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I know it may seem gasp-worthy but I have decided, with what I truly feel was a prompting from the Lord, to deactivate my Facebook account. Not that I spend a ridiculously inordinate amount of time on the new craze but I have become convicted that, for me, any more than 5-10 minutes is wasteful of my precious time and - lets be honest - who can get on for just 5-10 minutes? It is like a vortex of mostly useless information that sucks you in like a vacuum and makes you want to come back for more... I mean, no offense, I truly do care about each and every one of my dear friends, and, I love the idea that it is useful to stay in touch with friends and family near and far - especially with an Atlantic Ocean size separation and all of our busy lives... however, there is a part of me that yearns for the days of not being so connected and distracted and where I was more likely to pick up the phone to call a friend than simply read their status line to know that they ate a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast, are having a bad hair day or were in a moment of crisis. It is much easier to pass a quick note on Facebook than dial up a friend - especially with my limited chunks of time to chat it up on the phone - but, for me, something is missing. It seems empty and, well, to quote Betty White... Facebook is a huge waste of (my) time. So, from now on, Facebook begone and I will opt to phone a friend (and spend more time - in no specific order of importance - cleaning, napping, reading, loving and spending quality time with my husband, going to bed on time, focusing more on disciplining and playing with my children, studying the Bible, sewing, cooking, etc, etc, etc).

Love and hugs to you all! You are missed more than you know. Please keep in touch... I have yet to reach the point of canceling my yahoo account and we are on Skype. :)
(So sad that I have this nagging feeling, albeit a lie, that without Facebook I will grow apart from some of my friends... it is an emotional conspiracy, I tell ya!)

And some pictures.. because that really is the fun part of any blog...

Oh, How Can It Be?

Family birthday party on the big day... Blessed to have Meme there with us. :) Dinner of the birthday boy's choice - eggs, grits, pancakes and bacon.. because it's Daddy's favorite.

It's Pebbles!

Mommy and the Birthday Boy

Mommy and her little ladies.

I Can Remember When You Were Only Three...

Happy Birthday to my tennis playing, spiderman still lovin', pokemon addicted, nintendo ds master, Jack and Annie hooked, fun, funny, sensitive, smart, kind and handsome
SIX YEAR OLD!

Excited and ready to see Toy Story 3


Super Cool in our 3D Glasses...



Do you think he was excited? Did I mention he likes Pokemon?
Thank you Tag and family! :)

Daughter and Daddy...
Isn't this the sweetest picture ever???!!

Could She Be More Adorable?

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. - Luke 18:16

Romantic Weekend in Bordeaux, France

Chateau Lamothe du Prince Noir

The largest bathroom I have ever seen...

Le très jolie lit

Ahh... Bordeaux.

One of the most beautiful cities and areas that I have ever visited. Last weekend, Freddie and I took a most relaxing and romantic getaway to Bordeaux, France.. just the two of us!! It was the first time in five and a half years and it was FABULOUS! My sweet Mom has been in France for the past three weeks and she graciously cared for and entertained our three little ones while we traveled to the wine capital of the world - only three hours west of Clermont-Ferrand.

I felt like a princess while sleeping and dining with my prince in the Chateau Lamothe du Prince Noir complete with towers and a moat. The home dated back to the 11th century and was the perfect mixture of something old and something new. We had all of the charm of antiquity and all of the comfort of modern conveniences like air conditioning and wifi. Each morning we were served a traditional french breakfast of charcuterie, bread, jam, cheese, fresh fruit and melt-in-your-mouth croissants and pain au chocolat. All weekend long, we ate and we ate and we ate some more while enjoying every last fat laden morsel. I am still doing my own informal research on how the french stay so thin with 3 courses at many meals with bread and cheese seemingly being the primary food groups.

The first night in Bordeaux we followed a recommendation from our good friends, Kim and Matthew Cabe, and ate at La Tupina which was featured in the Bon Appetit! magazine. Following our delicious dinner, we walked along the Garonne River and took in the sights of Bordeaux, a beautifully restored city in France. The next day we ate lunch in the adorable village of Saint Emilion after our informative vineyard tour and wine tasting with Bruno Delmas of BD Wine Tours of Bordeaux. Dinner that night was at a random restaurant in a strip mall.. nevertheless, it was magnifique! On Saturday we drove to Cap Ferret, France which is a little over an hour west of Bordeaux. It is a charmingly sleepy seaside town on the tip of a peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic and creating a nice bay on one side while being bordered by the Dune du Pyla.. the largest sand dune in Europe. Breathtakingly beautiful... over and over again on our voyages around Europe I stand, constantly, in awe of God's gorgeous creation.

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." - Romans 1:20

"Nature is too thin a screen; the glory of the omnipresent God bursts through everywhere."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

We ate lunch at a restaurant on the water while we waited for the clouds to part. I indulged in crème brûlée for the second time that weekend and it was oh so good! Finally, the sun started to peek through the clouds and we found a spot on the sugar fine sand and soaked in the sunshine and the sights and peaceful sounds of the ocean as we enjoyed the last day of our delightful weekend in Bordeaux, France.

Bustling street full of boutiques and restaurants in downtown Bordeaux

Cute building...

La Grosse Cloche

Place de la Bourse



Pont de Pierre

La Tupina

Goodnight Bordeaux
Vineyard in Saint Emilion, France

One of the many chateaus and vineyards in Saint Emilion, France. This one is owned by an American family.
Looking out over the Dordogne Valley.


Rose bushes were placed at the end of each vine to help detect disease. The roses are susceptible to the same disease as the grape vines and are usually attacked first. If they were affected, the vineyard owners would know to start treating the vines. Now, they have more sophisticated methods to detect and prevent disease but the roses remain as tradition and a pretty decoration.

The chateau where we had our wine tasting - Beau Sejour Becot
Bottles of wine stored in the wine cellar of the Beau Sejour chateau... one of the bottles on the right was from the 1800s.
Path to Saint Emilion village seen in the distance.

Streets of Saint Emilion

View as we walked out of Saint Emilion after lunch.

Cap Ferret, France - Dune du Pyla in the distance.



Freddie's entree (appetizer) of crab with mayonnaise sauce. Little did we know we would get the entire crab... eyes and all. We weren't sure what to do with all of that stuff in the middle... actually, what IS that stuff in the middle? It made an interesting picture, and memory, though...


After lunch the clouds parted completely and the tide went out and the beach was beautiful! Loved Cap Ferret, France.