Today was a fun day.  We had Nathan's last basketball game.  They won by about 20 points.  Nathan has really improved, but let's just say, he's no Michael Jordan!  Bless his heart, he tries.  I'm still proud of him.  We also went to David Field's 6th birthday party at Conxion.  It was a lot of fun.  My camera is out of commission or I would have pics.  Actually, the batteries are just dead and I've been too lazy to go and buy some.  I finally got some on my way home from the party because I believe I will need it tomorrow.  We are supposedly getting a good bit of snow tonight, so I'm sure we'll be out early.  I am excited about church in the morning.  God is blessing Riverbend so much.  People are growing and excited about God and what he can do in their lives.  I must say we have the most amazing worship leader and band.  The preacher is pretty good too. Ha!  I love my pastor, my husband, my best friend.  Hopefully we'll wake up with lots of snow on the ground in the morning.  Maybe we can even walk to church.  Well, I don't know about that.  My Bulldogs lost again today.  It was really depressing!  But, Ole Miss got beat too, so that makes it a little better.  I'm starting to keep house a little better.  Thanks, Amanda for some good suggestions.  The upstairs still needs some work, but I don't have to look at it very much.  We have enjoyed a relaxing night at home tonight.  I am about to go to bed so I can be ready for snow time before church.  

Wow!  It has all ready been a busy week and it has barely begun.  Anybody have any free advice on how to keep a house clean when you are always on the go?   I've tried a few strategies, like do a certain type of cleaning on different days, or making a list of things I have to get done that day.  This last route always leaves me exhausted by 9:00 because I'm frantically trying to do all that is on the list before the day ends.  I'm a list person.  I even make a list out of everything we need packed before we go on a big trip, which is not very often.  If my house is in a mess, so am I.  It's driving me CRAZY.  It feels like I clean all the time, and I don't get anywhere.    I would LOVE some suggestions.  I'm giving away a brand new Rachel Ray cookbook.  The past two meals I have fixed from this book have been awful.  Me and Rachel just don't click!  It could be the cook, but either way, the book has got to go.  Any takers???  I'm off to bed.  It's been a good day.  God is good!    

We had game night with the youth on Friday night.  The game of the night was "Balderdash".  You make up a definition to a word you've never heard before.  The reader reads aloud everyone's made up definition along with the correct one.  Then you try to choose the correct one from all of them.  It was a lot of fun, and the youth made up some GREAT defs.  Mary Beth Potts was the winner of the game.   They got to take home all the left-over tacos!  Ha!   Thanks to all the youth that came.  It was a blast!  Here are a few pictures of the night.

The winner, Mary Beth.  She's exhausted from using all that brain power.

Aaron, Amanda, Austin, and Heather

Amanda and Heather

Sweet Heather

David, Brian, and Tina

Brandon and David.  Do they look like they're up to something?

Amanda reading defs.  This was very hard because you could not laugh when you read the definitions.  Some of them were hilarious, so this part was hard!

Austin, Renea, and Amanda

Well, I just successfully finished my first CEU class tonight at 8:45.  As many of you know, I'm planning to start teaching full-time next year.  I need 10 CEU's to renew my teaching license for another 5 years.  This was my first one, so I have a lot to go.  They are from 3:45--8:45 two nights a week.  Thankfully, my husband has a flexible schedule and is willing to do the "bedtime" thing in order for me to do this.  Hey, it's much better than taking classes over the summer, and much cheaper too.  It was actually very interesting and I plan to share it with the teachers at DCES.  

Today, for lunch,  I met some friends from our old church, Coldwater.  It was very good to see them and to catch up.  Mari Morgan was the queen, of course.  One of the ladies bought her her favorite- ice cream with m&m's.  Thanks, Missy!  We love you all and miss you bunches!

I am looking forward to finishing my cleaning tomorrow, and taking it easy this weekend!    

We spent the weekend at my mom's house.  We have not been to their house since Christmas and it was a lot of fun.  Nathan got to play with Hogan, his first cousin, on Saturday morning.  He loves to play with him.  Hogan is in 4th grade and is so sweet to my immature little Nathan.  Mari Morgan also got a treat.  She got to go to Edie's house and spend the night for the first time.  They had a pajama party.  She was so excited!!!!!  Edie is her first cousin and they are 4 days apart.  They LOVE each other!  It is almost annoying.  They always hold hands and hug.  On Sunday we all went to church together and came back to my parents' house for lunch.  My mom had made a heart cake for them to decorate.  They had the best time.  Here are a few pics of our afternoon.   Oh, I forgot to tell you, my 90 year old grandmother also spent Sunday with us.  You will see her in some of the pictures below. 

