Sea World 2010....

~My beautiful Mother....who just happened to bring us here to Orlando...~

~Angie, Mom and Me at our favorite restaurant....The Rainforest Cafe~

~Amberlee, Mom and Jordan~

~Love these kids~

~Silly girls, Anna-Joy and Presley in the HUGE tub at our hotel~

~Arctic zone at Sea World...it felt so good in here~

~okay, i had to include this picture...presley is freezing and joseph has to pee. we were in the arctic zone at sea world. it was the coolest (temp wise) place in the whole park! we loved it..except for trying to find joseph a bathroom...~

~Anna-Joy on a carousel...love her little face~

~beautiful girl~

~Presley riding on her little horse~

~Presley looking tired, but still going....~

~One of the performers in the "Believe" whale show~

~Anna-Joy chatting it up with one of the female swimmers in the whale show...she was so sweet to Anna-Joy~

~Presley~

~amazing show...not quite the same since the female trainer was killed in February. very sad.~

~loved this picture...~

~watching the show, and excited~

~the background matches Joseph's shirt..haha!

~grabbing a bite to eat..and drink. it was so hot that day....100 degrees!~

~posing with a mermaid~

~the whole gang..minus Presley? where did she go?~

~can you see the sunscreen?? just a little oily...~

~cheese~

~my favorite girl..amberlee!~

~striking a pose in our hotel room~

What a trip! We had the greatest time in Orlando! Sea World was our main attraction, but we had a full week. Our hotel was packed with activities for the kids and a wonderful pool. I am so grateful to my Mom for taking all of us to this little piece of heaven. Lots of memories and much laughter make this trip unforgettable. I love being with these people, and I can't wait to go back again next year.

We stayed at the Marriot Grand Vista, and it was more than plush for our needs. A three bedroom suite was plenty for us to spread out and have our own space. The hotel could have been an attraction all on it's own. A lot to do, and very relaxing at the same time. My kind of place!

Thank you to my Mom for sweeping us away on this vacation. My heart is already missing us all being together under one roof. Next year is beckoning.....

"Sea" you soon,

Jill

Salty and Sweet...

~One of the 4 trees with a strange face carved in them on the island...spooky~

~love her little profile~

~daddy and presley having a little beach fun~

~heading out to dinner with her favorite man~

~scotty and joseph..best buds~

~riding those waves!~

~standing in a puddle to try and get their feet cooled off~

~little surfer girl~

~here we go to the beach~

~one of the many sand dollars we found on this trip~

~Lem's birthday celebration...we sliced the cake then headed out the door to St. Simon's..happy birthday, Lem! ~

Last week was our annual Summer vacation to St. Simon's...our little home away from home. Our children have been going there since they were newborns, and it always comforts me to know how they cherish the memories we have shared there for many years. I can't convey enough how intertwined my soul is to the beach...the salty air, the warm sand, the crashing of the waves. I can hardly stand to go more than a few months without going to the beach, especially "our" beach as we like to call it.

This year we took a very special little friend, Scotty. Scotty is Joseph's friend from school, and the son of a dear friend of mine, Heather. Heather has been in previous posts on my blog. She has the "C" word, and she is an absolutely amazing lady. I don't think I have ever known anyone quite like her. I love her dearly.

Anyway, Scotty was a joy to have along. He fit in with us like jelly fits with peanut butter. Smooth and easy.

We will be going again in July, and cannot wait to put our feet back in that sand.

still smelling the salty air,

Jill

One layer at a time....

It amazes me how God works. I will never understand Him, nor do I try. I just know that He is always working. It hurts when God is working on me...it is like He is peeling the layers off of an onion. Me, being the onion. One painful strip at a time. Ouch.

Onions must be in season, because I am definitely without a doubt being peeled. Some things are happening that seem way out of my "realm" of comfortableness. At times, I just want to relax and drift through life. Easy breezy, nice and easy. What's wrong with that?? However, God has other plans. He knows I need a lot of work, so He must get a big kick out of my wincing after each peeling. He knows it is for my own good. But, good grief, it's painful!


He opens my eyes to things that sometimes I wish He wouldn't. Why, why?? Because He loves me. He loves me more than I could ever fathom. That's why. He wants what is best for me, and He will keep pursuing me as long as I am breathing on this Earth. It is so funny to me how God works. There are times when I am begging to be used by Him and just barking at the chance to climb a tree for Him. As soon as the opportunity arises, I back down and think..."Hmmmm...not so sure about this. I am pretty comfortable right now." Ha! God must really think I'm a nut case. Can't blame Him.

How about you? What is God doing in your life? Are you feeling out of your "realm" of comfortableness? Or are you just jumping for the chance to be used for His glory? I would love to hear your story. Encouragement and affirmation make my little heart dance!

re-defining my comfort zone,

Jill

Big shoes to fill....

