I Think I am Dreaming!

Today something happened that I didn't think ever would! I finished this semester with an A in Algebra. I can NOT tell you how SUPER excited I am!!! I worked really, really hard for that A and am extremely proud of it!! WooHoo!! I was terrible in math in high school....I mean TERRIBLE!! I wish I would have had the yearning and discipline that I have now back when I initially enrolled in college at *insert a throat clearing here* 18 years of age!! That seems like forever ago!! Better late than never I guess!! I hope my enthusiasm for school continues as I pursue my dream of becoming a teacher! I don't ever want to lose my drive!! Now it is time to enjoy a nice holiday break with my family until the Spring Semester resumes January 11th!! Yay!!

Praying for Good Weather

Well, today was suppose to be the day that we took our family pictures. I was so excited but, thanks to the rain and the mess they had to be postponed!! So sad! Oh well, hoping for beautiful weather next Saturday so we can try this again! At least we have every one's outfit picked out!! Should be a fun day!! I love my beautiful family and you can NEVER have enough photos to capture the memories! Praying for a beautiful day on December 11Th.

I GOT LOST!!!

Okay Everyone,

Did you miss me??? I got lost, lol!! I don't know how often I will be able to blog but, I am going to try to update more! I haven't blogged in (well) FOREVER!! Can't really catch you up but I will try to promise to update more often from here on out!

I was challenged yet again by Heather to lose some weight. I am soooo bad!! I fall off the band wagon WAY too easily! This is only 30 days so, I am going to give it my all!! I am going to do Jillian Michael's 30 day Shred! If you want to join us, we are starting today December 2 and will run through December 31st. Come on y'all!! We can do this!! I don't know about y'all but I sure could use to lose some weight before the new year begins!!

Praying to stay strong and determined for AT LEAST the next 30 days! Anybody in??

Random Picture Challenge 7.0

Here are the rules:

11th folder
or
September 2007
11th picture



Ok...so here is my 11th picture of my 11th folder! Horrible! It just so happens to be the before picture for Heather and I of when we started Weight Watchers together in September of 2008! Wow! What a picture! Thanks for the motivation picture challenge!

A Teacher's Legacy!

Today, I want to pay tribute to an amazing teacher that definitely left a legacy. My fourth grade year at Jefferson Elementary, I had the joy and honor of being in the classroom of Evannoa L. Hall. I can't even begin to describe this woman. She had a passion beyond words for her career and for those in her classroom. You have to know what an impact Mrs. Hall made not only in my life but in the life of my family. She was the kind of teacher that was there to not only educate her students but there to teach us life lessons. Let me preface this story that I am getting ready to tell you by saying that not only did I have the pleasure of being in her classroom but, my brother did as well. He was in Mrs. Hall's class the year before me 1985-1986. That was the year that we started to learn just what kind of teacher she was and what to expect from her. My brother (who went by Bryan at the time) went up to Mrs. Hall and asked "Mrs. Hall, can I go to the restroom?" and she replied..."sir?" so again he asked "can I go to the restroom?" to which again she replied..."sir?" getting a little frustrated and maybe a little concerned that he wasn't going to make it my brother again said "Mrs. Hall, can I go to the restroom?" and much to his amazement she again said...."sir?" Needless to say, this continued for at least 5 minutes before my brother finally said "Mrs. Hall, may I please go to the restroom?" and she gladly replied, "sure"! Hilarious!! She was trying to teach David that when you are asking to go to the restroom you need to use the word "may" versus using the word "can" because "can" is asking if you are capable and "may" is asking permission. This alone made a huge impact not only on my brother but on myself for the coming year. I knew when I was in her classroom exactly how to ask. This is still something that I think of today. With having the honor right now of being in the classroom when students come up and ask me "Mrs. Washburn, can I go to the restroom?" I reply..."I don't know can you?" and then I proceed to tell them that they need to be asking permission to go versus trying to find out whether they are capable. What an impact she made!

