Elections and a laugh!!

I know that Sara has picked up on the election tomorrow since we have talked with the older kids about the importance of voting etc and she has heard us praying about it for a while now. (Oh, and Lee taught Clayton how to say "No Bama" instead of "trick or treat" on Friday night but that is another blog!!) Tonight at dinner she was trying to be such a big girl and talk about the voting tomorrow.....I explained that Mommy had already voted and tomorrow we didn't have to go. Sara's reply was so cute.......and I quote......"Mommy, I hope you didn't vote for 'A ROCK O MAMA' the other one was better for us." The serious look on her face was simply priceless!!!!!

I am scratching my head!!!

Maybe I'm crazy but I had to share!!!!! This week at Daniel and Rebecca Ann's school it is red ribbon week to educate the kids about drugs etc.....There have been activities all week of fun things that the kids are encouraged to do or wear. Monday was wear red day, Tuesday was crazy hat day etc. Today was "hero day" and the kids were to asked to dress up like their favorite hero. We had a teacher and Paul Hamm....pretty normal, right? I asked the kids who had the coolest idea for a hero.....they both said the kid who was ELVIS!!!!!! Didn't he die of an OVERDOSE!!!!! Boy, I am glad I'm not that Mommy........but it was a FUNNY ride home!!!!

Now that is what I call tired!!!!!

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Originally uploaded by Goolsby Gallery

Sara Grace had a family picnic at school a couple of Friday's ago and we talked all the way home about how much fun she had with Daddy and all of her friends. She fell asleep in the neighborhood and slept a full 2 hours!!!! Being cute takes a lot of energy!!!!

"The Fall Tree"

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Originally uploaded by Goolsby Gallery

Every year the kids know that fall is almost here when they see this skinny little tree on the road from our neighborhood. It is the first tree every year that changes colors and the Goolsby's have named it "The Fall Tree". I pointed it out to Daniel 10 years ago and he would show it to Rebecca Ann and now I have Sara Grace pointing it out to Clayton every time we pass it. I had Lee stop this morning and take a picture to capture the memory (I am sure the neighbors think that we are crazy!!!). I don't want to forget the "little things" that always make me smile!!

Patty asked me to help her load this video to her blog and then she fell asleep.
Penne Rustica is our favorite dish at Macaroni Grill. There is nothing like finding a great copycat recipe for your favorite dishes. Patty and I spent her birthday evening cooking this together. It turned out to be an exact replica if not a bit better than the original. The video is very entertaining and after watching it you can head on over to http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/ and find the complete recipe. The site seems to be a membership site but this recipe is free. Can't wait to try some of his other recipes. Wonder if he has cloned Bonefish's BANG BANG Shrimp?
Posted by Lee

Just call her "Grace"

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Originally uploaded by Goolsby Gallery

Sara and Rebecca Ann have a new hobby. They like to make up plays and dances for us to watch. They are all funny but tonight we laughed ourselves to tears!!! Thanks to big brother Daniel for capturing this on his camera!!! Does anyone think that we can send this one in to AFV? We love you sweet Sara!!!

The Burning Bush

Anyone who has talked to me this week knows it has been a long one!!!! I have half joked all along that if God has been trying to teach me a lesson then He is going to have to put a burning bush in my path for me to get it!!! Today, He did just that.........
After dropping off the kids this morning, I decided I should go home and get the house picked up since I am working this weekend. (I always feel better when I can at least see the floor) Good use of my time, right? Anyway, I got home and it was too quiet so I decided I needed music to get me going.....only finding a working CD player can be challenging now that Clayton likes to take things apart. :) The radio...too much talking.....then I thought about the blogs that I visit with music.....good idea.....searched until I found something upbeat...put in the ponytail.....rolled up the sleeves....it was time to get serious!!!!!
I started picking up...then cleaning....and then it was scrub time in the kitchen.....and then I felt so convicted!!! God started working on my heart in a way that is hard to describe....as I was SCRUBBING the TOP of the FRIDGE (I'm telling you...it had to be God....I never go up there) I started thinking about all of the ugly in my heart...all the things that I need to clean out to make myself more attractive and usable....(who knew there could be 3 pairs of scissors on top on the fridge?? Hard to use them if you can't find them, huh?) That is when I realized my 10 year old had just taught me a lesson.....I have used the Colossians 4:6 verse as my goal only to realize that I need to work on my heart first.....just because it doesn't come out of my mouth doesn't mean it is not in my heart. New goal: Luke 6:45b "For out of the overflow of his heart, his mouth speaks." I can't ask of my children what I don't have myself. The burning bush!!!!!
Instead of 3 hours of cleaning house.....it was 3 hours of cleaning house and heart, prayer, and praise. But best of all peace!!!!! That is what I needed....all week I have felt like I've been swimming up stream....trying to keep my chin up and not be upset by things I can't control but without peace.....it was impossible!!! I am so thankful God had time to teach me a lesson today....I can look at car problems and dryer malfunction as things that got my attention this week to a much bigger problem that was going on inside of me. It was a wonderful morning.....Now......I wonder what lesson I might learn if I start cleaning the garage? Another day......Right now I'm praying I have a dryer working by bedtime....a public laundromat was a humbling experience this week!!!