Day #2: Autumn at OZ

Day 2 of our Mountain trip, Nana & Guga came up to spend the day with us!  

We went to the top of Beech Mountain for the Autumn at Oz Festival --

Aunt Debbie came too!  What a treat!

We rode the ski lifts up to the top of the ski slope at Beech Mountain...

and we looked into the crystal ball to see our future... (really into a cloud)

Dru & Kristin leading the way...

to meet Dorothy and her dog Toto!

Antie M warned us that a twister was coming and we needed to hurry down to the cellar!  

Before we knew it, we were swept up into the twister and had crashed down in the crooked house...  

 and we landed on the wicked witch!  

We were in the LAND OF OZ...

the good witch and the munchkins told us to "Follow the Yellow Brick Road..."

Ron, Ali, Pat, Kristin & Dru did just that!!!

They followed it through munchkin land...

Then they came to a fork in the road and a friendly scarecrow tried to help them know which way to go, if he only had a BRAIN...

A little further down the Yellow Brick Road, we met the TIN MAN!  Eddie gave him some oil to get him loosened up then he joined us on our way to meet the Wizzard of Oz... in hopes of getting a HEART

Ali, Eddie, Avery, Rye, CiCi, PopPop, Kristin & Dru... headed to meet the Wizzard!

Along the way Avery met the Cowardly Lion

Then we entered the Enchanted Forrest and came across another witch - the wicked witch's sister...  she was looking for Dorthy to get the ruby red slippers!  Dru and Kristin were a little concerned!

... as they should be!

We made it to the Emrald City...

 and met the man behind the curtain... 

the Wizzard of OZ!

Then we enjoyed a nice warm lunch at the Brick Oven Pizzeria... and Ali took some picts for us!

Birds, Beach & my Babies...

God has blessed us with his beautiful creation of the sun and the moon, the stars and the sky, the birds and the breeze, the waves and ocean...  Ali, Avery and I enjoyed a few hours of our day together at the  beach.  I never have had so much appreciation for where we live until Ali & Avery came along --

 Ali, checking out the view from the lifeguard tower...

Avery on her heals!

Precious from head to toe!

Ali is such a good big sister to Avery - I love to see the love they have for each other!

 

Avery @ 14months

 Ali @ 3 1/2 years

Our goal is to raise our girls in the footprints of the Lord --

To raise them to know and love God --

We put faith in Him that he will provide us with the wisdom and guidance to be good parents and protect their every step!

My greatest blessings call me Mommy!!!

Green Meadows Farm

Today we spent the day on a farm in Kissimmee, Fl with our friends Nyla and Chris and their son Chase... We had lots of hands on fun milking cows, feeding goats, sheering sheep, chasing chickens, hay rides, pony rides, checking out lots of other farm animals, and a picnic lunch on the playground...

We held baby chicks and baby ducks, but THIS was one of the most memorable animals... he had quite the underbite...

The most entertaining however, was watching the kids chasing chickens!

           Nyla due in 4 weeks with her husband Chris - 

Chase (2 1/2) and Ali (3 1/2)

A quick ride on the orange tractor while they wait for their turn to ride the horses!

Ali riding a horse named Marshmallow &  

Avery riding her horse named Pepper...

Chase and Ali enjoyed the tire swing at the park while we ate our picnic lunch...

We had a great day with Nyla, Chris & Chase!

Avery 13mo: Teeth & Tradition!

Avery is getting lots of new teeth... 

I thin she's up to about 6-7 with several others just waiting to break through!

 And tradition...

This little outfit is one that I wore when I was little...

Mama saved it for me, so i thought I'd let Avery try it on for size ;)

I love you Avery, even though you have on your Mommy's outfit... 

you still look a lot like your Daddy!

"Mommy, I want to give Jesus a hug!"

Tonight, I was putting Ali to sleep, I was telling her what we learned at bible study...

The story of Simon(the Pharisee) and the woman who came into and washed the Lord's feet with her hair.  She took a risk and gave everything she had for Jesus to have mercy on her...

---
R: Ali, Do you know that Jesus loves you?
A: Mommy, I love Jesus... I want to give him a hug!
R: You can show him your love by loving others and sharing your love for Jesus with them.

A: Mommy, where is God? I want to see Him.
R: God is everywhere.  He is with us all the time.  He lives in heaven and watches over us all the time. God knows everything.
---



Christ is perfect, he didn't deserve to die for us (sinners) -- He is the way, the truth, and the life.  No one shall get to the father except through Him.  There is only one way...

Who are we to judge, let's just ask forgiveness, be thankful for the grace and mercy God has shown on us, and praise God with thanksgiving.

GRACE: 

God blessing us despite the fact that we do not deserve it -- extending kindness to the unworthy

MERCY: 

God not punishing us as our sins deserve -- deliverance from judgment

According to the Bible, we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). As a result of that sin, we all deserve death (Romans 6:23). With that in mind, every day we live is an act of God's mercy. If God gave us all what we deserve, we would all be, right now, condemned for eternity. In Psalm 51:1-2, David cries out, "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." A plea to God for mercy is asking Him to withhold the judgment we deserve and instead grant to us 
the forgiveness we in no way have earned.


Mercy and grace are best illustrated in the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ. We deserve judgment, but if we receive Jesus Christ as Savior, we receive mercy from God and we are delivered from judgment. Instead of judgment, we receive by grace salvation, forgiveness of sins, abundant life (John 10:10), and an eternity in Heaven, the most wonderful place imaginable (Revelation 21-22). Because of the mercy and grace of God, our response should be to fall on our knees in worship and thanksgiving.

We need to have the innocence of a child --

We need to trust and have the faith of a child --

I pray that God gives me the wisdom and direction to raise our girls to know and love God.

My parents did this for me, and I am forever thankful -- We all need to be reminded often that our lives are in His hands and that we need to turn to him for guidance and direction in our lives.  We can not leave Him out and go "our own way"...

Seasons of our life bring us close and push us far away... they make us see full circle --

my prayer today is that God would be present in the lives of my parents, family, friends and that they would feel the closeness with God, have the innocence of a child to say, I want to give Jesus a hug.

We need a relationship with God -- talk to him -- pray -- 

This is a simple prayer I came across on pintrest...