The Kelley Klan

I'm Gonna Catch Up and Keep Up!!!!

2009-12-28T22:26:00.004-05:00

Well, I'm been away from blogging for so long that I don't even know where to begin. I've posted things on Facebook along the way so I feel like most people know what's up with our Kelley Klan. Anyway, I will catch up on this blog with some highlights from the past 3 months.

But first, just for something really funny. Addie always makes me laugh with her notes. We had some KY friends that now live in Florida traveling through on December 26th to spend the night. We happened to be gone for a family Christmas celebration when they arrived. They were going to be in our new house alone for a few hours. The Kimes have 3 girls, ages 3, 6, and 9. Addie had written these notes and left one on Emma's side of the room on the bed and one on her side of the room on the bed. They made me laugh!

Then I came home tonight from running errands and Addie is in her room crying. The room was spotless. She had taped this note up on her bed. She was quite the drama queen.

We threatened Emma and told her she would have to start sleeping in the dark barn in the backyard if she didn't start cleaning up her part of the room. She promised she would. Time will tell!

Oh my...Girls! I can only imagine what they will be like when the real drama hits and the teenage years are here. It will make for some good blogging!

3 MONTH UPDATE....ON THE WAY! 8-)

School, Soccer & a New House

2009-09-13T22:17:00.006-04:00

Well, school started back and we decided to not slow down ONE BIT! The kids are enjoying their new school, Tattnall Square Academy. They have made friends and have adjusted very well. Here's a picture heading to school the first day.

We are excited about a big move! We found a house in Macon on the corner of Ingleside and Ridge. We close this Wednesday, September 16th and move in right after. It is an old house built in 1933 but has been renovated. We are thrilled to have found an "old house" for me and a "new house" for Glenn.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Soccer has started and the Kelley Kids are Kicking It UP! They had their first soccer game this past Saturday. Paul scored 6 goals, Addie scored 2, and Emma scored 3. They had a great time! Emma is the only girl on her team but she hung in there with those boys.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Ormond Beach - August 2009

2009-08-16T23:32:00.000-04:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Summer for the Kelley Klan

2009-07-25T08:04:00.016-04:00

I'm so bad at blogging when I'm on facebook. I end up posting my pictures on there and then forget all about The Kelley Klan Blog. Anyway, I just realized I haven't posted at all in July and July. So here goes our "Summer Summary"....

June was full....Basketball camp for Paul at Mercer University. He did great in the shooting competitions and won on the last day for his age group! Glenn was excited to be there to watch his boy play ball!

All 3 kids did Bible School at our church in Macon for a whole week. They had lots of fun being with all their friends. It was a great week for me to get a little work done at MSS (Maximum Security Solutions).

The following week, Emma went to Bible School in Fort Valley at my mom's church with my nephew Hudson while Paul and Addie went to Art Camp in Fort Valley. Emma and Hudson loved VBS and still sing all the songs and do all the motions. SO CUTE! Paul and Addie had a great week at Art Camp making all kinds of cool crafts and projects. Such a fun camp!

That week I had a baby shower for my best friend, Laurie who had adopted a precious little girl, Bella Grace. We had prayed and prayed for this little one and it was wonderful for her to be here happy & healthy at the shower. Lots of people showed up to celebrate her arrival and to honor Laurie for being a mom for the 2nd time! It was a fun evening!

June was still filled with baseball. Paul played in 4 tournaments. His travel ball team, The Macon Storm, played 3 weekends. They did an awesome job! They came in 1st in one tournament and 2nd place in 2 tournaments. The tournaments were a lot of fun! He also played on the All-Star team and they played in a District Tournament which they won. That was a week of baseball during Vacation Bible School week...it was a LONG WEEK!

We still found a little time to spend at the pool. The kids all swim really well so going to the pool is like a vacation for me. I can sit and read a book, glancing at them every once in a while. It's nice!

I've been working for Genuine Georgia, which is the sales company my dad and brother started this summer. They having been selling peaches for Pearson Farm and it's been a busy peach season. I'm working on their invoicing, paperwork, and bookkeeping. I am also working for MSS, which is Maximum Security Solutions, the Brinks alarm company that I will be working for full-time once school starts. This summer I've only been working from home with them doing their bookkeeping and payroll. It's been a little crazy juggling all of this but I've enjoyed it all.

Then came July....

We enjoyed the 4th at my parents' house & pool. Fun day of swimming and grilling out. Then the finale that night with fireworks that were total duds! Oh well, we tried...not sure what we expected with fireworks we bought at Kroger. 8-)

Then we headed off to Indian Springs for 10 days of Holiness Campmeeting. The kids love it and we had a great time! The kids went to their activities each morning and studied all about the Armor of God. We spent the afternoons hanging out on the porch doing crafts, going to the High Falls Waterslide, enjoying the Indian Springs lake, riding around the campground in the golf cart, exploring in the woods around the cabins (then carefully checking for ticks), and just hanging out together in the cabin. We enjoyed the services each day and then the highlight of each evening was heading to the Snackateria...a great place everyone gathers for hamburgers and Oreo milkshakes...the best! It is such a wonderful place and the kids are making great memories there.

One day while at Indian Springs, I took the kids to Atlanta to the Children's Museum for the opening of a new exhibit that Will had coordinated. "The Peach Promise" was a promotional idea he had for GA Peaches. It was a fun time for the kids and a great way to support GA PEACHES!

