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A Motley Crew

Well, it’s been a while since I have the time to sit and write. Forever, to be exact.

We just got back from a trip to SC where we spent time with friends and worked in our yard. Our house there has not sold. It’s nice to go and stay for several weeks. However, it is also hard to feel as if we have one foot in one state and one in another.

While I was frantically packing to come back to Florida my lovely friend, Lisa, came to help me pack and our kids got to say their last goodbyes.

Because words escape me as of now I leave you with a hello and a picture of the gang. Each expression is just a perfect representation of who they are!

Thanks for taking the time to snap pictures Lisa!!

2 Comments

Posted: May 23, 2011 by Julie |Category: Our Family, Our Lives | Tags:

How did you spend Good Friday?

To the King of King and the Lord of Lords…

Our Good Friday…unedited.

Wouldn’t be the beach without a little tag football….

Dad and #2 son making a plan

#1 son with friend making game plan…

a little brotherly competition…

a little chatting with the opposition…

and the fake out…

#3 son ate and then fed the birds in hopes of mom getting her “perfect” shot…

this one had to be close to perfect. check out that color!

Happy Easter!

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It’s that time of year…

Well Florida is getting warmer and warmer. We’ve had several day of actual “beach” weather. 88 or above.

We ventured out to the beach this week as well as another trip to St. Augustine. I love both places. It was fun having company and also venturing out while learning.

We happened to be there at low tide and the tide just began to come in as we were leaving. We found all sorts of treasures. I have searched for the exact name of this particular starfish but with no luck. It was purple with orange edges…just beautiful.

and we sported our do-rags…

I captured these two guys resting. From all the dead sea life on the beach they were fat and happy…

The kids ran and played around. I love the action in this shot…

Here’s the whole motley crew….

And one of my sweet friends with her son…

More of St. Augustine later…

4 Comments

Posted: April 21, 2011 by Julie |Category: Our Family, Our Lives | Tags: beach, friends

In the darkest of the dark…

I had a tough day yesterday. I listened to two Beth Moore teachings and went to our last Dave Ramsey class last night. In the tough day and in the pressing into the Lord I listened to Beth ask, “In the darkest of the dark place do you believe God gives or takes?”

Wow.

What do you say to that but to look deeply inward and ask yourself, “Do I really trust Him?”

Am I Abraham?

Do I believe and trust in miracles unseen?

Am I Job?

Do I believe God gives, He can take, and then He gives back ten fold? Always.

It’s his character. He’s a giver.

I want to trust Him and see myself as His manager. I manage His children, I manage His money, I see after His house, I drive His car.

Thinking of myself as His manager takes a lot of pressure off of me. Ownership implies a more powerful holding on. Managing implies an openness, a flowing, a giving and a taking.

I don’t want the responsibility of ownership even though I sometimes take it upon myself without even realizing I’ve done so.

I want to be free. Free to love, trust and obey.

Free to swing barefooted with my pant legs unbuttoned and my head spinning from the love and the grace shown to me by the one who knit me together in my mother’s womb.

“Lord, set me free.”

2 Comments

Posted: April 15, 2011 by Julie |Category: God Breathed | Photography and Tips | Tags:

Fred…the rather large cat.

Fred has recently decided that my office chair is his favorite to plop his big ole….well….self!

Unlike everything else that you lose when you become a wife, mother, and pet owner eventually they take your stinkin chair.

So with out further ado, I give you Fred. Anyone want to guess his weight now???

Just so it’s all fair and you know what you are up against. Here Fred is in all his glory in MY chair.

Here is his top story…

Here are the middle floors….take a good look.

And here is the bottom floor…

Look at those cougar sized feet!

So now you have the full view in a big office chair. What ‘cha thinkin’? Anyone guessing he’s topping the scales near 20. You guess and I’ll wrangle him to weigh him. You’ll have to click on the other links in this post to see his previous weight! I’ll come up with some yummy surprise for the winner! Pass it around.

Oh and on a couponing note I CVSed last Sunday and spent 16 and saved 75!!!! Yippee

Deal??

1 Comment

Posted: April 12, 2011 by Julie |Category: God Breathed | Our Family, Our Lives | Photography and Tips | Tags: grey tabby

Odd man out…

I’m guessing everyone feels like the odd man out at times, but, I also wonder how many feel that way most of the time. How many go through life without seeing themselves as special, God-crafted, different…but for a purpose.

