Carnival Madness

One thing that goes hand and hand with the Stock Show is the Fair, or what our kids like to refer to as the carnival.  We promised Caleb all week long that we would take him to the carnival on Friday night.  Well, Friday night was cold and plain yucky.  I think more than anything, it was the wind.  I felt so bad for Johnny who was suffering with an eardrum that burst.  So, the wind was not his friend at all.

But, because we promised - - we went.  Here are some fun pictures of Caleb and his best friend Ella as they road the rides together.

Teacups:

Teacups a turning!

Caleb was having a blast on this ride.  I can't say the same for the little boy sitting in the seat down from him.  He looks a bit upset.  And I could not get the red eye to leave some of these photos.  So frustrating.  It just put a black blob over his eyes, which made Caleb look like someone had punched him.  I decided red eyes looked better than black eyes.

Caleb and Ella weren't able to ride in the same seat the first time they went on this ride.  So, here's Ella on the opposite side from Caleb.  Needless to say I think they did every ride at least twice and some of them three times (like the Merry Go Round).

I can't believe we let our little one's go on this ride.  It was a "haunted house."  Of course, look at their faces!!  Pure laughter!  They loved it so it must not have been very scary.

Flintstones roller coaster.....

Merry Go Round - I never could catch both of their faces looking at the camera.  They were always looking at each other and laughing!!

This was probably Caleb's favorite "ride."  Here he's being secured into a harness.

And here he's jumping as high as he can!

It took him a few minutes to get comfortable then he was doing flips like crazy!

Here's Ella - she wasn't going to let Caleb show her up!

With making flips either!

Last ride of the night - jet ski's...

Can I say they had a blast?  They did!  The only thing that would have made it better were if Caleb would have gone down the BIG slide with Ella.  But, he said, "I'm afraid of heights."  LOL  I think maybe he's heard me say that!  And, "Mr. I'm Afraid Of Heights," wanted SO badly to go on the Ferris Wheel!  Really?  Poor Caleb and Ella couldn't find even one adult willing to go on the ride with them.  We'll see.  Maybe next year!

Sweet blessings,

Abundantly Blessed

That is how I feel today....from the top of my head to the tips of my toes I am Abundantly Blessed!

I reflect back over December and the beginning of January to realize just how much God has blessed my life.  Even amidst the chaos that Christmas can bring, I remain blessed.

Time with family, from which I received the adorable slippers in the above picture.  Along with several other sweet and special gifts.  Cupcake notecard set, Jesus Calling devotional, cross for my collection, magnetic cross to keep track of my keys in my purse, wind chime, slippers, 2012 planner, photo of the newlyweds, a Christian CD, a cute wall-hanging, some new baking rubber spatula's, and the gift of a letter and song secretly downloaded to my phone from my sweet husband.

Then came the sliding in of 2012 along with our 8th wedding anniversary....

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  John 14:6

I wrote a blog post about the book, Heaven is for Real a short while back.  In the book and through Colton's story, we learn that the picture of Jesus above is the closest anyone has gotten to knowing what Jesus might actually look like.  From reading that book, I learned of another book about Akianne, the artist who created the picture of Jesus.  

Just a little girl, who learns to draw during visits with God.  I knew immediately that one day I wanted that picture in my house.  Little did I know that Johnny would surprise me for our anniversary... Tulips AND this very beautiful picture of Jesus, which we hung over our fireplace.  Dinner out together at our favorite restaurant was the bomb.  Time together to just be us - - priceless.

Abundantly blessed.  Yes, that's me....looking at the positive in my life and choosing to give over to the cross any burdens and negative.  2011 held it's bumps in the road for me regarding some relationship issues.  A lot of which I took to heart and beat myself up over.  But, I did grow and learn from it all and that is what Jesus wants us to do.  Learn from the lessons in life that come our way.  The good and the bad ones.  I did learn from it and pray that in the future I will be able to handle special circumstances with the compassion and love of Jesus.

In 2012, I'm striving to stay more positive....to shuck off those negative thoughts that like to jump back in my head.  I didn't set any new years resolutions.  I'm not sure I've ever truly kept any of them anyway.  But, I am setting a few goals for myself.

1)  Participate in my daily reading plan for the One Year Bible to grow closer to the One who saved me
2)  Devote myself more to my guys, be a better wife and mother than I was last year
3)  To strive for healthier living - find a balance
4)  To run in a marathon (okay - a relay type, but it is a goal of mine.  More about this later.)

Have you set any goals for yourself in 2012?   Goals are good.  They give us something to work towards.  It never hurts to have a goal or two up your sleeve to keep you on the right path and moving forward.

This is what the Lord says:   "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls...." Jeremiah 6:16

Walking with the King,

Wordless Wednesday - Papalote

Walking with the King,