July also held another Macon Storm baseball tournament, our last one of the season. We won and it was a great way to end the year of baseball! It is such a wonderful group of families and the boys are really playing great together. They will be a fun team to watch next year.

Our biggest event of July was the decision to change schools. LONG STORY short...we are leaving Covenant Academy and heading to Tattnall Square Academy. The kids are excited and so are we! It's going to be an adjustment but one we are eager to make! So changing schools has meant a flurry of activity from ordering new uniforms, to gathering paperwork, to buying school supplies, to getting the kids on board and excited about the change!

We surprised Addie with a kitten which she has wanted for so long. Shadow is a precious little black kitten with white paws. Addie's face when we told her it was hers was something I'll never forget! This was a little bit of a challenge because to say I don't like cats is an understatement. I'm definitely not from a cat family. We grew up despising cats...can't really go into all the torturous details here in case anyone reading likes cats. Needless to say...this is ironic that I just bought my kid a cat! Oh, the things we do for our kids..... 8-)

We are wrapping up July and getting ready for August. The first week of August is going to be our vacation to Ormond Beach with my family. This year we are so excited because our good friends, Brian and Mandy Roper and their 3 boys, Brooks, Brady, and Brett are going with us! It's going to be a great year at the beach. When we return from the beach the kids will be starting school within a couple of days. So there you have it....Summer for the Kelley Klan!

May....The "Let's Wrap It Up" Month!

2009-05-31T22:17:00.006-04:00

May was fun and busy...we had lots of activities that had "end of the year" celebrations...Emma's 3K, Emma's gymnastics, Addie's gymnastics, Paul's Egyptian Day, Addie's awards day, Paul's awards day, Paul's team party for baseball. These pictures are just some highlights of these days.

Paul's Egyptian Day was the culmination of a year long study in 2nd grade of Egypt. He's learned more than I would ever want to know about Egypt! 8-)

Also during May, we celebrated Addie's 7th birthday. Poor middle kid got the shaft this year! 8-( She had one friend over to go see a movie, eat pizza, and spend the night. So we had a cake that night and then I took cupcakes to school. No party this year...definitely next year!

On the last day of school, Covenant Academy does an Awards Day. Each class has Character Awards in their classroom. These are special awards because the teacher talks about each child and what character quality they saw displayed in them the most throughout the year. Mrs. Wilkins gave Paul the "Dependability" character award and Mrs. Bankson gave Addie the "Helpfulness" character award. They both received "Honor A awards". It was a special day!

Paul played on a rec league team "The Braves". They had a great season! Paul played shortstop and pitched. It was a lot of fun to watch. He had an awesome head coach, Brian Roper. Brian is a wonderful coach who Paul loves! We had a fun party to end the year...grilled out, gave out trophies, and had a parent vs. kid tball game!

Baseball, baseball, baseball.....

2009-05-09T21:31:00.005-04:00

....is that all we do??? My only pictures since Easter are of baseball. I feel like we do a lot more than just baseball but I don't have pictures to prove it. 8-) Paul is wrapping up his season with the rec league and has been having a lot of fun. He is on the Braves and usually either pitches or plays shortstop.

His Macon Storm travel team had a tournament a couple of weeks ago that they won. It was a great time...Emma even enjoyed herself...by playing in the dirt.

We watched the Kentucky Derby with friends and the kids had a great time cheering for the horses they picked. Candy & quarters were our pay-outs!

Paul & Addie played in an Intramural Basketball league at Covenant Academy this Spring and had a great time playing basketball with their friends.

We've had a wonderful Spring full of fun activities. We are excited for school to be ending and are looking forward to the summer ahead! Paul & Addie are going to be in the Wizard of Oz the end of May in Fort Valley with their Children's Theater program. Paul is the Tin Man and Addie is a Munchkin...they are so excited! May is going to be busy with end of school activities, Wizard of Oz practices and 2 performances, Addie's 7th birthday, baseball games with the Braves team, and a Macon Storm tournament. We'll be ready for June! It will be full of pool, pool, pool and more pool! 8-)

The Perfect Easter

2009-04-12T21:19:00.004-04:00

We had a wonderful Easter Weekend! We went to Fort Valley Friday night to celebrate Easter and my Dad's birthday with my family. We had a wonderful meal and enjoyed being with everyone. Saturday was a ballgame for Paul and then a great day around the house. Easter morning we got up and went to early church then headed to Waffle House for breakfast and then back to church to serve for the late service. It was an incredible Worship Service with awesome music! We spent Sunday afternoon at home relaxing and watched the Masters. Just a perfect weekend from start to finish!

"The Crazies" - Hollywood is Here!

2009-03-22T22:58:00.006-04:00

Hollywood is filming a remake of an old movie "The Crazies". A few months ago, our family was contacted about an old farmhouse we have on our land in Fort Valley. It was just what they were looking for to film part of "The Crazies". They needed an old farmhouse similar to one they were using in Iowa. After much negotiations, an agreement was made, money was paid, and a contract was signed. It has been quite an ordeal getting to this point but the time is here! Filming starts this week. We've been out to check out the "set".

