Give-Away......

Please excuse the typo's in my posts. I am a busy mom and so I tend to trust the computer to correct most of my errors, but that doesn't always happen.

Today especially, my brain is begging to shut down, but my will is pretty strong. In the next few hours we will see who wins.

I titled this blog Give-Away not only because I do have a winner for the Dothan Nurseries Give-Away, but because this week has been truly Giving in many ways.

Building up to the end of the Big House Swim Suit Drive by Giving swim suits and towels to Foster Children of Alabama, we were met with many Giving opportunities from the complete devastation of Wednesday's Tornado destruction to our state.

After Wednesday's events I couldn't bear to even sit down at my computer. My time was spread between many events planned by me already in my life, how could I even throw in planning something else on such short notice. But I really wanted too. I was overwhelmed.
I had so many emotions of grief, then joy, then pain, then urgency all around me. I went from running around trying to gather info on sending supplies to the north, to a Dr. Appt., to a recorder concert, to a softball game, all the while feeling like all I truly wanted to do was stop time, gather my family in our home and just pray and weep over the devastation. But time went on.

I thought all day, how can we just keep doing this. Shouldn't we just cancel the softball games, the concert, the Doctor's Appt, etc. How can I just keep going on with my "normal" life while others have nothing. Their "normal" lives are gone.

On Friday, I wiped off my dirty cabinet in my kitchen, my flesh gave a grumble and then my soul thanked God I had a cabinet. I got in my car and my flesh cried out in frustration over the mess in there, then my soul thanked God I had a car. My flesh yelled at my children in busyness and then my soul thanked God I still had children. My flesh struggled sending off my husband to help victims up north and then my soul thanked God he could be the hands and feet of Christ.


Truly in a last minute request on Facebook, many of you were used as an encouragement to me by being the Hands and Feet of Christ. Monetary donations poured in for Tornado Victims so that Tim could take to them this weekend. Not only that but you all continued to bring in swim suits and towels for the drive during all the other things going on. It made me appreciate and love our community even more.



The Blog Give-Aways were created on here to share more about the local businesses we have and get you excited about supporting them and their events. It has been a really fun project that I hope will last a long time and really hope you have enjoyed reading about them here.

I truly love our community, I hope we continue to grow. Not just with being blessed in wealth of the monetary riches, for those are only temporary, but in the wealth in the riches of everlasting love from growing in the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ together, because that is eternal.



I do absolutely love the Boone family at Dothan Nurseries and know they are excited to present the $20 gift card to...........

Congrats Ashley M. I will send an email to you soon with when to pick up your prize!

What Fun!! Weekend Recap and New arrivals!

This past weekend was so much fun! It was a weekend PACKED with things to do, places to go and people to see! WARNING: this post is full of info, ideas and pictures, but I think you will enjoy :)


This past weekend we celebrated a very close friend's marriage with a ceremony over looking the beautiful mountains of Tennessee on the Chattanooga river. Business took Tim to Franklin, Tennessee earlier in the week so it just made sense instead of him traveling south on Thursday, just to turn right back around Friday and head the same direction that I would just meet him up in Franklin Thursday night. Tim's parents were very gracious in keeping the girls and adding an extra day when we mentioned me going up early. Thank you Gram and Granddad!

I arrived mid afternoon, and after work, Tim and I headed here....


Since opening our business 7 years ago, Tim and I have grown to appreciate local businesses and take delight in the pride they take in their presentations, whether food or retail.

This is why we take pictures of our food. Tim always asks the server what he or she would recommend and takes them up on their suggestion. I love that about him. To me it is a compliment to the server and the restaurant as a whole. I suggest you get out of your box a little and try the same.




The next day we headed to downtown Franklin..........






I am in love people! I hope Tim has to make a trip up there in the very near future because this time, we will pack the kiddos up and enjoy a few days here.



Like I said, we love a local business. One of our first stops was here........







There is no other place to learn about clothing lines, set up and display ideas, than to visit other shops. So when I head out of town, Tim knows that I am going to hit up every Children's/Gift Shop I possibly can.













We both walked in, spotted this sign.

