Say What?

I just ran to the grocery and when checking out realized I'd forgotten my reusable bags. While I'm not the best at being "green," I am trying to be more conscious of ways I can help take care of this beautiful spinning ball we call home.
So...when the bagger began putting my few items into multiple plastic bags, I stopped him and asked if they could just help load them back into my cart. No bags necessary. You should have seen the crazy looks I was given! The checker asked multiple times if I was sure I didn't need/want bags...to the point I wanted to turn and shout, "NO!!!"...but I didn't. Instead I just kept replying, "No thank you," then proceeded to load everything into my own cart. I guess the bagger thought, "no bags, no bagger." :)
Anyway, I got this idea from emails I get from a great website coolpeoplecare.org
I first found out about this site by participating in the Crop Walk (see past blogs). The site provides many ways for you to get involved in caring and volunteering where you live. I subscribe to the Cool Moms Care daily emails that are 99 words of ways to care in just 5 minutes! If you get a chance, click on the link and check it out! In the meantime, be "cool" and use reusable bags or enjoy the crazy looks and try loading things into your cart without bags! :)

Centennial Park

Today, Carter and I met my dear friend, Miss Leigh, at Centennial Park to feed the ducks, have a picnic, and play "golf." Here are a few precious moments we enjoyed on this glorious day! :)
(Can you tell how I spent Carter's naptime today?? Not much of an "editor," but I hope you enjoy!)

Happy Birthday, Mimi!

Tomorrow is a special day in our family as we celebrate Mimi's ___ Birthday! You'll just have to guess how young she is! :) Here's a special birthday message from Carter. We love you, Mimi!

Golf Outing

Today, we went golfing with Don-Don, Braxton, and Adaline. This is some "rough" footage...totally unedited and choppy, but hopefully it will let you see what fun our little guy had. He loves those "real golf clubs" Don-Don gave him! :) I'll try to get more fancy with these in the future, but since it's getting late I'm not much in the mood for editing/adding music. :)

Happy Father's Day!

It was a priceless sound...Carter walking quietly from his bedroom to the kitchen and then shouting "Happy Father's Day!" :) What a sweet pea! He sure does love his daddy!

One of Scott's gifts was Carter's footprint framed with the following poem...
A Father's Role

On this paper you will find
some tiny footprints that are one of a kind.
They 're here to remind you the role you play
in the foundation that you lay.
God has given you this great treasure.
Teach him right and share his pleasure.
He learns from you in every way
so be careful of the words you say.
Hold him tight and calm his fears.
When he cries wipe away his tears.
In all these things he feels your love.
and learns to trust the Lord above.
by Carolyn Warvel

I am thankful for "my boys" and that Carter has such a wonderful, loving father. I love you, Scott. I am grateful for his uncle and grandfathers as well, as all of these men play an important role in C's life.
Happy Father's Day to you all!!!

Funny phrases...

Time for another edition of Carter quotes. I just love the funny things Carter says!

• Instead of kitchen, he says chicken.
  
• Instead of magazine, he says mazagine (sounds French!).
• As a blessing/prayer, Carter loves to sing "God our Fa-tha" (sounding like he's part of the mafia). :)
• Lately, Carter's been saying, "When I was my age, I..." He even told his cousin Addie, "When I was your age..." (she'll be 8 next month).
• This one cracks me up, but my apologies in advance. It's just too funny not to share...We've started to introduce Carter to the idea of potty training. One of the first few times I let him sit on the potty seat, he said, "Look Mommy, it's a Christmas tree!" Never heard it called that before! :)
  

Art Day with Mommy

Today Carter and I "beat the heat" by staying indoors for a fun art day! We painted with watercolors, made lunch sack puppets, made stick puppets, used markers and crayons, and altogether made a big mess! Here you can see his first collage art and his first watercolor painting. What fun! :)

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands...

In my quiet time this week, I've been reading Paul's letters. I didn't set out with an agenda, but I decided to read from the NASB. My ribbon marker had been left at the beginning of Colossians, so that's where I started.

Chapter 1, verse 17 struck me..."For He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." I find peace in knowing that God goes before me. And for where I am personally, I find peace in the fact that He holds all things together...but that particular phrase also brings some funny imagery to mind.

I know God is our Creator. He created ALL things...and nothing exists apart from His Sovereign plan (All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. John 1:3). This verse sparked the imagery in my head of the creation of the universe, of earth, of man, of woman, of all that IS...God not only formed it all, but "in Him all things hold together." This is the part that made me chuckle at the absurdity of my train of thought...what if He let go? I began to picture every atom making up every single thing suddenly flying solo through space...whoa.

Absurd, I know, but it made me all the more grateful that we have a God who is faithful, who does not forget us, and who literally holds all things together...He will never let us go.

Happy Anniversary, Mimi & Don-Don!

Today is my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. We celebrated as a family on Friday, but they are soaking up some Florida sun today...
We miss you guys, but want to say, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! We love you!

Four firsts...no pictures :(

So, over the course of the past week Carter has had four fun "firsts," and to no one's surprise this is the week the camera decided to go ka-put. (sp?)

• On Tuesday, Carter got his first set of real golf clubs that are just his size (hand-me-downs from his cousins, and good as new!). He got to go to the real golf course with Don-Don and Braxton--and Mommy just along for the ride--and putt, drive the golf cart, and hit balls into the lake. Favorite moment--Carter took four swings at one ball and still couldn't hit it, so he just picked it up and threw it into the lake! :)
• On Wednesday, we had our first adventure in the blow-up pool in the backyard. Water was cold as ice, but we didn't care-it was 92 degrees at 5pm!
  
• On Thursday, Carter had his first trip to the Nashville Zoo with Mommy. Again, 92 degrees...but this time we cared! Ask Carter what his favorite animal was...you may get elephant, giraffe, or monkey...he loved them all. Then, we came home to swim with cousins Brax & Addie and Aunt Ally. It was his first time in the big pool this summer. He's unafraid and wanted to try to float on his own. Looks like there are swim lessons in our future!
  
• Finally, last night Scott & I took Carter to his first Sounds baseball game. They're a AAA team for the Brewers. His daddy treated him to ice cream and a "sharp" baseball cap (that's his own description), while mommy felt like I traumatized him by making him sit through the fireworks. He still had a great time, though. In fact, he slept with his new cap and his baseball glove...inseparable. :)

Guess the pictures of these fun times will just have to remain locked in our minds....wish we had real pics to share!