Fall brings a family favorite….a Dove Shoot!

 

 The hubs in the dove field

 

I just ADORE these picture!!  Nothing could be sweeter than this!

 

What a great weekend!  The shoot took place at our house and it was nice to be right there in the middle of it (literally) rather than having to load the youngin’s up. 

This was a lazy Saturday and I told the girls to dress themselves…..hence CJ’s lovely color combo…haha!  Not to mention the lack of camo!!  But who cares….they were having a great time!

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I love seeing the kids interact with Cory and hunting.  It brings back so many memories of me and my family.  I used to love to go hunting with my Daddy.  I am so thankful for the traditions our family has started and the ones we’ve inherited.  Looking forward to many more dove shoots with family and friends!

~jct~

Lila Rae’s Birthday Gifts and More

 

 Our Lila Rae

On Lila Rae’s birthday we did ALL the things we do for our precious angel’s big day!  At church, the flowers at the Altar and the wreaths on the front door were dedicated in her honor.  We had her special birthday dinner and dessert.  We took her flowers and sent her and Jesus some balloons (pink of course). 

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Her day was VERY special.  It always is.  BUT.  This year was different.  She was giving us a gift!

On this day, out of God’s hands, we were given a home!!!  Now for months we have been working on this project……waiting for the day to close on our new home.  And of course the FIRST day that was available for ALL involved was September 13th, my baby girl’s birthday.  You cannot tell me that that isn’t the work of our Lord and Savior!  So we like to think of our new home (a much needed home) as a gift from our Lord with a little help from his angel Lila Rae (smiling!)  I AM ONE PROUD MOMMA!!!!  To know that my baby girl is not only sitting in the right hand of our God but is actually working with Him to show her love for us.  (yes I am crying….but what Momma wouldn’t be?!)

What a beautiful thing it is to see God’s involvement in our lives.  How He continues to show His love and grace is amazing to me.  I am so thankful He interwove(?) my Lila Rae and our home.  You know I couldn’t figure out why God had been prolonging the closing on our home.  I would get upset and wonder if we were even doing the right thing.  But Cory and I knew God’s hand was in it and we just had to wait on His time.  NOW I know why and I am so thankful He waited….waited for Lila Rae.

What a special day my Lord made………

 

Our new home!

 

 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.  He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

^{James 1:17}

ACA Future Cheerleaders

 

Its the week of September 6th and the girls are participating in the school’s CHEER CAMP!!!

Since school started I get asked at least once a day about CHEER CAMP and how much longer they had to wait!!

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FINALLY, our week came and Cora Jane and Vera Kate couldn’t have been more excited!  So everyday after school their fearless leaders, the Varsity cheerleaders and coaches, would teach this group of 26 girls how to cheer on our EAGLES!!

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The girls worked HARD all week long and their payoff finally came at the Pep-Rally!  The girls got to cheer during the most exciting thing at school….can you feel the excitement?!?!?  And as if that wasn’t enough….they got to cheer during half-time at the home game that night!!!!  Wahoo!!

Future Eagle Cheerleaders

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The Game……

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was AWESOME!!!

God is good…………..ALL the time,

~jct~

Special Moments

 

Granny reading her babies their bedtime story…I don’t know who enjoyed it more!!

We are so thankful for Granny and Papa visits!!  They are so special to us!  What’s even more special is the time they spend with us.  We are looking forward to their next visit…..any day now!

Cora Jane’s Puppy Paw-ty at the Pound

 

 

 

OK, Mommas how many of you out there remember the Pound Puppies?  Well my CJ loves to watch that old cartoon.  And of course that’s the party she wanted for her second birthday.  Well its not like you can just go down to your local party store or even online and order Pound Puppy party stuff.  So we improvised!!

We had a Pound Puppy party our style!  And CJ was so excited and loved the whole idea!! 

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After all the kids arrived, I explained that we were going to the pound today to adopt our very own puppy dog.  After they decided which puppy they wanted, the kids made adoption papers for the pups, a collar, and name tag!  It was so much fun and too cute to watch!

The kids had the best time picking out all the different things for their animal.  Cora Jane had a blast sharing her love a dogs with everyone and I am so grateful they enjoyed it as much as she did!

 

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~~~~Our Family~~~~

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And for everyone to enjoy, adults and kids alike received “Puppy Chow” as a party favor!  This is the good puppy chow!  It is Chex cereal covered in chocolate, peanut butter, and sugar……sweet!

For I am confident of this very thing,
that He who began a good work in you
will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 1:6)

~jct~

Cora Jane’s Birthday Paw-ty at School

 

What a fun day we had for CJ’s birthday!! 

Cora Jane loves all her friends at school!  She had to have a party with them on her special day to celebrate.  She is so blessed to have such good friends and teachers at her school.

For CJ’s party we had a Puppy theme.  She really likes loves puppy dogs.  So for our big girls party we did puppy plates, napkins, cups, the whole works!

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I had a great time planning this little pizza party.  There are only four in her class and so that makes it easy to do extra stuff for them.  Their little goody bags were the paw cups I found that coordinated with the theme.  I stuffed the cups with all sorts of things with puppies on them.  And then I found this ribbon that I’ve had for forever and it matched perfectly!  (I love it when I get to use stuff I’ve got in my craft clutter!!)

 

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But it doesn’t matter what the decor looked like, what the goody bags had in them, or what we ate.  All that matters are the people that we get to share it with!  And Cora Jane is one blessed little girl to be able to share it these friends!

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:9-10

God is good…..ALL the time,

~jct~

Our Heavenly Angel is Four

 

Today is a very special day!  The birthday banner is hanging outside, the cake is in the oven, and the special birthday menu is ready to be prepared!

The only thing missing is our baby girl!

Birthday party plans should be in the making.  Everyone is tuned up, ready to sing her her song.  The balloons have been ordered and her flowers are as perfect as she is.

The only thing missing is our baby girl!

Oh how I wish this day was filled with the laughter of our Lila Rae.  Having her here to celebrate her birthday is something we’ll never have.  She will always be the missing link to our family.  Physically. 

But we know that she is with us  in other ways. 

She is our guardian angel that protects her sisters and brother.  She is in the warm smile or laughter I receive from other babies.  She is in the extra hug or “I love you Mommy” that I get from my girls or Whit.  She is in the beauty ALL around us.  She is always in our thoughts.  On our minds.  In our life.  There isn’t a day that goes by she isn’t thought of.

Thank you God for this beautiful gift You so richly blessed us with.  We will always treasure this day and the beauty, our Lila Rae, shared with us all.

Happy Birthday Lila Rae!  We love you!

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb
~ Psalm 139:13 from NLT

God is good….ALL the time,

~jct~