Silly Bentley

 Silly Benley, he set up a carousel ride using my mixer and the Wizard of Oz ornaments from my tree.  Such a fun idea!

Gamecock Victory!!!!!

Today we watched the Carolina vs. Clemson game with our friends Lia and Stacey and their girls.  It was a nail biter of a game but we LOVED the outcome!!!!!  It's been A LONG time since the Gamecocks won!!!!!  We celebrated the win with doughnuts from KK!  It was a good day!!!! :-)

 

Family Fun Day

Our local high school team was headed to the lower state playoffs tonight.  We decided to make it a full day in Columbia.  We went to camping world to use a coupon we had.  Then we went to the zoo before our guest passes expired.  We had dinner at Andy's favorite place, D's Wings.  After dinner we went to Trader Joes to pick up a few of our favorite non-refrigerated items.  We arrived an hour and a half early for the game and so glad we did!!  The place was packed!  We had so much fun!!!  The game was amazing!!  I'm pretty sure I won't have a voice tomorrow but tonight was awesome!!

 

Black Friday Shopping

Caroline said yesterday that she wanted to go Black Friday shopping.  I'm not a big shopper and especially in the crowds.  However, both girls were super excited!  I asked Caroline what was on her list and where she wanted to go.  The only place she wanted to go was Target and thankfully for me, it didn't open until 7:00.  We got up early, went to Starbucks and then waited in the rain until the doors opened.  For the most part it wasn't crazy but certain sections of the store were nuts.  The only 'deal' we got were matching family pj's, which we've never had before.  AND just for those wondering, it wasn't my idea...it was the girls!  Mags wanted to complain a time or two but we reminded her that SHE wanted to go and if she complained this year, we wouldn't invite her next year! :-)  After Target, we hit Five Below and Hobby Lobby.  Maggie got presents for everyone on her Christmas list.  Caroline had a really long list until she realized that she had a really small budget when considering the number of people to buy for.  She began to scale it down...

It was a fun morning!  Lots of sweet memories!

Thanksgiving at Tomi Jeans

We enjoyed gathering at Tomi Jeans for Thanksgiving.  It was nice to spend time with Jack and Grace.  Ms. Susan surprised everyone breaking free from rehab and joining us as well!  We enjoyed yummy food, cute turkey chocolate covered strawberries and just being together!!
 

10th annual Turkey Trot

 This year is the 10th annual Turkey Trot.  We started 10 years ago as a life group working this event.  The money we received for working the race was sent to our friends who were just starting out as missionaries.  It's a quick morning with big benefits for our friends Courtney and Jeremy.  We've missed the last two years because of COVID and then going out of town last year for Thanksgiving.  It was good to be back this year.  It was cold but oh so fun to see everyone!

Thanksgiving at Momma's

Tonight we gathered at Momma's for Thanksgiving.  It was a fun evening.  Always lots of laughs, funny stories and good food!  The girls worked to put granny's tree up.  They did a great job!

 

Thankful for Caroline's help

 I'm working on my recertification.  One of the assignments required using Canva which I know nothing about! :-)  Thankfully I have a tech savy 14 year old who knows all about this stuff.  She came to my rescue to help me move my information around!  I was so very grateful for her!!!!!

Happy 6th Gotcha Day Charlie Brown

 We've had 6 years of loving this sweet boy!  Happy gotcha day Charlie Brown!!

Taste of Sam's

 Earlier this week when I picked up a few things from Sam's, I received a post card saying that today was their "Taste of Sam's" holiday event.  They had over 20 different samples of yummy goodness.  I called Mom and asked if she wanted to join us.  She and the girls use to have a wonderful time visiting Sam's on Saturday's.  We had fun.  I don't think I tried a single thing I didn't like...such a yummy lunch!!  Even better was the girls days we had together!!  So thankful for my momma and these special moments we share together!

Go Bruins!

Our local high school team has made it to the final 4 in lower state football.  Tonight we went to support them and watch an amazing team!!  It was a fabulous game but mercy was it chilly!  Thankfully we were prepared.  It was fun to actually watch football in cold weather under the lights!  The Bruins won and will play in the lower state championship game this coming week!!  So exciting!!  

 

Red Cup Day

Today was Starbuck's annual red cup day.  It's the day that when you order a holiday drink, you also receive a reusable red cup.  We don't frequent Starbucks often but today was CRAZY!!!!!  Thankfully I ordered on the app so the wait wasn't as long as usual...but I was still late getting to work.  Hope these girls appreciate it!  The girls were super excited to receive their red cup.  
 

