The Nines Recap

Some great quotes from The Nines leadership conference today. The theme this year was Game Changers. 


"Risk everything to reach everyone."
-John Bishop


"Ask the right questions." "You can't always choose what happens to you, but you can choose how you respond." "The questions determine the result." "What does this experience (conflict) make possible?"
- Michael Hyatt


"Mission requires permission. Without a “yes”, followers never engage in the mission. Yes reflex – is the reflex of a movement leader."
-Dave Ferguson


"To be fully loved, you have to be fully known. {Do everything you can} to live an authentic life. There's hope, health and healing that can come when you do the scariest thing- tell someone else that you're struggling."
-Toby Slough


"What we see primarily depends on what we're looking for. Look at things differently."
-Scott Williams


"Live with unction: holy urgency. (Psalm 39) There is a direct connection between you understanding how short your life really is and the urgency with which you’ll live that life."
-Matt Carter 


"The answer when you don't know what to do: Trust God and expect God to come through." "What if God actually showed up? We honestly don't know what we are doing but we are begging Him to show up and we expect Him to do it on a regular basis."  
-Scott Lehr 


"Less time often leads to a better result. Less resources means more innovation." 
-Craig Groeschel


"If we don't deal with it, God's going to deal with it." "If someone writes a song about me, I want them to write "He stood up".
-Raphael Castillo

Change is in the Air

It's finally fall! By the end of August, I am itching for cooler weather and the smells and sounds of fall. To me, Labor Day weekend signals the final end of summer. Minus the fact that I live in South MS where the weather does not always change with the seasons as it should. We enjoyed two cooler mornings over the weekend, but the past couple of days we have been back to heat advisories of 102-105 degrees.

This time of year always puts me in a mood to change things. Redecorate my mantle, organize cluttered spaces, try new recipes, etc. I mentioned last week that I am organizing my office at the store. Let me just say, this is no small task. My office is the storehouse for all of the paper work that the store brings in and puts out. For those of you who don't know, my husband and I own a building supply and hardware store. Paper work multiplies quite rapidly every day. From invoices we owe, to invoices we've billed, to shipping tickets, to receipts, to faxes, to sales reports...it's quite an expansive list. I'm getting it all put away in boxes slowly but surely. Things are looking a lot better; it makes me feel more accomplished to work in a clutter-free zone.

Speaking of change, how do you like the new look of my blog? I owe a HUGE thank you to Ashley of The Happily Ever Afters of the Lancasters. Ashley and I went to highschool together, and I emailed her the other day to see if she'd be willing to help me spruce up my blog a little. She did an awesome job in no time! Go check out her blog! We share a love of Jesus, music, history and Christmas. I promise you'll love her. Also, grab my new blog button and stick it on your blog. If you have one I don't have, comment and let me know!

I also added a new playlist of music dedicated to Fall/Harvest/Thanksgiving. These selections are some of my favorite mellow, background songs for this season. Be sure to listen through it!

Today's a really busy day at the store. Tomorrow is the 10th so that means bill-paying time. Also, our stock truck comes today, so I'm going to help with that as much as I can. I will pick the boys up from school, hurry to get homework and dinner done, and then Jeffry will take them to football practice while I head to the church for worship team practice. Thursdays are so busy for us! Somewhere in the next two days, I have got to get the camper cleaned for tailgating Saturday and I need to shop for our tailgating food. Whew, how to squeeze it all in?

Labor Day Weekend, Projects, and Tailgating!

What a great weekend just relaxing! This was our last weekend before Southern's home games kick off, so we really didn't make any plans. It was nice to just be at home as the five of us and not have anywhere to go or be at a certain time. I think it's really important to have time for your family to regroup and relax. Sometimes you have to say no to other invitations in order for you to have family time. It's a priority in our house!

Can I just say how excited I was when I woke up to cool weather Saturday morning????? I opened all the doors and windows, and I made the boys go outside to play before we even had breakfast. I didn't want them to miss the wonderful playing weather!

While they were playing, I grabbed my coffee and dug into the One Year Bible for the day. Then I made a huge stack of our Saturday morning staple: chocolate chip pancakes. They came, ate breakfast, and headed back outside. Even Trace! He is no longer a baby, I'm afraid. He gets right in the middle of whatever the big boys are doing!

Over these few days, I got a lot of laundry and organizing done. I'm working a couple of projects including painting Trace's dresser. I chose this gorgeous red from Devoe paint called Century Brick. It is actually the same color as our guest bath; I'm being frugal and using leftover paint. I'm still finishing his drawers but the red is so precious in his cowboy-themed nursery!

I'm also painting my kitchen table and chairs. The chairs were a pretty walnut color with rattan seats. They were perfectly fine. But I got tired of them so I decided to paint them. They're still in progress but here is the before.

I would like to thank The Nester for inspiring me to paint. Somewhere in life my creative juices have gotten a bit stymied when it comes to home-related projects, and I think "if it's not perfect, I can't do it". The Nester's motto is "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful"...and as I paint, I keep repeating that in my OCD-prone head. It works! And I must say I'm so happy to be accomplishing these projects in my home. So thank you, Nester!

