Change of Scenery…

For the past few months, Brian and I have been tossing around the idea of moving.  I grew up here in Georgia, and I’ve never lived further than an hour from my family.  Brian grew up as a military child, and he’s lived many, many places. 
We discussed the idea with the boys, and at first, we were all set on living somewhere with four distinct seasons…this would mean experiencing more than our fair share of snow.  However, after a few more Georgia cold spells, we began re-thinking that idea.  While I like snow, I’m not sure I’d want to experience it for several months out of the year.  In Georgia, snow is a rare thing, and we’ve grown accustomed to that.  So, we scratched the four season idea.
Then, we started considering a beach move.  Brian has always wanted to live at the beach, and I’ve always been very hesitant.  The thought of hurricanes scared me a bit, but I’ve realized that God is in complete control of our family.  Natural disasters can happen anywhere…fire, tornado, blizzard, hurricane, etc.  I don’t want to not move out of fear…I put all trust in Him, knowing that He has a plan for our life.  After much prayer, discussion, and thought, we’re going to GO FOR IT!  We will be moving to Melbourne Beach, Florida within the next few months. 
The boys are super excited, and Caleb is thrilled that he’ll be able to do more fishing…either in the ocean or the river.  Brian and I are also excited…I’m excited for us to make a fresh start in a new area as a family.  The closest any of our friends will be is about 30-45 minutes away (they moved to Melbourne a few years ago, and we’ve missed them terribly).  So, we’ll all be making new friends, and starting a new adventure.
Due to the fact that we have never lived at the beach, we’ve decided to go the safe route and rent a home for the first year.  This way, we will truly see what it’s like to deal with the hurricane season (although it changes yearly, I know) and to live the beach life.  Who knows…we may find out it’s not something we want to do 24/7/365…just nice for vacationing.  Or – we may fall in love and decide to make it our permanent residence.  Only time will tell…
Brian and I are heading down the middle of June to look for homes to rent.  We’re taking it a step further and going with a furnished rental because Brian is not up for moving twice.  We hope to put in a lease and start moving stuff down during July and take up permanent residence at the end of July.  Caleb comes home from Camp Twitch and Shout on the 26th of July, so we hope to head to our new home at that point. 
While I’m sad to be leaving my family and friends, I know that I’ll see them often.  Georgia will always hold a piece of my heart, and I know that I’ll be back to visit often.  And – our new beach home will always be open for visitors…so, if you’re looking for a beach getaway, come see us!   
Looking forward to what the future holds for our family…

Micah’s Preschool Graduation

Micah had his little preschool graduation ceremony back on May 16th.  It was a very cute ceremony, and all of the kids did a great job with the program.  Here are some pictures from the big event…
***Micah was the only one of his classmates to memorize all NINE Bible verses throughout the school year, so he received special recognition for this.  We are so very proud of him, and he LOVED saying his Bible verses each month and receiving his “key” on his poster at school.***

I have some videos, but I’m having difficulty getting them uploaded.  So, until then…just enjoy the pictures of our little guy!

What’s Cooking Week of May 26, 2013

We are back to a four-person dinner table this week.  Caleb became homesick, so Brian headed to pick him up yesterday.  He had lots of fun visiting with Omi and Opa, but missed his family.  Here’s what’s cooking at our house this week…
Meal 1 – Grilled Steak, Baked Potatoes, Grilled Green Beans
Meal 2 – Grilled Burgers
Meal 3 – Tacos
Meal 4 – Grilled Chicken w/Salad
Meal 5 – BBQ Chicken, Coleslaw, Baked Beans
What’s cooking at YOUR house this week?  I see us doing more grilling now that the weather is nice, and I’d rather keep the heat out of the kitchen. 