When they approached us, the house was old, unoccupied, and empty. They have spent the past 30 days painting, tearing out cabinets, building walls, tearing down walls, wallpapering, and decorating the house for the "set". They have brought in all the furniture, accessories, and everything to create the set. The kitchen has been filled with napkins, dishes, a receipt sitting on the table, old magnets of the fridge. They've definitely given it the "lived in" look. The nursery upstairs in almost complete. They have 3 cribs, 3 bassinets, 3 rockers, and 3 changing tables. I think a couple of each will be torn up during the filming. It's amazing all that has gone on just to film a few scenes for a movie!

Basically, a virus gets out in the town, makes everyone crazy so there are lots of killings and things going on. The farmhouse is the home of the sheriff and his wife. I'm not sure exactly what parts of the movie will be filmed in the house. The areas of the house being used is a foyer entrance, a living room, the kitchen, an upstairs baby's nursery, and a master bedroom.

These pictures are of the house today. They will come in Monday and Tuesday to finish the decorating and then film on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I'll post more pictures throughout the week. We plan on being out there for the filming. They hired security guards for the weekend so one picture is of the security guards keeping watch over "Hollywood"! 8-)

The Foyer....the wall on the right was built in to match the foyer in the house in Iowa.

The Hallway & Stairwell

The Kitchen

The Master Bedroom

The Nursery...The rods on the ceiling were added for all the lighting. The wall behind the changing table was built in so it can be removed after a particular scene and then they will film from a different angle through a hole in the wall.

Spare Room used for filming into the Nursery. They tore out a wall so that after one scene they can remove the wall and film from a different angle. The cameras will be set up in this spare room and film into the nursery.

Security Guards

Hoping Heaven is Like the Ballpark

2009-03-12T20:57:00.007-04:00

I'm so excited because it's BASEBALL TIME! I love having a boy who loves baseball because the ballpark is one of my favorite places on earth. I'm hoping heaven is just like the ballpark....sunflower seeds, ice cold coke, baseball caps, cheering, kids running free.....I LOVE IT!

Paul is playing on two teams this year....a regular season rec ball team, "The Braves", and a travel ball team, "The Macon Storm". The Macon Storm played in a tournament last weekend in Zebulon, GA. They played 4 games over Saturday and Sunday and came in 3rd in the tournament. The Braves have their opening day this Saturday. It's going to be a great season! I'll be singing "Cheap Seats" by Alabama all season long...it's my favorite baseball song.

Pictures are from Paul's first Macon Storm tournament.

These Kelley Kids Crack Me Up!

2009-02-19T22:17:00.002-05:00

We haven't had a lot going on this last month or so except basketball, basketball, and more basketball. It has been tons of fun and the Covenant Rams have done great! This is the first year they have had a varsity team and tonight they won in the first round of the state tournament. Glenn has enjoyed coaching and we've enjoyed cheering the team on!

The kids have been cracking me up lately. They pretty much say what comes to mind...

**The other day Emma asked me to do something for her and I told her "no". She didn't like that too much and got that look on her face where she squints her eyes and tightens up her mouth. She said "God didn't make you right." I asked her what in the world she meant. She said "God didn't make you right. He didn't make you nice."

**Paul got an Iron Gym pull-up bar for Christmas. He, Addie, and Glenn do them all the time. I decided to try one the other night. I couldn't pull myself up to do even one. Paul said, "Mom, you just can't do it because you have too much weight on you." REAL NICE, PAUL!

**Emma's prayers have changed. They used to be the EXACT same every night..."Dear God, please help Emma have a good night sleep. And thank you for our sins to die on the cross and take away our sins. In Jesus' name, Amen" This week she prayed for us to "not go to jail", "don't let any bugs crawl on us tonight", and "don't let the witches get inside". Who knows where she gets this stuff???

**Last night after dinner we were all back in our bedroom taking showers and getting pajamas on. Lots of commotion, chaos, naked bodies, etc. Addie says "Mom, I really hope that when I'm bigger my boobies will go straight out instead of hanging down on my stomach like yours." THANKS A LOT, ADDIE!

Where Did January Go???

2009-02-01T21:38:00.007-05:00

Well, I fell off my blogging train again. January was just a whirlwind...I can't believe it's gone. We've spent the whole month being busy with Covenant basketball. There hasn't been much happening that was "blog worthy" so I've absent. We've had a great time going to the Covenant Varsity basketball games. Glenn took the Head Basketball coach position and has loved every minute of it. He coaches with his good friend, Brian Roper, and the Rams are doing great! We are winding up the season this week and then heading to Region and State games in the next couple of weeks. Should be fun! GO RAMS!

Paul was in a spelling bee at school before Christmas and finished in the top 4 for 2nd grade. This qualified him to represent Covenant this past Friday in Albany against 6 other schools. It was a fun day and he did great! He finished 8th out of 21 students in the 2nd grade group.

Paul is playing Upward Basketball and finishing up his season. He is having fun calling the plays..."1", "2", "Wildcat"! This past week he sported his black headband which didn't help his "skills" but definitely added to his "coolness", he thought! 8-)

Today was one of those great Sundays where not much is planned. So after lunch, we piled in the truck and took Rupp down to the Rumph Place for a couple of hours of outdoor adventures. It was a great afternoon!

Slowly But Surely I'll Get All the Slideshows Added!

2009-01-11T15:28:00.004-05:00

Christmas with the Bradshaws

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

I Need to Catch Up!

