Fall Festival Fun

We have had a very busy fall season.  We recently attended Sarah's Fall Festival at her school.  I'm so glad that she has made some friends at school and she really enjoys going.  I was so excited because she is actually wearing her Halloween costume this year -- first time ever!!!

Sarah (Pinkalicious), Hailey (Tangled Princess), and Eli (crab)

Sarah and Hailey are such sweet friends.

My sweet little princess gets tired of posing for mommy and the  camera!

This is Dawson participating in the St. Jude Trike-a-thon.  Way to go Dawson!!

Sarah has decided she loves Bouncy Houses.

Mommy, look at me ... I'm jumping!!

Sarah and her "frenemy" Presley

Ran-Dom!!!

Okay, so have you visited this fairly new addition to the Patton creek shopping center?

God's Little Princess Devotional Bible Book Review

I received this book for free a while back as part of the Booksneeze Blogger team.  This is a great devotional Bible for a little girl.  When we first received it, Sarah was still so young that I would simply read some of it to her, but it was over her comprehension level.  I would say that any little girl receiving this Bible should probably be at least 4 to really benefit from this book.  I read parts of it with my (almost) three year old, but I have to pick and choose.  I really like that this book allows us to focus on some of the issues that matter to little girls.  It also has some fun art activities that you can use, some simple drama/plays that your little actress can perform, and Bible stories that focus on women of the Bible.  One of her favorite things is reading about "herself".  She sometimes will pick up this book and ask to have the story of "Sarah" read to her.  Even though she was named after a family member, it was also important to us that it was also a Bible character name.  I have really enjoyed having this book in our library of resources for Sarah.  I know that as she gets a little bit older, we will be able to use it even more. 

Sarah's "friends"

Sarah really likes her mannequin friends.

Homemade chicken noodle soup

Super yummy!! Of course, Sarah still thinks chick-fil-a soup tastes better!

Sarah's birdhouse

Praise Girl

Sarah is learning early to praise the Lord!!!

Roll Tide

Unexpected Blessings

I really don't know what to say ... God is Good.

That is really enough and it totally sums up everything else that I could tell you.  I had just finished writing the previous post and I got a phone call from Michael.  But first, let me back up ...

While at church yesterday, I got a phone call on my cell phone telling me that I had an envelope with my name on it at the church office.  I didn't listen to the message until we had already left church, because my phone was on silent.  Well, today, I got an email about an envelope and we also had gotten a message on our home phone.  I asked Michael to go to the church and get it because it must be something big. 

It was $200 cash.  No name attached.  If you had any part in this ... thank you so much!!!!  God has used whoever individual or group to prove Himself and reveal His faithfulness to us once more.  Thank you Lord for bringing us back to you when our faith wavers. 

Unemployed

I haven't written this post because i secretly don't want to believe that it is true.  Michael doesn't have a job.  He has taught school for the past five years at Cornerstone Christian School in Columbiana.  Two weeks before school started, his "principal" sent out an email to all teachers requesting that they all make appointments to see him the next day.  Well, when Michael went in for his appointment, he was told that he was being let go due to financial reasons.  They also let 11 other people go, including the Head of Elementary, all elective teachers and some lunchroom/office staff.  The children are the ones who suffer.  i know that is the reality, but why do i feel like michael is being punished for doing a good job.  i feel that jay was threatened by michael and dawn, and that he didn't like them having more advanced degrees than him and subscribing to the "traditional" way of schooling our children.  oh well .... i know that God has a much better plan for us.  i'm just tired of waiting on it.  i get frustrated with michael being at home, even though the house is clean! :)  i know that he is frustrated being there, although he has enjoyed having a break and getting to clean the house! 

ready to see the big picture and get on with things ....

Killer Mosquitos!!!

Well, for a while now we have noticed that Sarah has extreme reactions to bug bites.  Several months ago, she got bit by some ants at school and they had to call me because it was so many and causing some swelling.  Several weeks ago, she got bit by something on her ankle and it swelled up and turned an odd color.  We always try to spray her down when we are at home playing, but do you spray bug spray on a toddler's face ... well, now we do!  Here was Sarah this past weekend.

Poor thing got bit on her eyebrow.  Her whole eye was almost swollen shut, but she was such a trooper.  She tries really hard not to scratch, but you can imagine!  She now asks that we spray her all the way down and she squeezes her eyes shut so that we can spray her face.  Of the few of you who read this blog ... do you think that these reactions will lead to an epi-pen in our future?  Meaning, if she's having these reactions to mosquitos, what about bees?  just curious!

coincidentally, my friend Susan was making some "Bug-Off Spray" on this same day.  be sure to check out her post here and also at Babypalooza this weekend!!!

Teddy Bear Clinic

On Saturday, we took Sarah to the Bham Zoo for Teddy Bear Clinic. The zoo had pre-vet students from Auburn there taking care of all the hurt animals. Well, since Pappy Bear goes everywhere with us, it was only natural for us to get him checked out.

We didn't realize until Sarah was providing the intake information, that Pappy Bear had two broken legs.  Sarah told the lady that he had fallen off the bed that morning.  Oh no!  Here he is getting his temperature taken.

Well, I don't know why I can't turn the pictures around ... but here is Pappy Bear being evaluated.  Sarah got to choose the color of the splints and she chose green.

Sarah also got to choose the color of the casts.  They didn't have pink, so she went with green to match the splints.

Here is Pappy Bear getting the casts put on.  We aren't sure how long they will have to be on.

Pappy Bear is getting a shot of antibiotics.  I sure hope it helps!!!  Poor thing, Pappy Bear maintained a smiling face even though I'm sure broken legs must be really painful! :)

Blast from the past

Look at Sarah. She's wearing a "vintage" apron from Country Manor!!

Meals to go

Sarah enjoys using her new meal box in the car. It helps keep everything near and tidy.

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

This is a book that I just made for Sarah about our most recent trip to the farm.  It is posted here because Shutterfly has a promotion going on that will give me a gift certificate to their site for posting this for all of you to see!  Shutterfly has great deals, you should definitely check it out!

ER trip

Look! Beanie and Sarah both have matching hospital id bracelets.

Update:  Okay, so I forget that some of you read my blog, but don't follow me on Twitter or facebook.  Last week, Sarah fell off of our kitchen island.  She fell backwards onto the kitchen floor about 3-1/2 feet, maybe a little more.  We heard her scream a sound that we had not heard before.  She was terrified-obviously!  For a while afterwards, she didn't want to move her left arm and said that her shoulder hurt.  We were also concerned about her head because it was red, but no swelling that we could see.  Remember -- always better to have a huge knot come OUT rather than have a knot on the INside!  I called the afterhours number to find out what warnign signs should i be looking for and they told us to go straight to the ER.  That means Children's Hospital Downtown ER.  Not fun! 

All in all, we were there for a little over 4 hours, almost witnessed some domestic violence right in front of us, and saw our daughter go from a scared hurt little girl unable to ride in her carseat and had to be carried in to a happy little girl who was clearly fine within that 4 hour waiting room period.  We knew she was fine after about an hour or so, but you hate to leave without seeing the doctor. 

Bottom line, blunt head trauma.  They stated that it was possible that she could have suffered a very mild concussion, but she didn't really present that way.  We sent her to school the next day, gave Tylenol for a few days, and now she's all good.  Thank you for all the calls and concerned emails!! :)

Addiction?

If I am having to ask for change from co-workers and scrounge up pennies ... does that mean that I'm addicted to the MickeyD's sweet tea?