Summer Vacation

Hi, y'all!  Hope you are all having a wonderful summer so far! This time last month, Hubby and I were getting ready to leave for vacation!  I can't believe a month has already passed.  This summer is flying by.

We decided for our vacation this year that we wanted to go back to the Smoky Mountains (of course!), but we also wanted to try to see some new places too.  So, we decided to go a little farther East for a few days and spend some time in North Carolina.  

We spent the first couple of days in Charlotte, visiting the Billy Graham Library and home place.  It was absolutely amazing!  If you ever have the chance to go...GO!  It was by far my favorite stop of the entire week.  Rev. Graham is such an inspiration and a wonderful example of living a life for Christ. Seeing his journey through the years on display at the museum and library was a blessing!

This is the entrance to the library and museum.  I love that the windows are placed in the shape of a cross.

Here is a photo of Billy with President Kennedy, from the museum.

At the end of the museum tour, there was a video presentation by Rev. Graham on how to be saved. When the video was over and the doors opened, this walkway to exit was lit up with crosses.  It was so pretty!

After we finished at the library and museum,  we went for a walk in the memorial garden where Ruth Bell Graham is buried.

The next stop we made was in Asheville to see the Biltmore Estate.  All I can say is WOW!  Of course, the place is HUGE, but the features that they had in the house when it was built were unreal for that time period.  They don't allow photography inside the house, but we took some pictures of the outside and of the gardens.  It was beautiful!

The flowers in the gardens and conservatory were gorgeous. Hubby took tons of pictures, but these are three of my favorites.

We left North Carolina on Thursday and spent the last couple of days in Pigeon Forge.  The Smoky Mountains are one of my most favorite places on earth. No matter how many times we go, it never gets old.  

We went up to Clingman's Dome but it was way too cloudy to see very much.  Still, it was breathtaking.

This is The Island at Pigeon Forge.  When we were there last year, it was still a work in progress.  They have a water show every hour that is choreographed to a fun song.  It was awesome at night.

The night before we left, we saw a dinner show at The Biblical Times Dinner Theater.  It was a production about Moses and you can read about it here.  As always, we were not disappointed with the food or the show.  If you visit Pigeon Forge, make sure to go to Biblical Times.

Now that I have looked at all of the pictures, I am ready to go back!  :-)

Have a blessed week, friends!

Easter Memories

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 

(Matthew 28:6 KJV) 

We had so much fun this Easter:  coloring eggs, hiding and hunting them, eating some amazing food with our family and enjoying the beautiful sunshine.  But the most blessed event of all was remembering and praising God for a RISEN SAVIOR! He is alive, and He lives in me!  We are so undeserving, yet God is always so good and so faithful.

The kiddos definitely had a ball enjoying all of the Easter festivities!  I am so thankful that my sis and I are so close, and that she always makes an effort to include me and Hubby in all of the "everyday things." We sure love spending time with them as often as we can!

And, of course, a silly picture of Aunt Wendy, taken by my sweet 5-year-old nephew.  Y'all ignore the freckles and no makeup, mmm-kay? 

Thanks again to all of you for praying for Z.  His hernia surgery went perfectly! The surgeon was able to repair it and so far, his recovery has been piece of cake!  You wouldn't even know he had been through an operation.  Praising God for praying friends and answered prayers!

Much love to you all,

Little Words, Lots of Pictures

Hi there friends!  It's been a while!  I think I am going to try this blogging thing one more time.  It's going to be a bit different now, though.  I am going to use this space mostly to write about me and Hubby, our family and what's going on in our lives at any given time.  I want a place to post pictures and share memories that I can look back on.

With that being said, if you're interested in seeing lots of pictures and hearing about day-to-day stuff, I'm so glad you're here!  I hope that you are all having a wonderful start to this beautiful spring season.  Hubby and I took our first trip of the year to Mammoth Cave National Park today.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day, as you will see in the pictures to follow! :-)

Also, before I go, I want to thank all of my sweet friends for praying for baby Z.  Most of you know already, but for those who don't, he was diagnosed with a hernia and will have surgery to repair it on April 25th.  Keep praying!

Have a blessed week!

Setting Goals for 2014

Source: Pinterest

I am so not a resolution-maker, y'all.  I feel like resolutions set me up for failure because I never keep them.  I do, however, believe in setting realistic goals and having something to aspire to.  A set of specific goals keeps me focused and I have lots of goals in mind for 2014!

This post is more for me, to keep me accountable.  I want something tangible that I can look back at and see how I am doing.

So, here are my 2014 goals, in no specific order...with a few random iPhone Christmas pictures mixed in. Enjoy! 

My 2014 Goals
Read and study the Bible more

Pray more 

Be more intentional about being kind to others

Lose 10 pounds by April 1^st 

Walk 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week 

Make healthier food choices 

Make weekly meal plans and cook at home 6 nights per week

Save enough money to pay cash for our vacation and Christmas gifts 

Clip coupons and actually use them 

Get to work on time

Learn more about essential oils 

Start looking into buying our own house

Be more present with my husband and family by spending less time on my phone, on the computer, etc.

Go to a music festival or concert 

Read two books per month 

Try two new recipes per month

How about you?  Do you make resolutions or set goals?  What would you like to accomplish in 2014?

Have a blessed weekend, friends!