What’s Cooking Week of May 19, 2013

Well, we will be sans one child this week…Caleb boards a plane to Virginia tomorrow, and we’ll pick him up at the end of the month.  He’ll be spending some quality time with Omi and Opa.  So, meals will be easy, and I can’t promise we’ll stick to them.  With a more finicky child to please, it may turn into a week of cereal and shakes/smoothies.  LOL!  But – I have a game plan, so we’ll see…
Meal 1 – Grilled Chicken w/Salad
Meal 2 – Breakfast for Dinner
Meal 3 – Grilled Steak w/Salad
Meal 4 – Fish Sticks w/Tater Tots
Meal 5 – Grilled Burgers
What’s cooking at YOUR house? 

What’s Cooking Week of May 12, 2013

First – let me say Happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms out there…especially to my mom, Sheila, and my mother-in-love, Rose.  Thanks for being two wonderful examples of what a mother’s love is all about.   
Second – here’s what’s cooking at our house this week.  Omi (the aforementioned mother-in-love) will be joining us on Tuesday for a week-long visit.  So, my meals are liable to change.  But – I do have a game plan.
Meal 1 – Grilled Steak w/Salad (You may see this served almost weekly in our house, but it’s easy, yummy, and healthy)
Meal 2 – Parmesan Chicken Bites, Salad, and Corn on the Cob
Meal 3 – Saucy Mozzarella Patties, Noodles, Salad
Meal 4 – Fried Noodles w/Eggs and Bacon (this one always throws folks for a loop when they read it, but I’m telling you…it’s one of our favorite meals.  Brian actually introduced it to me shortly after we were married.).
Meal 5 – Grilled Chicken w/Salad (another one that could be served weekly because of it’s ease, healthiness, and taste).
In addition to Omi’s visit this week, we’ll also be celebrating Micah’s Pre-K graduation.  He’ll graduate on Thursday, and we’re all looking forward to his celebration at the preschool.
What’s cooking at YOUR house this week?  Do you serve any meals that would make people go “hmmm….” ???

What’s Cooking Week of May 5, 2013

Have you planned your meals for the week?  We’re still doing well with sticking to our plan…we’re not at 100%, but we’re getting there.    Here’s what I’ve got planned for this week…
Meal 1 – Breakfast for Dinner
Meal 2 – Meatballs, Jasmine Rice, Steamed Broccoli (we STILL haven’t gotten to this)
Meal 3 – Grilled Steak w/Salad
Meal 4 – Steak Fajitas
Meal 5 – Beef Tips over rice/noodles, steamed veggies
We finally picked up our meat from our grass-fed beef provider, so there’s plenty of beef in the freezer.  Now, I just need to stock up on some chicken, and we’ll be set.   
What’s cooking at YOUR house this week?

Fourth Grade Week 38

We are DONE!!!!!  Here’s how Caleb finished up his last week (plus some) of 4th grade…
The majority of our week was spent taking the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills).  Georgia law requires that we test every three years, beginning in 3rd grade.  However, Caleb has taken this test every year.  It’s more for my benefit than anything else…I know it’s not a true test of what he knows, but it does give me some idea of how he’s doing academically and where he may need some extra attention.  I’m not going to debate standardized testing…this is just what we do as a family. 
DVDS/Movies World’s Weirdest:  Sneak Attacks
Outrageous Acts of Science:  Homemade Heroes
World’s Weirdest
Outrageous Acts of Science:  Human Guinea Pigs
The American Bible Challenge
Planet Ant
Games Played Animal Jam – PC
Blurt! – this is a new game that I ordered…Caleb enjoyed it
You’ve Been Sentenced – I ordered this one, too, and Caleb had fun playing it, too.
Stack the States – iPad
Presidents vs. Aliens – iPad
Stack the Countries – iPad
Projects/Activities Lego contest – Caleb found a lego contest in his new Lego Club magazine, so he’s been working on building his entry.  He’s still putting it all together, and he’s having fun working on it.
So, there you have it…4th grade is FINISHED!  Caleb has been officially promoted to FIFTH grade (I cannot believe  my child will be in 5th grade next year…where has the time gone).