2009-01-08T18:42:00.002-05:00

Oh my goodness! I get so far behind then I don't know how to catch up! Since I've last posted, there has been:
1. Christmas with the Bradshaws
2. Christmas Eve service with Paul and Addie singing
3. Christmas Eve at our house with my parents
4. Christmas morning at home
5. Christmas evening with the McGehee family
6. December 26th Christmas with my family
7. December 27th Christmas with the Pearson family
8. New Years Eve
9. My Birthday - New Years Day
10. Emma's Birthday - Jan. 4th
11. Emma's Party - Jan. 5th at Build-A-Bear

So...I'm going to work on a slideshow with some pictures. Hope everyone is having a wonderful 2009 so far! It's going to be an interesting year! Let's get it rolling!

Paul Gives the Ultimate Gift

2008-12-21T14:00:00.005-05:00

It has been an interesting few weeks with Paul. We have a neighbor, Tee, who Paul has wanted to tell about Jesus. Paul brought this up about a month ago after he was baptized and HAS NOT LET IT GO! If you know Paul...when I say, HAS NOT LET IT GO...that means he has talked about it the first moment he wakes up and continues to talk about it during each day.

It's terrible to say, but our first reaction was to just ignore him and hoped he forgot about it. That didn't work, so we went to plan B. We told him that would be great and we'd get around to it one day. That didn't work, so we went to plan C. We decided Glenn would go with him one day when Tee was getting home from work.

Paul wanted to buy him a Bible and take him a candy cane. He wanted to use the candy cane to tell Tee about Jesus' blood forgiving us, the white on the candy cane for our clean heart after salvation, the J for Jesus being the only way, and the Shepherd's hook since Jesus is our shepherd. I suggested that we just write all that out and leave it on Tee's doorstep! That was NOT the way Paul wanted it to happen. He said, "But Mom, I want to be able to see Tee's face when I tell him about Jesus." What can you say to your 8-year-old saying that??? Of course, it was going to work out Paul's way.

Paul woke up this morning and said TODAY WAS THE DAY! When we went to church, Paul talked to our friend, Bryan Scott, about witnessing. Bryan gave Paul some great advice on witnessing. Paul bought a Bible for Tee with his money, wrapped it for him, gathered a few candy canes to give Tee, said a prayer and was ready to go! Glenn and I were way more nervous than Paul...he was ready and nothing was stopping him. Glenn and Paul walked over to Tee's house about 1:30. I could see them through the kitchen window talking to Tee in his garage. Of course I thought...I've to blog this...so I have to have a picture! I felt like the paparazzi and I really hope Tee didn't see the flash! 8-) Unfortunately, due to the angle of my kitchen window from Tee's garage, you can't really see Paul but he is next to Glenn but the truck is hiding him. Oh well, I'm just an amateur paparazzi!

Paul came back so excited. When Tee first came outside, Paul told Tee that he had brought him a Christmas gift and wanted to tell him about the candy cane and about Jesus. Paul said that Tee told the story along with him because he already knew Jesus. But Tee was so thankful that Paul had brought him a Bible and was really appreciative of Paul wanting to share with him. Tee gave Paul an armful of oranges!

We don't know Tee's story or how much of it is true. But we hope Tee knows that Paul loves him and God loves him. Paul knows that he did what God laid on his heart to do and the rest is up to God. I'm so proud of Paul for not giving up on his parents and for continuing to be determined to do what he knew he was supposed to do. He is definitely an example to us! Thanks Paul...we love you! MOM & DAD

2nd Annual Kelley Christmas Program

2008-12-11T21:42:00.007-05:00

WOW! What a great time we had last Saturday for the 2nd Annual Kelley Christmas Program! We had 13 families over last Saturday for the program. 28 children were in the program and did a fantastic job! I was so proud of them after just ONE PRACTICE! The kids came last Saturday morning for 2 hours to practice and get our costumes organized. Then all the families and some grandparents (for a total of 70 people...NO, my house isn't that big!) came back for the program and dinner. The house was full of good food, great friends, lots of kids, tons of laughter, and the real meaning of Christmas! Thanks to everyone for coming!

Christmas Traditions

2008-11-30T21:56:00.003-05:00

I LOVE CHRISTMAS! It is so much fun with kids. The excitement they have is contagious! We pulled our Christmas decorations out earlier this week and they had so much fun going through the boxes and putting out our decorations. We went today and got our two trees (one that I can decorate with my pretty ornaments and one for them to decorate with their "not-all-so-pretty" ornaments). We decorated their tree tonight before they went to bed. Tons of fun!

Another tradition we started last year that was a BLAST was "Elf on the Shelf". We got our book last year and named our elf, "Elfvis". He is so cute! He comes back every year and watches the kids during the day, goes to the North Pole at night to report to Santa, and then is in a different spot each morning (but usually not before doing something silly around the house). The kids jump out of bed and run around the house trying to find "Elfvis". It is so much fun! You can talk to him (and believe me, they do!) but you can't touch him. He showed up tonight during dinner...the doorbell rang...and THERE HE WAS! We read our book, the kids went to bed, and Elfvis with be somewhere different in the morning. The kids are really into Elfvis...Paul was concerned that he may be hungry so he gave him some snacks and wrote him a note. 8-)

There are other traditions we have that will take place as we get closer to Christmas...I'm sure there will be more to post! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A Wonderful Thanksgiving Day

