade at Annamarye's school had their Patriotic Program. It was fabulous! It is usually put on in February. the children were asked if anyone in their family was a veteran.


Each Veteran was recognized and the student -relative presented them with a flower. I just knew Annamarye was going to want the flower back from Granddaddy, but she didn't! My father in law was in the National Guard.
Here's James' class in his school's science lab. Each group had a long list of activities to complete using their pumpkin.
Below on the right in blue is Clara. I'm not sure what they found that she is so surprised about, but don't you just love her expression!!
All of the kids did a great job, estimating seeds, weight, sink or float, lines etc.. I was shocked that our pumpkin floated!!
Here's the kids, or should I say Annamarye. James is hiding behind popcorn. We went to Disney on Ice. We all thought it was great - even James liked some of it.
We celebrated Johnny's birthday with what else, but a Edgar's cake!! Roll Tide!

More Pumpkin Patch Pictures

I am finally working on uploading all of my pictures! It always amazes me how many pictures I take.

Here is James' flag football team at the season end party. It was a great season and the kids had lots of fun. I always enjoy flag football. It is very competitive, yet low key at the same time. The kids have a blast and it is only one practice a week and the game on Saturday morning.

Here's some more pictures from the Pumpkin Patch:

We went to the Grand Ole Pumpkin Patch in Clanton. It is great! The kids still love it!
James is my social one. Actually my extra-social one! Annamarye is very social, but not a big phone talker. She takes after Johnny and me. Neither one of us are big phone talkers. James on the other hand LOVES to talk on the phone!

They are sooo big! Yes, I had to promise a snow cone to get this picture!

Christian Atheist

When someone joins the Methodist church they stand before the congregation and take an oath. In that oath, they promise to support the church "with our prayers, our presence, our gifts and our service". A few years ago "witness" was added. It caused quite the stir, let me tell you. Everyone had to re-commit to the church. I was a little nervous too. Was I going to be expected to get up and speak in front of people?! I am one of those that fears public speaking more than death. I think most people felt the same way. I have no trouble teaching Sunday School (kids that is), VBS, Children's Church etc...

Recently I have thought about about witnessing. It is easy to talk with other Christians about Christ. Does that count as witness? Time passed and I really hadn't thought much more about it until Johnny and I visited a Sunday School class and they were reading and discussing a book called The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn't Exist by Craig Groeschel. It is a fabulous book! What do you do in your everyday living for God? I know I don't do enough!! I think in some ways I am a Christian Atheist. It is so easy to get caught up in everyday life and our wants. I don't want to spoil it for you by telling you too much. I highly recommend this book! It really gave me lots to think about.

One area it talks about in the book is missed moments. You have to be aware and take opportunities to share God's word when you can. Don't miss them. You may never get that chance back.

I think God was reminding me about this "witnessing" stuff the other week. I had taken my car in to the shop. It was going to be a while so I started to read. I was reading on the iPad and a lady next to me asked me about it. I told her that I loved it because I had my Bible, daily devotion and books to read all on one easy to carry device. We chatted a minute and that was that. Then I heard the words "Jehovah's Witness" and cringed. She was very nice and really not pushy at all - thank goodness. I have to say as I sat there and I watched her quietly get up and go around to others in the room and pass out a flyer/brochure and talk to the others in the waiting room, I started thinking, isn't that what we are called to do? To witness to others? I wasn't getting up and talking to others. I wasn't sharing my faith. Do you?

Just something to think about.

I'm Itchy!

Some of you know exactly where I am headed with this! I hate to even say the word... Lice! My blood pressure is rising as I type! Let me begin by saying about 3 weeks ago I got the phone call that Annamarye had lice. There were 4 kids in her class that had it. I went and got her, treated her and checked her hair strand by strand. I sectioned it off and even had James hold the flashlight for me! Let me tell you it was quite the sight! I followed up with the treatment, bought some kind of zapper comb (that costs $30) and checked her regularly.

Well, I got a call the other day from the nurse again that she had it. I couldn't believe she had it again!! Everyone had told me it is very hard to get rid of and once it gets in a class, it goes around and around.

Anyway, the nurse said Annamarye had nits all in her hair so I am thinking she has stuff crawling all over head! I get there and the nurse couldn't even find one to show me. Now she did have a bug that was in her hair so I called Johnny and got a prescription treatment this time. (A nice perk having a husband that is a physician). I checked her and the "nits" the nurse saw were flakes of her scalp from all of the treatments. To say I was a little perturbed is an understatement. On a side note the prescription treatment costs $156.95!! And that is generic! Thank goodness insurance covered it and it only costs me $10. I would have paid the $156.95 though. When Johnny got home he checked her and found no nits either. I called the pediatricians office the next day and they said if I did the prescription she is good. They recommend a treatment called "Nuvo" using Cetaphil facial soap. Because I am tired of this I kept her home and did that treatment too. I plan on doing another one Wednesday night since the kids are out of school on Thursday.

I had my hair done on Friday and had Jackie, my hairdresser, check me and I'm good. I also had her check Annamarye and she found nothing either.

My biggest concern now is keeping her from getting it again! I have talked with so many moms who have had or are going through the same thing right now!! I don't think the school is doing a good job checking everyone and keeping it away. One student in Annamarye's class had several nits in her hair was sent back to class!!

I make Annamarye wear her hair in a braided ponytail now and I spray it with this lice preventative spray, which stinks to high heaven!! I also spray hairspray on it. Keep us in your prayers!

Happy Halloween

Friday the kids got to dress up for school. James wanted to be a football player again! And Annamarye wanted to be Fancy Nancy again this year! I guess I shouldn't complain since they are easy costumes to put together. Annamarye didn't even wear everything we had for her to wear.

Saturday while Johnny was cleaning out the gutters, I dropped James off at a friend's house and picked Hope up on our way home. They played and helped me clean out one of the pumpkins! Sorry the picture is dark, we were in the basement.
We gave Johnny the job of carving it!
Sunday night we went to Trunk or Treat at our church. Here is James with Mrs. Julie, one of his Sunday School teachers.
Here's Annamarye and Elena and Elena's cousin.
Annamarye and Audrey
James and Alan
After trunk or treat we went to a neighborhood get together and here is just a small sampling of the kids!

We finally made it out to trick or treat! We had a great weekend, but for some reason it seems as if Halloween lasted a week this year!!