PJ's and Favorite Team Day

 Maggie's school is hosting their annual canned food drive this week.  It's a friendly competition between Clemson and Carolina fans.  Today was wear your favorite team attire.  It also happened to be wear PJ's if you sold at least one Krispy Kreme doughnut ticket.  She combined the two for a cozy day in this freezing weather!

Operation Christmas Child Packing

Last night our youth helped pack the actual OCC shoe boxes into larger boxes to be shipped to the packing center...there are so many steps in this!!  We had 15 helpers and they were awesome!!  Maggie LOVED climbing into the vehicles that had boxes in hard to reach places.  The youth were so patient with her as she made stacks of 5.  They were steady working for about an hour and a half.  Then nobody else came for the last hour of the shift.  However, as a parent, I was super proud of how hard they worked without complaining.

Their shift ended at 6:30 and they came to our house for a loaded nacho bar.  Those kids put a hurting on the chips and cheese!  :-)  It was so much fun to have them in our home.  Before kids, we use to host our former youth group all the time.  Last night reminded me of what a gift it is to have them in our home.  All we had to do was supply the food and the place and they did the rest.  Mingled, laughed and had fun.  After dinner we lit my new firepit to roast marshmallows.  I am so grateful for this outdoor space.  It makes hosting so much easier.  Now...after only one day of saying I think I'm finished with the space, I've decided we need outdoor speakers...I'll be looking into that for Christmas...  

Last addition to back porch...for now I think!

We had a small portable fire pit that we use a lot for camping and when hanging out in the backyard.  However, I wanted a table fire pit that we could leave in place year round.  I've been looking but couldn't really find what I wanted in my price range.  A few weeks ago I was in Sam's and saw this one on sale.  I wasn't 100% sure it was the one but felt confident.  Andy and I spent last Saturday riding around town to see if I saw anything else that I liked more...I didn't.  So I used a few of the gift cards from my staff birthday basket, some Sam's cash I had on my account and Andy put the rest with it for an early Christmas present to me.  He and Caroline put it together for me this afternoon and I am in LOVE!!!!  Of course the girls and I had to try it out.  Looking forward to making sweet memories in this space!!  Hard to believe this space sat empty for so long because I was mad it wasn't what I wanted...all along it was actually just what I needed.  Funny how life happens like that! :-)

 

James Island Festival of Lights

I love Thanksgiving.  I LOVE the meaning of Thanksgiving and truly love taking a minute to pause and give thanks for the many gifts we've been given.  But I also LOVE all the fun traditions that come with the Christmas season.  Yes I am a Christian and yes I know that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus.  However, I just truly love the spirit of Christmas.  Christmas music has already been playing in our house for 2 weeks.  :-)  I love Christmas lights.  The first Christmas Andy and I were together he showed me all the wonderful light displays in our now hometown.  

I have always wanted to go to the Festival of Lights at James Island County Park.  There never seemed to be a good time to go.  Early this spring I happened to stumble upon this weekend's availability in the campground.  I was SO excited!!!!  It did not disappoint!! We only stayed last night so we decided to take our tent instead.  We grabbed lunch at Publix and ate once we got set up.  The weather was a lot warmer yesterday than we expected.  However, it was still comfortable.  Caroline and I walked a few of the trails.  Then Maggie and I went to the park.  

Around 5:15 we headed to the festival.  We rode the train first.  The train ride takes you through the light display in the woods.  It was gorgeous.  We got off the train and had to exit through the gift shop...imagine that! There was a neat little sweet shop and we stopped for a sweet snack.  Next we headed back to the campsite to get the van to drive through the actual lights on the road.  I was in awe!  So beautiful! Everything I thought it would be.  Back to the campsite to head over to Santa's village for dinner and the carousal ride.  On the way back to the campsite, I decided I wanted to ride through the lights one more time.  The girls decided to join me.  We each saw several things we missed the first time.

After that, it was about 9:30 and the girls were tired.  This is when we really missed the easiness of the camper.  It took us a minute or two to figure out where everything was that we needed.  It wasn't too terrible just different.  It was a little stuffy when we went to bed but by 6 AM it was 56 degrees and rather chilly!!!  By 7, Maggie was up, dressed and ready for the park.  It was a chilly but beautiful morning.  We had the park to ourselves.  We made our way back to the campsite around 8:30 to start tearing down camp.  