2008-11-27T21:26:00.003-05:00

What a wonderful day it was! We went to our cabin in Fort Valley with a lot of our family (about 60 people) and had a great day. Tons of food...lots of kids...zip lines...hayrides...4-wheeling...skeet shooting...boat rides...more food...lot of laughing...swings...fun on the dock...did I mention lots of food?? We had a lot to be thankful for and we spent the day enjoying our family. Blessings were all around us! Enjoy the slideshow of our day! 8-)

Very Blessed

2008-11-16T20:31:00.007-05:00

Today was a great day for our family! Paul had chosen today to be baptized after becoming a Christian a few months ago. He has been so excited about his baptism and couldn't wait for the day to get here. I heard him jump out of bed this morning yelling loudly, "I'm dead! I'm dead...I'm dead to my sinful ways!" Then he proceeded to tell Addie, "But Addie, now listen, I'm not perfect. I'm still going to sin after becoming a Christian and being baptized. I'm probably still going to be mean to you sometimes." It was definitely a way to start the day with a smile on my face! We had a wonderful day at church with family and friends, then to Jeneannes for lunch, and back to the house for dessert and gifts. It was a special day! Glenn told the kids tonight that watching his kids come to know Jesus and choosing to follow Him as their Lord and Savior will be the highlight of his life. Paul's face doesn't show in the pictures or video like we saw it today watching him but his face showed joy...deep down God-given joy!

Video of the Baptism

Addie's Journal

2008-11-11T17:06:00.009-05:00

One of my favorite things to do is to look under Addie's bed and read things she's written. Some are notes she has written to other people, some are notes she's written to Paul, sometimes it is something she's written in her journal. It's so cute! ENJOY BUT DON'T TELL ADDIE! 8-)

This is something she wrote to Paul and he answered her question with a "yes". 8-)

This is a letter and picture she wrote to Paul about their love and friendship. 8-)

This is a letter she wrote to her friend, Ethan, but I found it in the trash. It's a good thing she didn't give it to him because he wasn't planning on marrying Addie anyway! 8-)

Our Fun-Filled Fall

2008-10-31T21:25:00.008-04:00

We've enjoyed the month of October...the beginning of fall has been in the air. It has been cool in the mornings and on the perfect days...it has stayed cool all day. We look forward to more of those kind of days. It's been a busy month so I'll just highlight with a few pictures from some of our fun-filled fall days!

Emma's Hoe-Down in 3K

Pumpkin Patch

Halloween Party for Emma with her friends, Evie & Athena

Halloween

"Emma-isms"

2008-10-21T14:14:00.002-04:00

Emma has been really funny lately. Just a few funny things she has said....

**"Mom, 2 of my legs hurt." What is that about??? How many legs does Emma have? 8-)

**I was asking Emma to help me out with dinner. I filled each plate and asked her to carry them to the table to each place. I handed her the first plate, she looked at it, and commented "Mom, I can't! There are clouds above the food!" I guess steam does look like clouds, huh?

**Emma & I both get confused about the days. I get mixed up on which day of the week we are on. Emma has other confusing issues. She asks me almost daily, "Mom, is today tomorrow? Is tomorrow today?"

Crazy about my Cousins!

2008-10-12T13:58:00.004-04:00

Emma had a great day last Thursday at my mom's house. My nephews, Hudson & Sam, were there staying for a few days. My cousins, Laurie & Lanier, brought their kids, Jimbo and Adeline over for a morning of playtime. We had a great morning watching all the kids play together. That's one thing I love about living near family. It's great to be able to spend time with my cousins and their kids. I want Paul, Addie, & Emma to grow up close to their cousins, too! It was a fun day!

The popsicles were a big hit!
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Extreme Praise

2008-10-09T22:49:00.002-04:00

Our church, Ingleside Baptist, has Extreme Worship for kids kindergarten - 5th grade. Their worship service deals with a virtue of the month and consists of songs led by the Extreme Praise Team, skits, a teaching time, and boy-girl challenges. Paul & Addie serve on the Extreme Praise Team which means once a month they are in the group that leads worship for their peers. They are really enjoying being a part of the Extreme Praise Team.

Fun at the Fair

2008-10-09T22:22:00.006-04:00

The Georgia National Fair is something our family looks forward to every year. We all look forward to it for different reasons. The kids love it because of the fun rides, Glenn loves it so he can walk around and "check the redneck carnival chicks", and I love it for the fair food. You just can't beat eating...the corn dog, a caramel apple, a piece of the roasted corn, an apple dumpling with vanilla ice cream, the curly, greasy french fries, the fried pickles, and turkey leg...on one occasion. It doesn't get any better than that! 8-)

This year we went to the fair with our best friends, Michael, Laurie & Max. The kids had so much fun with Max! We enjoyed the circus, the petting zoo, the rides, and of course, the fair food!

My Baby Boy is 8!!!

2008-10-09T22:02:00.005-04:00

I can't believe it was 8 years ago that Paul was born! What a special child. Paul has brought up many laughs, smiles, and tears. He is a first child perfectionist that drives us crazy some moments...and a sensitive, loving son those same moments. He asks questions that I have no idea how to answer or have ever even wondered about. As an 8 year old, he is very complex and I can't wait to see what kind of man of God he becomes. We love you and are praying for you, Paul!

Paul's 8th Birthday Party

We took 16 kids to Lane's Packing Company for Paul's birthday. It was a great time! We did the Corn Maze, played on the playground, enjoyed the inflatable slide, opened presents & ate cake & ice cream. Everyone had a lot of fun and Paul thought it was a really special day!