~Lem doing the dishes and cleaning up after lunch...i LOVE this man!~ ~my beautiful Mother as we presented her gift...it was filled with pottery that our children had especially decorated and designed for her...~

~Angela, Amberlee and Jordan love on their sweet Momma~

~Momma and her girls~

~Momma and Me (a/k/a her sidekick)~

Wow, where to start with how much I love my Momma...I guess I will just list a few things that I will always cherish in my heart about this lady that God has blessed my life with.

~she is the funniest person you will ever meet. not just "haha" funny, but belly laughing, stomach hurting, mascara running kind of funny.

~my friends have always called her their 2nd momma.

~she is my biggest cheerleader...even if i was terrible at something, she made me feel like i could accomplish anything.

~she believes in me. more than she should.

~she loves my children like they are her very own. i have to tell you, this makes my heart melt more than anything else. when someone loves your children bone-deep...you KNOW they are special.

~the way that she smells...whatever perfume du`jour she is wearing, she always smells so good!

~her discernment. it is scary, but it's a powerful gift from God. i appreciate it much more now that i am older...growing up, it wasn't much fun though.

~her spaghetti. every year for my birthday she makes my own special spaghetti, salad with ranch, and green cake. i need nothing else, just those things. :)

~her giving spirit. my goodness, she would give her very last breath to someone in need. she doesn't know the word selfish. perhaps this is her greatest quality, because it just comes so completely natural to her.

~her protectiveness. yes, she is sweet...but she is also feisty. don't mess with her babies...enough said.

~her peaceful spirit. many a days, i will call to just hear her voice. it is so soothing to me. she always knows what to say and what i need to hear.

~she is the centerpiece of our family. she is always planning trips for us all to be together. her world revolves around her family.

~she thinks that i am her sunshine. Lord knows that SHE is the sunshine, I am just a little weed trying to catch a ray of her.

~she loves my Lem like her very own. i love when she brags on him and tells me how wonderful he is. it makes my heart so happy.

~she loves me just the way i am.

~she is the best cook in the world. she can throw together anything, and it is the best meal you have ever laid your mouth on. seriously.

~she can throw a party...and a good one. nothing momma does is "half-way". if she is going to do something, by golly watch out! it is going to be big and lots of fun!

~i love her hands, they are always warm. i love to hold them at church, or in the car.

~i love how my children think that she hung the moon. presley always says that she wishes maw maw was her mommy. then she quickly says...well, i wish she was my "other" mommy. it doesn't offend me one bit, i wouldn't have it any other way.

~did i say that she believes in me? perhaps not one other person has the faith in me that she does. she knows my strengths, and she encourages me to utilize them.

My list could go on and on and on....I love my Momma. She has made me who I am as a Momma, as a Wife, and as a friend. Thank you. You will never know how your doting words have whispered in my ears. Your prayers and your songs are in my heart that you washed over me when I was a little girl.

"Happy Mother's Day" seems so little to say. How about "Best Mother Everyday". You are some mighty big shoes to fill.

wanting to be like you,

Jilly

Kicking the Bucket, so to speak....

Okay, so some friends of mine are making "Bucket Lists". I kind of scoffed at the idea at first...but now I am sort of wanting to make one of my own. Just today, I have thought of 2 things that I want to put on this list..skiing, and playing on a softball team again. As soon as I add some more things, I promise to post this "Bucket List" thinghy majiggy. This may be fun? I guess we will see!

Stay tuned,

Jill

Mommy Jane turns 60.....

~not sure why the pics were blurry..maybe i had a foggy lens...who knows...~

We celebrated Jane's 60th birthday on April 16th. The kids had a great time serenading her and helping her to blow out her candles. We are so thankful for our Mommy Jane! She only gets more and more beautiful as she gracefully ages.

Make a wish,

Jilly

Happy Easter....

~Easter egg hunting!~ ~everything is a competition with Presley~

~The whole crew...lined up and ready to hear the word.."GO!"~

~Maw Maw and Joseph~

~caught a glimpse of them chatting it up, and couldn't resist a picture~~ the crowe and the hill children...matching...of course!~

~Mama Jane and Lem~

~Presley and Danny~

~our annual Easter at Jane's picture~

~Joseph and William~

~Presley and Ashley~

~My Loves~

~getting ready to round the corner to see what Easter Bunny brought them~

~and here we have it!~

This year was another wonderful Easter for our family. We began by going to our church, Eastridge Community, and then lunch at Jane's. After lunch, we met my extended family on my Mom's side at my cousin Ginger's house. It was so much fun! The kids hunted eggs, and the weather was so warm! Almost too warm! But, I loved it!!

One of the most exciting thing for me is watching the kids wake up to their little Easter baskets. When I say"little", I mean "little"! We have always told the Easter Bunny to keep it to a minimum for Easter, so that the emphasis will be on Jesus and His resurrection. Of course, the grandparents feel a little differently about not spoiling them, and that is okay. :)

I am so grateful for our little family, and I cherish every memory with these people. They make my life so full, and complete. My children and my husband are my little piece of heaven here on earth.

He is risen,

Jill