We have been blessed with farm fresh eggs. When one of my best buddies from SC visited she brought a dozen with her as well. I really didn’t see the entire 12. She saved one for me to see. I think “he”, as we now call him, is quite special. Yes, he’s different and sticks out like a sore thumb but he’s cute, and green, and that makes him all the more special. He also reminds me of my dear friend who carried him 7 hours to my house.

For those of us who wander through life wondering why God made us so different I wonder what would happen if we stopped and asked the Father how He sees us. I’m guessing He sees us similar to that green egg. Marvelously and wonderfully different. Similar to others but completely unique. Sweet. Memorable. Fragile and delicate. I also wonder if we remind him of his Son…..the most special egg in the bunch. And even though he was God in the flesh, most did not recognize his uniqueness. Most made fun of him. Some killed him.

Do you know someone like my precious green egg? Take the time to tell them how wonderful they are.

Do you feel like the green egg? Then I have a Word for you. You are loved. You are unique. You weren’t a mistake. You are perfectly made by a perfect Father who has a specific purpose for your life. You, dear one, are HIS sweet little green egg.

1 Comment

Posted: April 11, 2011 by Julie |Category: God Breathed | Photography and Tips | Tags: green egg, uniqueness

Friendship

Friendship…what a beautiful word. It evokes warm fuzzy feelings, laughter, sadness, and gratefulness in my heart.

I have friends who are hurting. And I hurt with them. I have friends who are struggling and I struggle with them. I have friends wrestling the darkness of Satan wanting his way in their lives and I wrestle with them. As I pray and plead for victory in the heavenlies for these sweet friends I look to the ONE who gives us all hope. The only One who is Hope. The One who gave the ultimate sacrifice, his life.

As Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up, But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecc 4:9-12

Aren’t you glad you have those “once in a lifetime”, “always got your back”, “love you anyway” kind of friends? Let them know.

I am so thankful to have those kinds of friends in my life.

5 Comments

Posted: April 4, 2011 by Julie |Category: Other Happenings | Tags: friendship

Just for Fun! MCP Week 13

Week 13 Just for Fun

A romp on the beach in 60 degree weather. They even braved the cold water! Blue feet and hands told them it was just a little too cold to swim as of yet. We had a blast anyway!!

Before braving the cold water all the kids raced into the wind. It was so strong they had trouble racing.

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Posted: April 1, 2011 by Julie |Category: Photography and Tips | Tags:

A new lens!

For Christmas Rocketman graced me with a new lens. I am still trying to figure the darn thing out and am having more trouble shooting with it than I’d like. But since I’ve sold my other two lenses that I used before getting this one I’m stuck with trying to figure it out. It’s a Tamron 18-270mm IS Lens and I can’t take a clear shot for the life of me. I tried several today in the yard and others at the boys flag football game but UGH I’m struggling.

Here’s a couple that turned out ok.

That’s Fred…the rather large cat! Anyone remember that post and his weight?

Here’s one of the azaleas blooming in the yard.

It seems if the object is still I can capture it but if it moves a hair I’m toast. Any advice out there?? Tap. Tap. ????

2 Comments

Posted: March 28, 2011 by Julie |Category: Photography and Tips | Tags: Photography and Tips, Tamron 18-270 mm lens

I have a beef….

Well, maybe you can call it a chicken.

I’ve watched commercials and seen products in the grocery stores that advertise their products are made from CAGE FREE chickens. Since beginning to eat healthier years ago I have started watching the subtle differences in the way companies market their products. I WAS a Marketing major back in the day. The days before marriage and kids and dogs and cats……..well, you get the picture.

So last night I am watching a mayonnaise commercial advertising they use CAGE FREE eggs. That may sound good, right? But just exactly what does CAGE FREE mean? They live in a hotel? They are not in a wire cage? Do they get sunlight? Are they kept in a barn with millions of other chickens who are fed genetically engineered corn?

Now FREE RANGE chickens ….. well, they are a different story if they are TRULY free range chickens. The only way to be sure that you know you are getting one of those little guys who get to peck around in the barn yard eating all kinds of bugs and things that actually give us PROTEIN and soak up all kinds of sunshine which give us VITAMIN D is to know the producer of your chicken. We buy locally from a co-op and I just refuse to buy any meat from a grocery store! But those CAGE FREE birds…..sorry guys, that one is not working on this gal!

Give me a “pecking around the barnyard chicken” any day of the week.

Go an watch Food, Inc.

You’ll get the picture!