When I was in her classroom the following year (1986-1987 her last year before retirement at age 71) my most memorable moment was involving not only my least favorite but my weakest subject math. Bless her heart, Mrs. Hall struggled with me! Needless to say, I was less than desirable in the math department. She would talk to me about learning my multiplication tables and I just couldn't get there. I struggled in a major way. For some unknown reason, she decided that she would try to give me incentive, which I now know would be considered bribery. She started telling me that if I would learn a set of my tables (my 2's, my 3's, my 4's etc.) she would give me some Sour Cherry Balls (candy that at the time I just thought was the best). Well, it worked! I memorized all my multiplication tables and in record time. I wish I could say that I retained them as well as I should have but not true.

Mrs. Hall had a great 30 years at Jefferson Elementary and my brother and I are proud to say that we were a part of her passion of teaching and refuse to believe that we are the reason she decided to retire right after having The Keith kids back to back, Lol! To Mrs. Hall and all the teacher's that impacted my life and inspired me to become a teacher myself, I say thank you!

Evannoa L. Hall
Sept. 23, 1944-Feb. 20, 2009

Thank you Lord!

Here lately, I am feeling like a new person! A better me, of sorts! By the grace of God, I have changed a lot of things about me, a more disciplined me! I am working on my weight (13 lbs. down thanks weight watchers), I have been investing in my marriage by walking through The Love Dare (from the movie Fireproof) with my hubby (thank you God), I have re-organized my budget (that seems to be working wonderfully, thanks Heather) and I recently started a new routine for keeping up with my chores here at home (that I am really loving, thanks Angie)! On top of all that, I started the process of going back to school to get my teaching degree (It is about time!) I am not sure how all of this came about ALL AT ONCE but, they are all welcomed changes! I believe that God is really working on me! I believe that He is saying...."Hello my child, I am ready (at anytime) for you to become the Godly Woman that I created you to be! I am ready for you to get your life organized in such a fashion that you can achieve the things that I have in store for you and use the blessings given to you for My glory!" Thank you God for opening my eyes at the time in my life where I was ready to receive it! Thank you for loving me and continuing to work on me on a daily basis. Thank you for not giving up on me and for waiting for and encouraging me to be the person that you created me to be! Your grace is amazing and sufficient! Thank you Lord!

P.S. Pray for Bryan through all of these changes! I am afraid it can be a little overwhelming.

Thirteen Years Ago Today!!

My Baby Girl is 13 today!

I can not believe it! Thirteen years ago today, I was holding my first born and admiring my precious baby girl! She was more gorgeous than I could have ever imagined and I felt so blessed! I woke up this morning wondering why time goes so quickly. I can not even grasp the thought that that sweet little angel in my arms thirteen years ago is almost taller than me and is a teenager! It brought me to tears this morning just thinking about it! I have to admit that I love these years though. She is becoming such a beautiful young lady and I enjoy our time together so much! If I could tell everyone one thing that I have learned about motherhood it would be to enjoy every waking moment. Don't let life become routine. Make a memory every single day of their life and cherish it always! Just yesterday I was holding my angel in my arms wondering what it was going to be like having someone so little to love and to take care of. Well today I am feeling so overwhelmed with joy and heartache at the same time. I love watching her grow but then again, I want to keep her right where she is! God has truly blessed me by giving Brittanie to me and I praise Him for everyday that I have her!

To my angel,

"Sister", I love you more than you will ever know! When I was your age your Nana used to tell me "I love you too much, I don't think you will ever know how much I love you until you have your own children" and now I know what she is talking about! I am so proud of the young lady that you are becoming. Everyday that I get to wake up and call myself your Mom I feel blessed! Thank you for all of the memories and I can't wait to see what the next 13 years bring! I love you! Mom



Sissy opening her presents

All my babies celebrating the #13

Brittanie with our friends Toni and James Ingram

Brittanie with our friends The Bouvier's

Sissy with Connor James Bouvier opening their gift

Morgan and Carson Ingram celebrating with Sissy

The Applebee's gang singing Happy Birthday to my Baby!