So, switching gears...the boys stayed out in their tree house on Sunday night. They anxiously wait all week long to be able to stay in their tree house on their bunk beds their Daddy built. I sent them out Sunday night with a big bowl of popcorn and a movie on the portable DVD player. They were in heaven!

Yesterday we went to Jeffry's parents house for lunch. They grilled tuna steaks and hamburgers on the Big Green Egg. Lots of sides and an apple pie for dessert. SO yummy! What a way to finish off a great weekend!

Oh, one more thing. Tailgating starts Saturday! This will be our first year to do all our own tailgating food. I need your recipes and ideas! Do you have certain recipes that are no-fail, super easy-to-make, or kid-friendly? Please share! I'm trying to pick some healthy things too. Are there certain things you do to make tailgating easier? Especially with kids? Let me know! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! God bless!

Just wondering

Has any else seen the preview for the creepy owl movie coming out? I mean...really. They're just scary looking! I'm not an owl person anyway (no offense if you are), and this movie just looks weird.

10 Things About Me

Random tidbits since I haven't posted in a bit. I haven't had the time to actually think up a lovely post.


1. I love foaming hand soaps. Especially ones from Bath and Body Works. I stocked up during their semi-annual sale. Right now in my kitchen I have the Coconut Verbena. Yum-o.

2. I judge books by their covers. You know you do too.

3. I'm apparently a natural to live on a farm. My dad grew up on a dairy farm and Jeffry's dad did too. What are the chances?

4. I'm growing out my hair. My husband never had any preference on the length of my hair until recently. I decided to grow it out...now he decides he likes long hair. Men are so fickle.

5. I lead worship at my church every Sunday. And I love every minute of it. I get to make our set lists, run the practices, etc. It's not a glamorous job by any means (although some people think that!!); actually, it's not really a job when it's your passion.

6. My boys are in a fighting phase. Like not physically fighting, but arguing over the tiniest things! My nerves are constantly on edge. Paging Dr. Dobson....

7. I'm going through a declutter phase. Right now I'm working on my office in the store. It's so freeing to throw things away!

8. I am in love with Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes. My bff, Kisha, told me they aren't on the menu yet but you can ask for them when you order! AHHH, now I just need a Starbucks here in small town.

9. My church family is my second family. I don't know how else to say it. They are. I just recently became a Life Group Leader of some really wonderful ladies! We meet every Sunday night. I love them to pieces!

10. College Football is in the air. We have our season tickets for Southern Miss! If you watched them play South Carolina last night, please just disregard. We had an off night. Mizzou plays Illinois Saturday....woop woop! Go Tigers!

Ready for Fall!

I'm so ready for fall! It really is my favorite time of year. Just the other day, my friend Kisha and I were longing for Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks which I must say are simply-one-of-the-best-things-ever-about-fall. Sorry I get passionate about them. :)

I bought these last week:

I'm not a Yankee Candle snob, but yummm, how I love their Apple Cider scent. I haven't lit it yet...but this week for sure. 

Every time I've been to the grocery store lately, Caleb has begged me for Apple Cider, but they don't have it in stock yet. Boy takes after his Mama!

I'm ready to wear lots of dresses with leggings. And boots. And scarves. And jackets. 

I'm thinking about spending a lot of time here cheering on the Eagles with my boys:

Southern Miss TO THE TOP!

I'm wondering if I'm talented enough to make this wreath like The Nester.

I'm getting excited about our 2nd Annual Antique Car Show at our store, Jack's Home Improvement Center. I hope it's a chilly day like it was last year!

I really was going to pull out my fall decorations yesterday and start changing my mantle, but I thought my husband my think it was way too early. And then I looked back to see on my blog that I did it the exact same day last year! Haha! Maybe August 23rd should be my Fall Decorating Day. :)

Is anyone else anxiously awaiting fall and it's cooler temperatures?

Cyd's Bday Partaaaay!

This post is dedicated to my bestest friend, Cydnee! I am so excited because Cydnee, Kisha, and I are going to celebrate today. We always get together for each others birthdays. It seems like that's the only time we have been able to set aside lately! Everyone is so busy that it's hard to get schedules together. Cydnee's birthday was August 11th, and I ate lunch with her here in town...but let's be honest. Lunch at Pericos is not the greatest birthday lunch. We usually head to Hattiesburg or the coast for birthday celebrations and have lunch or dinner and a movie. Today we are going to Olive Garden in Hattiesburg and then we are going to see Eat Pray Love (I think!). I'm so excited to get to spend some time with my girlfriends! They are totally my support group! Here are some pics of Cyd over the years :) 

(Kisha is in half of these too! We are the 3 Musketeers!)

Christmas 2008, after I just had Trace

Preschool Awards Day I think

Cyd's bday last year (Julie and Julia) and my baby shower for Trace

Bachelorette party for our friend

Kisha's bday this year

One of our bdays in like 2007?

Bachelorette party!

Cyd with Trace at our church picnic this year

Cyd and me...date night with the hubbys :)

LOVE YOU BESTIE!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!