A Year in the Life

I wrote a posting for my sorority alumnae blog and I would love for y'all to read it.  It's about the beauty of grace and mercy.  When they gave us the choice of topics, mine was so easy to choose. I hope you enjoy it & remember that Christ offers you grace and mercy every day!  Click HERE to head over to Live Sigma Kappa. Celebrating Life! ~ashley

I want to thank the weather men for dropping the "s" word tonight. Now the fam is praying for a blizzard of 3" of snow. They are hoping to go to school until 11 & then have to be let go.  We can handle the heat, but not the snow. The threat of snow will shut this city down.  Notice I said threat. On the news they were interviewing the city workers on how they were going to prep the roads. :/  I'm not going to panic, because there's nothing to panic over. But don't think for one minute that I won't be watching for those beautiful little flakes to fall to the earth! Oh well, if you can't beat'em, join'em. :)  ...and I'll grab my camera!!! Celebrating life! ~ashley

Alright, at the house the fam has started noticing me really getting into politics.  Sometimes I become that really frustrated angry mom on the right.  At what point will we declare that we just can't take it anymore?  I hate mainstream media.  They make me want to plug my ears with cotton balls and hide in my closet.  Unfortunately, change will not happen that way, so I'm going to arm myself with a smile and my computer.  I'm using a lot of different multimedia sources to find things out.  I love:  Breitbart, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Chicks on the Right, CWA, and my newest find:  Intellectual FrogLegs .  OMG, Joe Dan Gorman is hilarious!  He is a good 'ole boy who uses humor and truth to point out the flaws in liberalism.  He had me ROLLING!  If  you need a dose of truth, you have to check him out.    It drives Hop crazy because I'll really only read conservati...

Can I just say that I don't know what some mothers are thinking letting their daughters wear dresses that expose everything ?  Yeah, girls, let me drop a little knowledge on you.  Teenage boys (and men) are very visual.  They see and respond.  Hence why Victoria's Secret, even though she has no secrets, and porn are booming businesses.  You order one thing from VS & you will get a magazine at least 2-3 times a week from them.  It's crazy!  But men see, and they want.  Boys are the same way.  When you parade like a stripper in your very  short dress/skirt and some hooker shoes, do you not know that you are a stumbling block for guys.  Do you not know how they see you?  Now, I love me some very high heeled shoes, but it's what you wear with them.  I don't care if it's what is the height of fashion, you still have a choice to wear it or not.  I know you don't want to be seen as an ob...

My sweet Elizabeth.  She truly loves people.  She truly loves her brothers.  She is proud of their accomplishments, and when they are disappointed she feels it too.  I don't know how I am so blessed to have such a kind child.  God knew I needed a living example in my household of how I'm to be, so He gave me Elizabeth.  She is the person I aspire to be. Hopson played his last high school football game in November.  I didn't realize it would affect Elizabeth so much.  I mean, I knew I would cry and be upset, but I'm his mom.  As the last two minutes ticked down, Elizabeth looked at me after she took some pictures with tears in her eyes & cried that she couldn't believe it was over.  Yes, I know it's over.  Oh how I know.  I think it is a realization for her that we are not going to be a family of 6 for forever.  I have to stop writing about this, I'm making myself cry.  (I am not redoing my makeup fo...

This is for some friends from high school, but it applies to so many of us.  If you've ever, in your adult life, had someone say ugly things about you behind your back, this posting is for you.  If you've ever had to remind your child that what someone said about them is untrue, this posting is for you.  If you are fighting your past, your present isn't the best, and your future looks dismal, this posting is for you. KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!  I wish I could say that I wrote this document , but I didn't.  (click the link & it will take you to a google doc.  I tried to post it on the blog, but it didn't show up in two columns like it's supposed to.)  It was given to me, and now I'm giving it to you.  It's one of those papers I keep tucked in my bible so I can remember that I already  know who I am.  I hope it blesses you.  God's words are truth!  Choose to accept these words and choose to reject any negative w...