I Fell Off the Blogging Wagon

2008-10-09T21:57:00.002-04:00

Oh well, we all do it from time to time....I fell off the wagon! We say to ourselves "I'm committed to this. It'll never happen to me! I'm disciplined and strong"...then we fall off the wagon. Well, I'm back with several posts to make to catch everyone up on the sometimes boring, sometimes not-so-boring KKK. By the way, that stands for Krazy Kelley Klan 8-)

What a Weekend!

2008-09-21T18:17:00.002-04:00

WOW! I had an amazing weekend. I left on Thursday at noon with my girls from my Bible study group and the 6 of us headed to Fernandina Beach for some time of relaxing...and relaxing we did!

From the moment I walked into the house at Fernandina to the moment we drove away...it was 66 hours of heavenly bliss! For 66 hours I...
*stayed in my pajamas
*read 2 books
*scrapbooked 30 pages
*watched 9 movies
*never left the house
*drank Mike's Hard Lemonade and MANY pots of coffee
*ate no "real" food...only snacks

WOW! What a weekend!

Addie's Prayer Journal

2008-09-12T10:01:00.003-04:00

Addie showed me what she wrote in her prayer journal last night. So cute.

Teeth are a BIG DEAL at the Kelley House!

2008-09-08T09:23:00.003-04:00

Teeth are a big deal around here. It took Paul a long time to lose his first one and we've been waiting on #2 for weeks now. Addie is busy wiggling, tugging, and flicking trying to catch up. She hasn't lost one yet but has one that is really close! Finally last night, Paul pulled out #2 and we all celebrated! The Tooth Fairy brought Paul $10 for tooth #1 but that was because it had been quite an ordeal to finally lose that first tooth. I tried explaining that I didn't think the Tooth Fairy would be quite as generous on his remaining teeth! This video shows Paul waking us this morning to see what the Tooth Fairy left. I thought since we were waking him up that we'd be able to capture him finding the money...only to find out he had gotten up at 3:22 to check it out! Teeth...Fairies...Kids...it's all so much fun!

Labor Day Fun with Friends

2008-09-01T21:21:00.009-04:00

Today was a great day with friends! The weather wasn't the best but it didn't stop us from having a great time at the pool with the Abbotts and the Ropers. The guys played golf early (that always seems to find a way to get worked into a day, doesn't it??) and then we all went down to Fort Valley to my parents' pool. We grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and spent the afternoon eating and playing. The kids had a great day in the pool.

The poor guys were wiped out from their early morning golf game.

But still had enough energy to play with the kids.

Brady rebelled against having his picture taken.

Emma and Evie are always ready for pictures!

Addie, Emma & Evie couldn't get enough of the boiled peanuts that Jana brought.

God has blessed us with wonderful friends. It's such a blessing having friends where all the kids get along and play well together. We want Paul, Addie & Emma to grow up and be life-long friends with Ethan, Evie, Brooks, Brady, & Brett. It's so much fun to watch them all grow up together!

Back in School

2008-08-15T22:53:00.003-04:00

School is back and we are rolling with it! I'm so glad to be back in the school routine and the kids are enjoying it, too. Their first week was great and they are off to a wonderful start. Emma is in 3K at Ingleside Baptist Church. Her teacher is Chrissy Hetes. Emma is loving "3K"! Paul & Addie are at Covenant Academy. Paul is in 2nd grade with Mrs. Wilkins and Addie is in 1st grade with Mrs. Hayden. We are planning on an awesome year!

Do I Use My Credit Card Too Much????

2008-08-12T20:19:00.004-04:00

I was at the mall today with Addie and Emma. As we walked around, Addie commented that she would love for the mall to be her home. She thought it would be fun to wake up each morning and be able to pick an outfit from all the clothes. She also thought it would be a great place to play hide and seek. Once we were back in the car, I overheard Addie and Emma talking....

Addie: "I would love to live at the mall. I wish it could be our house."
Emma: "I think we should buy it."
Addie: "How much do you think it would cost?"
Emma: "A million dollars."
Addie: "Ooh...well, Daddy doesn't have that much money."
Emma: "No, he doesn't."
Addie: "But you know what? We could just buy it with Mom's red card".

I about choked on my Mint Chocolate Moolatte! I obviously use my "red card" too much around Addie who has NO CONCEPT of money. She thinks if you don't have the money...you just use the card! That could be a problem.

I'm sorry, Mr. Future Husband. 8-)

Ormond Beach 2008

2008-08-10T23:29:00.003-04:00

What a wonderful week at the beach! We spent a week at Ormond Beach, near Daytona, with my family. The kids had a great time...and the adults! It was definitely our best year yet. The kids are finally at the age where they just enjoy the sand, waves, salt, sunscreen, heat, and sharks (ask me about our near shark attack!). It was a trip with many fun family moments. Here's a glimpse....

Emma....Future Entertainer? You Decide

2008-07-30T12:35:00.004-04:00

Emma had a great time this summer when she went to Fort Valley and stayed with Gobby for a whole week! Gobby kept Hudson and Emma so they could go to Vacation Bible School at Gobby's church. The highlight for Hudson and Emma were the songs! They loved them and have continued to play the CD at home ALL SUMMER! We are all singing and dancing to "Beach Beattitudes", "Surfin' the Scriptures", and "I Will Believe" by now. Here are a couple of short clips of Emma "doing her thing"!