I am so grateful for this trip!!  One more thing I can check off my bucket list.  So thankful for my husband who goes along with my crazy ideas!!

The lights around the dog park pond were amazing!!!  I especially loved the old and new Cooper River Bridge lights.

Thankful for the sweet couple who took our family picture!

Mags loved the winking owl at the campground.  I had too many favorites to pick just one.

It's not a road trip without our girls sleeping on the way home!  They were thankful they had their pillows with them!

 

Tooth Necklace!

 There are few things in elementary school that are more exciting than loosing a tooth at school and receiving a tooth necklace from the school nurse!!!  Mags dreams came true today!!

Basketball has begun!

Maggie wanted to try basketball this season.  She was SUPER excited that her daddy offered to serve as the assistant coach.  A little back story.  Mr. Andy coached rec league basketball.  They were the best of the best!!  So "little" Andy is following in his footsteps and Maggie thinks he is the absolute best!!!  I should mention that she knows very little about basketball so it should be an interesting season!!  I am thankful for these memories that they are making together!
 

Dentist

So I have always had a HUGE fear/anxiousness caused by the dentist.  I detest going to the dentist.  I had a mean old man for a dentist as a kid.  I clearly remember when I had my first cavity.  I asked Dr. Wilder if it would hurt.  He pinched me on my arm and said "It won't hurt as much as that!"  I probably haven't been to the dentist since I had my wisdom teeth taken out 12 years ago.  I KNEW I needed to schedule a visit before something really bad happened.  My sweet friend Amy is a hygentist so I called her and scheduled an appointment with her dentist.  She was amazing and so was the dentist.  Very kind.  Understood my anxiousness.  Sadly I have to have some work done but they are really laid back and said we will take it slow.

This is another example of how Lexipro is helping me live my best life...I am coming to realize that I have always been an anxious person...I am finally able to do things with ease.  I pray that one day I won't need medication to live my best life but for this season I am so grateful!!!!!

Voting

I pray that our girls always know and understand the importance and privilege it is to be able to have a say in our government by voting!
 

Caroline's 14 year old well visit

 When we had COVID 2 years ago, it messed with our yearly well visits during the actual month of their birthday...so now we are 2 months behind which drives me crazy...oh well!  The appointment went well.  Caroline filled out all of her paperwork and answered most of the questions by herself.  Somewhere along the way, this kid got taller than her pediatrician!  We are so thankful for Dr. E who has taken care of our babies over the years.  He is a faithful, Godly man and views the family in a Christlike view.  

• Height: 66 inches=5 ft. 5 (85%)
• Weight: 122 pounds (70%)

I'm officially 5 ft 6 and she thinks she is taller than me.  However, according to this 'official' report I am still taller...it makes her crazy! :-)

Ketchup packets to the rescue!!

 When your recipe for dinner calls for 3/4 cup ketchup but someone opened the last bottle of ketchup without telling you and the extra bottle isn't in the pantry...you're thankful for the huge bag of packets that came with the last Zaxby's catering order!  My only regret is that I didn't actually count the number of packets used! :-)

GS Fall Gathering

Tonight we had our fall gathering at church.  It was so much fun!!!!  We had live music, games and delicious food.  We had a chili contest and a dessert bake off.  I made Charlie's Chili and Caroline made an amazing pumpkin mouse dessert.  It took 4 HOURS to make.  She is a trooper!  She didn't bring home a prize for the dessert bake off but she got lots of compliments!!!  Charlie's Chili came in 2nd!  I was rather proud!!  What a blessing to enjoy a fun evening with our church family!!!!! 

 

Fair Fun

Tonight we took the girls to our local fair.  We found an amazing deal where we all got into the fair, with unlimited rides for $40!  What a deal!!  This was Maggie's first fair.  We weren't really sure how it was going to go as things like this often scare her.  However, she turned out to be a rides junky like her daddy and sister.  Unfortunately Andy got sick on the first ride and was done for the night.  That meant this girl, who has never enjoyed rides, was on duty.  I have never been so thankful for Lexipro in all my life.  I truly had a blast with the girls.  When the rides got too high, I just closed my eyes.  We had a blast but goodness gracious my insides are still trying to recover!!!  Thankful for the memories.  Maybe next year we can go to the State Fair which has so much more to offer.