You know that this past fall Hop received an acceptance letter from Auburn.  War Eagle!  I have to share another letter he received from another school.  I'm not going to name the school it came from, because that's not important. In the letter, the person who wrote it, told Hopson he might not get into the more selective colleges.  Really?  Why are you telling any child that?  Shame on you.  If my child wants to try to get into the hardest school out there you better believe Hopson & are going to encourage him to do it.  I don't need you telling him otherwise.  It's hard enough to build up our children, without them becoming narcissistic, and to encourage them to push themselves as hard as they can in the hedonistic society we live in.  Please don't do anything to undo some of the positive strives we've made over the years.  Any of my children can do anything they set their minds t...

Henry, Elizabeth, Hop, Harry and Hop's first best friend, Will D. Birthdays do make me happy.  It's another year to celebrate life.  (and eat birthday cake!)  A chance to celebrate both what has been and what will be.  Having a birthday over the Christmas break can be a bummer.  Friends are out of town or already have plans.  Poor Harry.  He really wanted Mooyah! for dinner that night but they were closed, so we ate Mexican instead.  When Harry was little would have his party on his half birthday.  It's easier to have it during the summer.  This year he just wanted to have a few people over to watch movies, shoot pool, hang out, and eat cake.  Not a problem!   Happy Sweet 16 Harry! WooHoo!! 2 drivers in the house! Harry's favorite cake is a cookie cake & so I made him a double decker birthday cake with lots of icing.  I think he liked it.  :)  Yea for the mommy who doesn't like ...

This is going to be a rant from me today.  I just wanted you to know ahead of time. First, we live in a very child centered culture.  Second, our culture is growing more hedonistic.  It really hacks me off if you want to know the truth.  Because of these two things we have children who have no respect for anything.  They are self-centered and uncontrollable.  Most parents who allow this, think that letting their children 'find their own way' is a good thing.  But then later lament their child's mouth and behavior.  Hey parents, what did you expect?  Did you expect to allow your child to do what ever they wanted & then when they become teenagers and are out of control that they are suddenly going to respect your word and be obedient?  That is not how it works.  Have y'all heard of this total transformation program to change your child's behavior?  I think it's great that a mom has come up with ...

Have guns, will hunt... Our family is a bunch of Jesus loving, gun toting, football watching people.  We love to hunt animals and we eat what we kill.  We believe in loving our fellow man.  We believe in personal responsibility for your actions.  We believe in absolute truth; that the Bible is the inspired Word of God; and that the United States of America is the greatest country in the world. If you don't agree with me, that's your problem.  And, it's my blog, so if you don't like any of those things then I would like to invite you to quit reading.  I say this all in the most life giving way of course.  :) Because we believe in all these things, when our niece Claire, who lives in Alexandria, VA wanted to come down to God's country to hunt, of course we said a resounding YES!  Any chance we can share southern hospitality with kin (which is family for those of you not from the south) is a good day. Claire & Hopson in the shooting ...

He's ready to be called to the back to begin this thing! So as  you know, Harry & I tried to go get his driver's license this past Monday on his birthday, but they were closed.  Total bummer.  We made plans then to leave our house by 7 am today to go for his driver's test.  I figured with four days worth of 16 year olds wanting to take their driver's test it would be busy.  And...momma was right.  (but then again, when is momma not right?) ;) At 7 am Harry was the third person in line.  Yea!!!  It was cold this morning just in case you were wondering.  We have all the paperwork needed, and I'm sitting in the waiting room while Harry goes in to take care of everything & at this point I'm excited for him.  I know he's going to ace this thing.  Harry's driven a ton.  If he's in the car with me, more times than naught he's the one driving.  He's driven on the interstate at both day and...

...anyone know what movie that is from?  Anyone?  Pirates of the Caribbean.  Jack Sparrow says it.  I love those movies.  Johnny Depp is just too funny.  The title of this posting really has nothing to do with this post itself; I just like that line in the movie.  Well, on second thought, it does sort of go with this posting. Grammar & Speaking Rules   This is a little bit of a hang-up for me.  It started with my mom.  Which today would be her 65th birthday, so how timely that I'm writing about grammar.  Growing up we had to speak properly or she wouldn't acknowledge us.  And now, much to my children's chagrin, I'm the same way.  We may be from the south, from the state of Alabama, but you will speak properly.  (insert most charming smile here.)  :) Last night as I waited up for Hop to get home from a friend's house I was cruising Face Book.  You know what was bothering me ju...