I said: I love this.
He said: me too.
I said: we need to get this.
He said: and hang it in the kitchen.
I said: my thoughts exactly.

and there she hangs......








Then we ventured in here..........







Love, Love, Love this place! I wanted to take everything home with me, especially these lights.




Which I am trying to figure where to hang; then I will be contacting them, they said they would ship :)


And this pic is for you Caleb........







If you decide you want to part with your old theatre chairs, your favorite sister has an idea for them and think they would look lovely in front of her fireplace.....





Then we headed in here........






















once again, my mind re-did everything in my home.





And before we headed to Chattanooga we grabbed some grub here......and with the server's recommendation got this....





and this......





I am a shrimp and grits girl for sure. If it is on the menu, it will be placed in front of me. And it was FABULOUS!  As far as the Bar-b-que Spaghetti, it was also fabulous and will re-create at home for sure!


We headed on our way so we could grab some appetizers at Hemma's on the river downtown Chattanooga......

before heading here.




Although I love to take pictures, strapping a camera to you all day/evening can sometimes actually ruin your good time,  so for the rest of the weekend I barely took any pictures which is a shame for you because it truly was a FABULOUS location, beautiful weather, wonderful food, fantastic company, photo boothing, boogieing band, and simply just a good ol' time......






















And on the way home got to lay lips on this little booger for the first time.......





My new nephew Rhodes..... this little guy surprised us 3 weeks early.








Then enjoyed a delicious {not so} traditional Easter Dinner.......








{yummmm...still thinking about that fried tomato..}





This was the first Easter Sunday spent away from our girls and our church. It was very different, but reminded me that although the actual day is one of greatest celebration; The Resurrection, the Sacrifice of perfect life, the Conquering of the Grave, the Forgiveness of Sin and the Hope of Everlasting is what we should celebrate any day, all day, any time, all time. And celebrate we do!





Yesterday we were back at the home front and these greeted me....................




















Be back with another community event!

Can I do it!

YES I CAN!


How about an actual Coupon on "Coupon Monday" this week!!


Does this make you smile.........

I don't have any pictures loaded because I left my computer cord at home,  but a lot of things made me smile this weekend! Be back with more details, but first, if you haven't done so already, please do this and this! Happy Monday Y'all!

A few of my favorite things and a Give-Away!

This title goes hand and hand and you will see why at the end.



We bought an old house 8 years ago. I love the character of an older home. The history behind building it, the family that it was to house when designing it. I love it all. Even the challenges it brings when trying to update some of it's horrible unique details....{Like a Pepto Bismol Pink and Turquoise Master Bathroom with Flower power wallpaper.}....


There should have been one thing that was a huge positive for the year our home was built which was; a REALLY mature yard. You know, the ones with the massive hydrangea, gardenia, rose and camellia bushes.  Not so.

Unfortunately when we moved into our 1930's home with no central air, the yard was the least of our emergency updating. It did however have so many "mature"  azaleas up against the home you could hardly see out the front windows; and the roaches from them.....oh, the roaches!

It wasn't long before I had Tim hooking a chain up to them attached to our 4wheel drive vehicle and ripping up what would appear to be the Holy Shrub of the Garden District.

Let's just say, the looks we got that day were one's that you would think were for people that should belong in the Loony Bin.


Our home, like any home New or Old is a work in progress, but thankfully several years ago we gave the front yard to Rhoda Boone at Buds 'n Blossoms and she worked her Magic!








Her Son, JD Boone and wife Mindy, Own Dothan Nurseries.









































I could spend HOURS there! My children absolutely adore this place. Their fantastic staff will help you {as they have me} fill my window boxes and beds with beautiful color throughout the year.



Dothan Nurseries Tops at one of my favorite things!


This week's Give-Away is for a $20.00 Gift Certificate to Dothan Nurseries!


If you've participated before you know the drill, but for new comers here are the rules.


1."Like" them on Facebook
2.Write something on your wall on Facebook about them
3.Write something on their wall on Facebook about them
4. Go to their Website www.dothannurseries.com and sign up on their email list.

Come back to this blog post and comment on what you did. Each suggestion will enter you in for the drawing!! So do all FOUR for more chance to win!!! Drawing to be held Friday, April 29th!!