My friend, Katie, made it into a national magazine! She has a website, www.couponkatie.com, that helps others find good deals on groceries and the like. Check out her site here.

Labels: Friends

68 degrees on Thursday
Snowing on Sunday
Supposed to be 72 degrees on Friday

Here's what we did on our 68 day. :)Olivia and the Elephant














The chimps were very friendly. I guess it was the beautiful weather. The kids were all quite shocked at how active they were. Jonathan's reflection in the glass tells the story better than I can.



Holly and Hosanna ~ Don't you just love their beautiful hair!?

Labels: Friends

My friend, Heidi, and I switch out babysitting time weekly so that we can both get some much needed time alone. We've been doing this regularly for over 4 years. Just thought you might enjoy some pictures of the kids at lunch last week. Silly kids!

Labels: Friends, Silly Boys

Jonathan playing in the dirt

Ally

Olivia

Henry

Labels: Friends

We've had our experience with the city fire department over the years - for a quick reminder go to the archives on February 15, 2006 and August 21, 2007. (For some reason I can't link to my own blog.) But we'd never been to the actual fire station. So my friend, Cindy, scheduled a morning visit. We had a great time. When they asked how old the children were there was some confusion. Cindy (who has triplets) told them they were four and four and four and four and four.

Labels: Friends

Here's Ida with her mom and Andy's mom

Alison with Benjamin

The beautiful table and decorations

Caleb and Benjamin - the only males at the shower

Labels: Friends

I've been a member of my church for 14 years. Over that time, we have experienced the deaths of two members and three infants. However, this week has been a very difficult one for our church. As posted previously, our friend, Alexis, was killed in a car accident on Friday, and I received word yesterday that one of our church's care group leaders, Ron Lewis, died on Christmas Day. (That's him in the picture in the black shirt.)

Ron lived on the lake and frequently invited groups of people over for a day of fun on the lake. He and his wife, Janice, hosted a lake day and dinner for our closest friends just before our wedding and did the same for Brian and Zerita.

My two favorite memories of Ron are his detailed tour of the lake area and his love of a particular Christmas Carol. On the lake tour, he would take groups around in the boat and show us all the areas of interest - the apartment where he and Janice lived before they decided to buy a home on the lake, the herons nesting in the trees, and his favorite place on the lake that he called "Jacob's Ladder" which was a huge rickity stairway that reached from the lake to someone's home.



My other favorite memory of Ron was that he loved the song, "O Holy Night." Everytime I was at their house, we'd all gather around the piano while he played and and I sang the Christmas song - even if it was 100 degrees outside. Now Ron is on his knees in front of his Savior.

Labels: Friends

It's been a difficult weekend. Our friend, Alexis, was killed in a car accident on Friday. Her boys survived the accident. Please pray for this family!


Alexis Shrader Cantrell - age 30, of Knoxville, formerly of Memphis, joined her Savior Friday evening, December 21, 2007 after an automobile accident. Alexis was a member of Cornerstone Church of Knoxville, sang with the Children's Worship Team and was a member of the Hill Care Group. She was a loving mother, daughter, sister and the perfect wife. Alexis is survived by her husband of 6 years, Tim Cantrell; children, Mason age 4 and Evan age 2; parents, Danny and Toni Shrader of Memphis; brother, Noah Shrader and fiancee Christy. The family will receive friends from 5 to 6:15 p.m. Sunday December 23, followed by a memorial service at 6:30 p.m. at Cornerstone Church of Knoxville. In lieu of flowers, a trust is being established for their children's education. Click Funeral Home Farragut Chapel, 11195 Kingston Pike is serving the Cantrell family. www.clickfuneralhome.com

Labels: Friends

It's a bird....it's a plane...!

Going on an adventure while being gentlemen by helping Ada up the hill

Trying to shake the leaves off the tree

Parks and Ada

I went to the doctor again yesterday, and my fluid level is still normal at 10cm. So, we'll just hang out for a while to see what's going to happen. I wanted to clarify something. I've had a couple of comments about my due date being next week. My due date is December 17. When I said I would be full term on November 26, that's 37 weeks. Doctors consider you full term from 37-42 weeks. That's why my c-section is scheduled for December 12. I'll be 39 weeks.

Labels: Baby #3, Fall, Friends