Special Place, Special People, Special Moments

2008-07-20T22:23:00.004-04:00

We've just returned from our annual 10 days at Indian Springs Holiness Campmeeting. My family has a cabin there and we've spent 10 days every summer for the past 25 summers there. For those of you who have never been, Indian Springs is in Flovilla, GA about 30 minutes north of Macon. It is a campground with cabins, a lake, a cafeteria, a ropes course, a bookstore, a hotel, 4 tabernacles, a snakateria, and a nursery.

We own our cabin...a small cabin...rustic...2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a kitchen, a living area, and a large screened in front porch. It is named "The Silver Goblet". About 27 years ago, my great-great-grandmother's silver goblets were stolen from our house...we used the insurance money we received for a down payment on this cabin...thus the name!

The 10 days are spent going to services in the tabernacle...there are 3 services a day...11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. There is also a Bible study in the morning at 9:30 in the tabernacle. They have wonderful programs for all children and youth in their own tabernacles during each service. Afternoons and evenings are spent sitting in rocking chairs on front porches across the campground catching up with people that we only see these 10 days each year. There are no tvs, no telephones, no computers, no real AC (just window units in the bedrooms!). It is like living back in time...it's a wonderful place to be!

It's also a special place...it's where I accepted Jesus when I was 10 years old. The tabernacle I sat in day after day this year....hearing some incredible teaching...is the same place I gave my heart to Him 26 years ago. It's also a special place because this year on Thursday, July 17th, Paul and Addie asked Jesus to come into their hearts at one of their services in the children's tabernacle. They are excited about beginning their journey.

We had a tremedous 10 days! Most of the time Gobby (my mom) was there with us...Hudson (my nephew) spent a week there with us while his new little brother, Samuel Bain McGehee, was born and in the hospital....GoGoDaddy (my dad) came and spent a night with us here and there....and Glenn came and spent a couple of days. The kids had a blast and already can't wait for next year!

Wonderful Wednesday

2008-07-09T07:47:00.003-04:00

Just some random things I think are pretty wonderful today....

*my early morning coffee
*knowing there is a relaxing morning ahead and a trip to the pool later
*having nothing to do tonight
*the anticipation of my nephew being born in 6 days
*knowing I don't have to be pregnant or give birth again
*boiled peanuts
*my Bible study group
*our best friends and their amazing little boy, Max
*Mint Mocha Chip at Starbucks (think I need one today)
*my family...kids, husband, parents, brother, in-laws, cousins, aunts & uncles....i'm very blessed with an incredible family
*my Mission Control book that I'm addicted to
*knowing Big Brother starts in 4 days

Reading back over this....this was really random....oh well, you've got a glimpse into my thoughts of what's wonderful!

"Do you like it when I say myrrh?"

2008-07-03T07:47:00.004-04:00

We have watched this clip no less than 100 times in the past couple of weeks. The kids laugh just as hard each time as they did the first time they saw it. I've been transferring all my videos to DVD and so I've had to watch each one. It has been so fun...I've laughed & cried....many great memories.

Emma Keeps Us Laughing!

2008-06-26T18:10:00.005-04:00

Emma spent last week at my parents' house. She went to Vacation Bible School at their church while Paul and Addie stayed home and went to Vacation Bible School at our church. We got to the end of the week and realized how much we missed laughing at Emma! Paul and Addie are getting to the age where they aren't really that funny (don't tell them that....they still think they are!) but Emma, on the other hand, is hilarious! Here's just a few pictures since she's been back that cracked us up.

"Nurse" Emma (in honor of Sus!)

Emma was "helping" me sweep but was having some "crack issues"!

Emma put on my lipstick....and ALMOST made it on the lips!

FINALLY!!!!

2008-06-20T07:35:00.005-04:00

It has been a long time coming. Paul is 4 months away from being 8 years old and had never lost a tooth! EVERYONE in his class this year has lost a tooth...several teeth each. It was beginning to really worry Paul (as you can imagine if you know Paul). We were getting worried that Addie would lose a tooth before him...you can imagine how that would have gone! What we never bothered to tell Paul was that Glenn NEVER lost a tooth...had to have every tooth pulled. I was beginning to wonder if that was the way Paul's teeth were going to be. Anyway, last night, after about an hour of bleeding, wiggling, crying, flicking with the tongue, checking in the mirror, talking about the pain, getting straight all about the tooth fairy....it happened! PAUL LOST HIS FIRST TOOTH....FINALLY!

Quirky

2008-06-14T20:24:00.003-04:00

I've been tagged! Jana Dingmore tagged me this time.

Here are the rules:
*Link the person who tagged you. (no idea what this means so I won't do it)
*Mention the rules in your blog.
*Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours.
*Tag a new set of six following bloggers by linking them.

These are in no particular order.... 8-)

Quirk #1
I love candles! My quirk is that I love them so much that I don't want them to go away so I never burn any. I have 2 rubbermaid containers full of unburned candles that I love! Call it a quirk or call it sick...I don't know!

Quirk #2
I can not have any food touching on my plate. I would really like to eat on divided lunchroom trays...that would be ideal for me.

Quirk #3
I have to make the bed the moment we are both out of it. It drives me crazy to have it unmade. The house can be total disaster but my bed is made.