Mari Morgan, Edie, Banks, and Nathan the decorators.  Check out Nathan's pose.  His dad will not like this.

Papaw and Mari Morgan

Banks  with a little frosting on his mouth

Nathan's favorite picture face

Licking the icing

Edie decorating

The beautiful cake

There is a store in Mantee called Silly Whispers.  They have hand-made children's clothes.  My mom and I took a few from the store for them to try on.  We are going to get them outfits made alike for their birthday, which is in March.  They pranced around in them.  They really looked 

cute.  If you're ever in Mantee, you should check out the store, or it would be worth the drive!

The second graders at Desoto Central Elementary had a Patriotic/Grandparents Day program today.  They sang songs about our country, and rapped the Pledge of Alliegience.  They all dressed in red, white, or blue.  It was outstanding!    Nathan had a speaking part.  He did GREAT!  He said he was nervous, but you sure couldn't tell.  We're so proud of you sweet boy.  My mom, Grandma, and Brian's dad, Pop, came to share this special morning with us.   After the  program, we were asked to come to their rooms for refreshments and a special gift.  Each student had made a a patriotic flag with their picture on it to give to each set of grandparents.  It was a neat time!   

Nathan saying his part with his shirt untucked.  I was so mad at him. We had worked so hard that morning tucking in his shirt just right and putting on a belt.  Oh well!

The second graders- can you find Nathan?  Hint- On stage, second row, on right.

Pop, Nathan, and Mari Morgan

My sweet boy and me.  I can't believe he's half- way through second grade.

Grandma, Nathan, and Mari Morgan

Nathan and Mrs. Wood(his favorite teacher).  Can you please just go to third grade with us?

I went to the doc Wednesday with a horrible rash.  They did blood work and finally got results back today.  I have the Shingles of all things.  It itches really bad!!!  Yesterday and today it has started to hurt, but I have a very light case.  I can be around people, and if it's not oozing, shouldn't  be contagious.  Mine is not doing that.  The doc said my kids should be okay, because of recent shots.  Still, it is very uncomfortable and not allowing me to sleep very well.  I have been put on an anti-viral medication and was given a cream.  Hopefully in a couple of days I will be better.  How gross!!!  Brian has been sick for almost two weeks now.  I think he is finally feeling a little better.  Nathan and Mari Morgan have been pretty well, with only a few coughs and sniffles.I pray that continues.  I praise the Lord for my family.   

We had a bonfire for the youth tonight.  It was a lot of fun!  We ate hamburgers and the works.  Thanks to John and Kathy for letting us use their home.  The burgers were delicious, John.  We roasted marshmallows and made smores.  It was Nathan and Mari Morgan's first time to roast marshmallows.  They were so excited and were the life of the party, needless to say.  Then, we played a game called "Murder".  Kimberly Keltner was the grand prize winner.  She killed the most people.  Don't worry, you were dead when she blinked at you.  We had three girls;  HeatherPardue, Kristen Keltner, and Kimberly Keltner.  I don't know where the boys were, cause these girls are really cute!!!  We had a good time.  Look forward to playing Balderdash in a couple of weeks.   

After dinner Nathan and Mari Morgan said, "Mama, can we do something special?"  I told them we might play a game or something after they took their bath.  I began to think about something special we could do.  When I was a little girl I loved to build tents out of sheets, blankets, and anything else I could find.  I put them in the bath, and I began to build.  It was actually fun.   When they got out of the tub they were surprised to find this tent I had built for them.  I told them this was their something special.  Best part about it is that it didn't cost anything.  They were so excited!  

Nathan and Mari Morgan inside tent

The big tent

They called this their window

They played games under the tent

.  

We had our first small group meeting Sunday night.  We watched the game and ate Brandon's famous hot wings.  They were very good, but very hot and spicy.  It was a fun time.

As you can see, the kids had fun upstairs.  This is Mari Morgan's room- I think!?!

The girls-  Amanda, me, Mary Beth, and Jennifer.    Don't you just love that MSU sweatshirt.  Everyone knows they're #1!!!!!  Go Dogs!!!

Ellie and Mari Morgan- they're cute, but so guilty of the picture above of the messy room.

Jennifer and me

Amanda and me

Our two pregnant girls.  Both are due in May, two weeks apart.  Can't wait to meet your babies!

We have Brian's Dad's El Camino trying to sell it.  Brian drove it to church on Sunday.  Both of the kids wanted to ride home with him.  They love to ride in it.    When we got into our subdivision, Brian pulled over and I let them out of my car to ride in the back of the El Camino.  You would have thought they were going to Disneyworld.  They were sooooo excited!