Special Friends

Today I had the pleasure of taking one of my best friends to lunch for her 32nd birthday! As I sit here thinking what I could write about today to go along with this amazing picture, I am perplexed! I don't really know what I could say to express what her friendship and love have meant to me over the past 19 years! You know there are lots of crazy memories that I could tell you about that would make you laugh until your ribs hurt (and do us on occasion) but you still wouldn't fully understand what she means to me! There is absolutely nothing in my life that she has not been through with me whether it has been a trial or triumph. We have essentially grown up together and now are watching our kids grow up together. Heather, what a joy it was to watch as you received some of God's most prize possessions and have become an incredible Mom. It was wonderful to watch you finally meet and fall in love with the man that treats you and loves you like I always felt you needed to be treated and loved! I enjoy still every single conversation we have and every minute we spend together! I wouldn't trade for your friendship for anything and you will hold a forever place in my life and my heart! Thank you for your friendship! I love you girl!

A Fresh Start

This was an incredibly tough weekend and we are hoping for a fresh start for the new week! There are lots of things going on this week and I am praying that Mr. Sickness has left our home! My suspicions were correct! We had a super tough weekend! Thursday night was horrible! Friday was even worse than that! I was a mess and poor little Brackston just couldn't hardly even move! He slept on the bathroom floor for 20 hours straight! Poor baby! We finally got him to move to the couch and his vomiting had slowed down some but his fever was still pretty high. Bryan and I had been talking back and forth to his Mom all day. We considered taking him to Urgent Care at Scott and White during the day but, as the day went on we thought we had come through the worst of it. At about 10:20 P.M. or so I looked over at him and thought he was having a seizure! He was shaking uncontrollably and I ran over and couldn't get him to respond to my voice or even look at me! It scared me to death! Bryan got on the phone with his Mom again and I said "hang-up, that's it...we are taking him to the E.R.!" I was a wreck! We all looked crazy sick but, we were going! We got there and they tested him for rapid strep and an upper respiratory infection! They did a chest X-ray and found nothing! They came in and told us that it was just a bad viral infection and that the shaking was caused by his fever trying to fight off the infection! The doctor told us he should start getting better fairly quickly and then told us to go home and get some rest because we all looked pretty bad! Thanks Doc, LOL! Anyway, Saturday was pretty rough but seemed to be a better day for Brackston! I felt like we were in the clear! Today, he woke up with a fever again! What in the world is going on here? Can a Momma get a break?!! Poor Baby!! It is almost 12:30 AM now on Monday morning and he is still coughing up a storm in there while he trying to sleep! I just hope and pray that he wakes up in the morning a happy camper! I really don't like this time of the year! Can we please just skip to spring and summer? Well, I am going to call it a night in order to prepare for whatever comes my way tomorrow! Praying that everyone stays healthy!

It's Official!!

It's Official!! The bug has officially reached and infected The Washburn Family! I am afraid that this is not going to be a fun weekend AT ALL! Bryan, got sick first with what he was told by the doctor's was the worst kind of flu that is going around! His first concern was us! He was worried that we would get it! I told him "Babe', you don't worry about us we will be fine. You just get better!" Well, I guess I was wrong! I started feeling badly yesterday evening and Brackston joined us at about 1:30 this morning! I just can't breathe....but, my little man is sleeping in the bathroom he feels so bad! Poor baby!! I so don't like when he is sick! I feel helpless! So anyway, here is your warning!! Stay away from the Washburn's house for the weekend! We are probably not going to be your best option for a fun outing! Keep us in your prayers! I gotta go my poor baby is crying and calling my name!

Wordless Wednesday

Oh no...my teeth are falling out!

Look at that gap!

Beautiful toothless smile!

A Weekend To Remember

I was blessed to be able to spend the weekend with my beautiful baby girl at our annual Mother/Daughter Retreat at the fabulous Camp Peniel. On Friday afternoon we headed towards the Marble Falls area with our sweet friends Toni and Morgan. The drive was filled with lots of joy and laughter. This is our second consecutive year that we have been able to enjoy this amazing experience. Last year TBC was one of the several churches to take part in the camp's event however, this year we were super excited to have the entire grounds to ourselves.

Our weekend was filled with an enormous amount of fun activities and amazing worship.

Together we enjoyed a fun trail ride, a plunging ride on a zip line, and a little archery lesson.

