thankful #6 & #7

#6 Tiny Diva

Penelope is all girl. She's a my tiny diva and loves to play dress up and admire herself in the mirror.

Zero prompting was needed to got these pictures. The second the camera comes out she hams it up.

#7 Boys and their toys

Every one love to us the leaf blower, even myself. Today we let Matt "play" with the blower(don't tell him its work).

Matt thought is was great fun to chase me around the yard with the blower.

xxoo

Thankful #5

#5 Cookies

Really who isn't thankful for cookies. My freind Heater has got my hooked on cookie decorating. I use this recipe from Bake at 350 and tutorials from University Cookie for decorating tips.

ghost cookies for Ella's Halloween party

my friend Jack's 30th b-day cookies/baby Cole's baby shower cookies

house warming cookies for my sister / spider web halloween cookies

xxoo

Thankful #3 & #4

Sorry, I was warped up in TV watch last night (americas next top model, please don't judge me) and totally forgot to post what I was thankful for yeast. Oops!

#3. Other peoples trash. Yep I'm a picker. Anytime there is furniture, bikes and other interesting "junk" on the side of the road I stop. I am thankful for your junk.

This desk was on the curb. I gave it about 2 hours of TCL and now I have a great little work desk.

#4 JFM aka Jackson Free Methodist Church. Mr. Tripp, the kids and I have been attending there for about 3 years now. Tonight the kids and I will go there. The boys go to "sunday" school class, there is child care for the girls and I will go to a parenting bible study group. I love that every thing is at the same place at the same time and I don't have to find a baby sitter. I am thankful to be apart of a great church who loves people and loves God.

xxoo

a month of thankfulness

All month I'm going to post what I am thankful for. I was going to start yesterday but I forgot so today I'll list two.

#1 I am Thankful for Mrs. B and Tammi at kids power karate. These two ladies work with my 4 little ninjas ever week. They are great teachers and I am thankful and grateful for them.

#2 The right to vote. I don't care how you voted today but that you voted. It is a wonderful right that we as Americans have. All of us can vote and we all should. So I am thankful that today I could vote without fear or retaliation. My voice was heard today. I do make a difference.

xxoo

Happy Halloween

Happy halloween! To be quit honest its one of my lest favorite holidays. It's celebrated out side, it's cold, it's a LOT of work for me and for some reason I always put on weight in the weeks to follow. Even though it's low on the holiday totem pole I put on my game face and let the candy role in.

2010

2009

2008

Baby pumpkin / fairy princess / friendly monster

space robot / scary clown, but I think all clowns are a little scary

I don't know if Mr. Tripp is a skeleton or a zombie or maybe both. However I do know that he owes me a new black eye liner pencil.

Me and my baby pumpkin / The Mr. & Me

Mr. Tripp giving his baby pumpkin a smooch

I hope you all had a happy halloween and dad I hope you win the photo contest at work. You only have to share your price if its cash. :)

xxoo

a great and powerful wind

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind... Kings 19:11

God finally came to Elijah in a still small voice. God might not have been in the wind for Elijah but I found God in the wind today.

I love a windy day. It always reminds for my Lord. Like the wind, you cannot see him but you can feel him, and like the effects that the wind has, swirling the leafs and bending trees under its power, you can see the effect that God and all is mightiness has on the world. I alway question how people can not believe in God or at least admit to believing in a "higher power" (its a step closer to God). You can't see the wing but no one would say that it doesn't exist. Or love for the matter. You can't prove that you love someone or that you are loved but when you are truly loved and love other there is no questioning it.

Next time the wind blows I hope you think of God and how he moves though the world and though your life.

(Neller with her hair swirling and all a mess from the wind)

xxoo

girls will be girls

Growing up I fought with my two sister constantly. I hoped that my girls would be the best of friend growing up and continue to be close as adults. Howevery girls will be girls.

This was snack time a few days ago. Ella keep giving Penelope the stink eye because she wouldn't chew with her mouth closed and Penelope who still only has a hand full of word in her vocabulary was yelling what I can only guess to be baby obscenity back at her.

Best of freind or worst of enemies? Probably both.

xxoo

Hello, my names Amanda and I'm a frap-oholic

Yes, I have a problem and my problem is delicious.

xxoo

Mr. T and super tattoos

I think Mr. Tripp may have a problem, a tattoo problem. He has talked about getting one ever since we were dating in high school. I never thought he would ever get any, mainly because he HATES needles. He's the biggest baby every when it come to getting shoots, IV's or getting blood drawn. He openly admites this fact.

This is Mr. Tripp's first tattoo. This is the one he talk about in high school. His skin being torn away and the super man symbol underneath. He got this one all most two years ago. since then he has add three more to his body (thats 4 total).

This is his newest one, The Flash. He got it last weekend.

The other two are a Captan America shield and the Fantastic Four with flames around it. I can tell he is already thinking about what to do next. Greg Drake of Local Tattoo & Laser co. dose all of Mr. Tripp's tats. He has been very happy with all the work Mr. Drake has done. I'll be honest Every time he adds one more I cringe. I'm not a fan of Mr.Tripp getting tattoos. There fine on other people just not my husband. Rest assured friends I plan to stay ink free.

xxoo

Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful Cole

Today I hosted a baby shower for my sister-in-law Emily, her husband Brandon (Mr. Tripp's younger brother) and my nephew to be Cole Matthew. It was a wonderful shower. Emily and Brandon made out like bandits, really I have never seen so many gifts. The food was yummy and the desserts, well they were delightful. I'm calling the theme modern harvest. I decorated in deep chocolate browns and burt orange with lots of gourds, pumpkins and leafs.

welcome baby Cole banner

drinks and orange cream punk

guest enjoying all the yummy food

welcome table with name tags and the parting table with thank you gift.

table scape with branches, pumpkins and gourds.

hand made table cloths (I made them)

The cakes. Oh yeah two of them.

banner cake topper "BABY COLE"

buffet, I didn't have all the food out yet, it was packed full by party time.

candy dishes on every table.

monogramed sugar cookies and yes I made these too with a lot of help, thanks Heather.

dessert table, cakes, cookies, cake pops

more desserts and "COLE" spelled out on the pumpkins.

yummy, yummy cookies, thanks again Heather.

Cake pops!(I sang as I said that) Dad, Mom and Cole Matthew

Cole won't be make his grand entrance until early December. I can't wait to meet him, hold him, kiss him all over. If you can't tell I'm pretty excited to be an auntie again.

xxoo