Probably my favorite activity that was scheduled for us was the rifle shooting experience. Neither Brittanie nor myself have ever fired a gun. We were instructed by the amazing Don. He diligently instructed us on exactly what it was that we needed to do to hit the bullseye. Brittanie did great her first attempt.
I on the other hand was lousy. Initially we were given 5 bullets each and somehow I managed to miss the target on every single shot. I could not handle the disappointment. I was taught as a child if at first you don't succeed try and try again so, try again I did! I received a few extra pointers and I was on my way to shooting off another 10 bullets. This attempt was intense and precise. The work paid off. I managed to hit the target with every single shot. Go Me!! I can't wait to shoot again!

Along with these scheduled activities we also enjoyed a frigid hay ride followed by some tasty s'mores by the fire, a mean game of Mother against Daughter volleyball, and our game of choice for the weekend Catchphrase.

This game was hilerious and I just loved sitting in a circle enjoying laughter with my baby and sister's in Christ.

Combined with all these fun activities was incredible worship and life lessons spoken to us by the amazing Linda Strom. She encouraged us to love our daughters where they are right now and for who they are because this time will be gone before we know it. This weekend my God of grace reminded me why I was chosen to be the Mother of one his most precious gifts. He gave me the opportunity to see my baby shared her love for her God along with her passion for music and led us in worship and dance.
What an amazing pride that I felt at that very moment. Every single moment spent with my gift from God this weekend I will truly cherish in my heart forever. She is a beautiful creation given to me for only a short time and I yearn to appreciate every single second with my angel. I love you baby girl!


These girls were inseperable...Brittanie, Morgan and Reagan


Here are some of the girls that enjoyed the weekend with Mom.


"As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.: Isaiah 66:13

Cold......Brrrrrrrr......

Holy Cow it's cold!!! I am so not a winter person! I like to be comfortable! I can't even get warm in my own house! I have adjusted the thermostat a gagillion times (which I don't like to do because it will cause the bill to go up) and still can't get warm!! AAAAHHHHH!!!! Help!!!!! The only place that I have found that I can get comfortable is in my bed and that's not such a good idea because then, I get absolutely nothing done!!! Sometimes it's ok to have days like that but, I am ashamed to admit I had one of those days yesterday and quite honestly I can't afford to have two in a row! I think I've got it....if I would get off this computer and do some activity around the house I would probably warm up.....and maybe get some things checked off my to do list! Wow, I am a genius! Ok, maybe not a genius but it does seem like a pretty good idea but so does a nice hot bubble bath! Don't you just hate the decisions you have to make as an adult? Anyway, I am off to do whatever it is that I decide to do to be productive today and I hope that you all stay warm :-)

Thought for the Day

ATTITUDE
by
Charles Swindoll

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our Attitudes.

My Mother, My Friend

Happy Birthday to the best Mother a girl could ask for!! I love you Mom!! Look at that sweet picture. You gotta love that, "Sissy, please hurry and take this picture, you know I loathe having pictures taken of me", look! Seriously, I completely love this woman with every ounce of my soul! From birth she has given nothing but her whole-heart to everything that crosses her path and my brother and I are no exception. She has always been there from kissing boo-boos when I was little to still continuing to pick up the pieces today when my life seems to be falling apart (though most of the time she reminds me that it is a fear or worry that should not be because God is in control.) I am blessed to be the child of such a Godly woman and leader for our family. She is our prayer warrior and rock in our family. I praise God that I am her daughter and that she is my Mom!

Momma,
I love you more than you know and appreciate you more than words can express. You have made me who I am today through prayer and example. I yearn to be more like you and I cherish our friendship and your loyalty to love. I am inspired by your amazing spirit and love for the Lord and your family. Thank you for everything that you have sacrificed for me personally and for all the decisions that you made with my best interest at heart. I long to love my children the way that you have loved David and I. I feel blessed to call you mine!

P.S. I probably should have warned you to bring tissues with you to the computer! I love you!

Thank you God for brothers!!

Happy 34th Birthday Bub!!!



Today is my only brother's birthday! I am truly blessed to have you in my life. You are one of my best friends and your phone calls brighten my days!! For those of you that don't know, my brother and I are super close and about 8 years ago he moved to California and left me here. One thing is for sure, though I miss him terribly our conversations definitely don't suffer. We talk several times a week and sometimes daily! He is one of the true lights of my life and I don't know what I would do without him! I love the way my children's face lights up when they get to see him and vice versa! He is an amazing Uncle and I couldn't ask for anything more!! I have so many amazing memories growing up that I won't bore you with but, let me just say that I couldn't have asked for a better friend, role model and support system. I truly hope that one day my children have the love for their siblings that I do for mine and share the kind of friendship that we share.

I love you man!!!!

Holy Muscles!!!

Today Bryan and I started working out at a local gym!!! I was SUPER excited that he was home to go with me!! We worked out really hard!!! Like, REALLY hard!! I was under the impression that we were going to start out slow and ease into it but, WRONG again!! We walked for 30 minutes on the treadmill, then I rode the bike for 15minutes then moved on to the free weights. Wow, Bob and Jillian would not be impressed!!! I have no idea how to workout on free weights. My poor hubby was trying to help me but, I have never used those in a workout before. Anyway, after making a complete dummy of myself on those we moved on to the weight machines. At least those have a picture to illustrate the correct way to use them. That was a little bit better! We walked out of there 2 hours after going in and I was just bouncing and totally proud of myself. But NOW is a TOTALLY different story!!! My legs are KILLING me!!!! SERIOUSLY KILLING ME!!!!! I am anxious to go back tomorrow so I can stretch them some more. I have been told and experienced that working them out the next day will help with soreness. I would like to go tomorrow morning but, I have to work so, tomorrow I will suffer through my day and workout promptly at 3:15 :-) I can see it now......I am going to be one toned, smokin hot mom and wife!! I can't wait!!!

A New Year A New You

"New Year's resolutions are easier to keep when you rely on God"
After thinking about a New Year's resolution and seeing this sign, this year I decided to write all the things down about me that I would like to change and pray about them. Of course I have the same changes as a lot of people and that is to take better care of myself, lose weight, excercise etc.... That is definately one thing that I am going to strive for this year however, my main goal this year is to rely on God to help make the person that he created me to be. Previously I have been really good at saying God, please take control of this in my life and then I treat it like a fishing pole that I just casted and reel it back in and try to control it myself. Do you ever do that? Today while sitting in church there were a lot of things said that made me realize that I need to trust. Pastor Gary quoted J.Hudson Taylor saying "God gives the very best to those who leave the choice to him"! That was really powerful! He said that we don't need to test God...we need to trust God and then we will realize that He is trustworthy. You know every year I decide there are several things that I need to change but this year I am just vowing that I am going to be in The Word every day and letting God guide my life and my family. Then and only then will I be doing what is right and what is in His image. Don't question the care and goodness of God, just trust Him with the very life that He created for you and be a living sacrifice for Him. Pastor Gary shared this poem with us today and it really hit home so I thought I would share it with you. My prayer for you and your family this year is that you Let Go and Let God. Trust Him with everything from the smallest to the largest of things and He will give you strength to make it through.

Broken Dreams
Submitted by: TonyaB
Author: Unknown


As children bring their broken toys
With tears for us to mend.
I brought my broken dreams to God
Because He was my Friend.

But then instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help
With ways that were my own.

At last I snatched the back and cried,
"How could You be so slow"-
"My child," He said,
"What could I do? You never did let go."

Happy New Year

Bryan and I bringing in the New Year together!

Happy New Year from The Washburns! We got to bring the new year in with some of our best friends and had a blast. I have been truly blessed for the last week and a half and have gotten to spend it with my husband...uninterrupted!! He took some vacation time and we have had a great time together. I can not blog long today because we are headed of to go deer hunting, just he and I! I am super excited because as I have said before, I love spending time with him in that little box. It is QUALITY!!! Just thought I would say Happy New Year and share a few photos with you from our fun evening! We wish you joy and happiness in this new year! By the way, no time now but soon I will blog about my New Years Resolution's!


I love dancin with my honey


The Washburn's and The Bouviers!


My favorite part of the new year


Bryan and his work buddy Paul


Bryan, Paul and I


Bryan with our buddy Bouvier

Are we not the best looking party crowd you have seen?

We had a blast Bouvier's!!! Thank you so much for ringing in the New Year with us!