Quirk #4
I keep a calendar for certain "activities". I just print off my own at the beginning of each year and keep it throughout the year. I was having trouble coming up with my quirks and Glenn thought of this one. I won't go into a lot of detail on this one...TMI

Quirk #5
I can't sleep with my closet door open. I can be in bed about to be asleep and if I notice the closet door open....i have to get up and close it. Had a nightmare one time...when it's open, my clothes look like people staring at me. Weird!

Quirk #6
I'm a list fanatic. I'll make my list and if I do something that's not on my list....I'll add it....just so I can have the pleasure of marking it off.

Okay, now I'm tagging...
Laurie Pearson
Meri Khoury
Amy Reddick
Jana Anthoine
Lanier Pearson
Mary Katherine Pearson

Summertime Fun Has Begun!!!

2008-05-25T20:41:00.007-04:00

It's summer and the Kelleys are excited! We've got a busy summer planned with baseball all-stars, summer camps, and swimming. It's going to be a fun summer and we got it all started this weekend by spending time in the pool. I'm seeing some good "pool days" since all 3 kids can swim well. Hopefully, I can even read a few books! 8-)

We wrapped school up last week with end-of-the year parties, Addie's K5 graduation, Addie's birthday and Paul's Award Day. They had a wonderful year at Covenant Academy and it was a fun week to celebrate all they have achieved.

Emma is really cracking me up these days! She gave up her "passy"...a little late (by some standards...NOT MINE!). She talks non-stop. Now I know why I loved that thing! She plays "Kid and Mommy" alot and reminds me a lot of myself because she always has several bags hanging on her. She's excited about summer and "the look" that goes along with it!

The Kelleys hope your "summertime fun" has begun!

Catch Up Time!

2008-05-16T20:15:00.006-04:00

Man, it's been a busy few weeks! We've had lots of random things going on....graduations, c-ball games, award days for gymnastics, reunions, anniversaries, Mother's Day, school programs, tornadoes....just life in general! 8-) I haven't blogged in a while so I'll just show some pictures of our past few weeks. Just a glimpse of "The Kelley Klan"!

Paul playing C-ball...he pitches & plays first base.

We had a reunion with the Stephens & Hufhams and their children. The last time we were all together was Easter 2000. There are 3 "older adult couples" (my parents, Fred & Gloria Stephens, and James & Sherry Hufham). Each couple has two children. At Easter 2000, we were all there and all the children were married but had no kids. This was our first time all being together since then and now we have 14 kids under the age of 7 and 1 on the way. It was a wild & crazy day at our cabin! Katie was my very first friend and we enjoyed being together with our 7 kids! Mattie Alice was asleep for our picture on the dock.

Emma "graduated" from 2K!

We went to Auburn University for our nephew's graduation. Glenn's brother, Mike, has a son Ben who graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double major in Wireless Engineering and Electrical Engineering. We are all so proud of him and had a great weekend celebrating with the family.

Addie and Emma finished up their year of gymnastics with an Awards Day!

The Results....

2008-04-30T22:07:00.003-04:00

It is amazing! We are sleeping great. There hasn't been ANY snoring for 6 nights! I can't believe it....the CPAP is the most unbelievable invention. We haven't gotten the bill yet 8-( ....but I don't care what it costs...it is SO WORTH IT! Glenn is not tired during the day and I wake up so much happier. 8-)

You Sexy Thing!

2008-04-24T23:07:00.006-04:00

There are just some images in my mind that are just straight up SEXY!

Now, I know you are thinking I'm crazy....Glenn can't be sexy wearing that contraption. Oh, but you have NO IDEA how sexy he is with that thing on! You see...Glenn snores TERRIBLY and has for the 12 years of our marriage. I'm talking the "kick him 1000 times at night" snoring or the "go sleep in another room" snoring or the "wake up ticked off because you didn't sleep" snoring. It has been BAD! He never believed me or took me very serious. He finally went to the doctor (after much protesting, ultimatums, and many fights), spent the night doing a sleep study....RESULTS?? He quits breathing 30 times an hour for at least 10 seconds each time! I knew I wasn't crazy...IT WAS BAD! So, the answer to my prayers, my marriage, and to us both finally getting a good nights sleep...the CPAP mask and air system. He will wear this mask everynight...He will sleep great and I WILL SLEEP GREAT! Tonight is our first night to try it and I couldn't be more excited. You're probably wondering...."What's that CPAP going to do to his sex appeal?" "Surely, you can't think he's sexy in bed in that thing?" My answer...."Hell, yeah! That's one sexy looking thing!"

Thursday morning Playgroup

2008-04-21T16:28:00.005-04:00

Emma has a great time on Thursday mornings with her playgroup. Evie, Avery, Brynn, and Emma spend Thursday mornings together playing. I usually get a lot done on the Thursday they are at my house because they play so well together and entertain each other. This past Thursday was full of some fun, "captured" moments!

Emma & Avery spent time coloring in the workbooks....

Avery, Emma, & Evie played "kid teacher"....which is Addie and Emma's name for "playing school". I got a little video of Emma being the teacher and teaching phonograms to Evie and Avery. Watch out Covenant Academy! Emma will have those phonograms memorized by the time she gets to 4K!

Everything was cleaned up and we were waiting on the moms to come get them....and then Brynn came walking out of my room. Needless to say...I'm one tube of lipstick short now! 8-)

To Honor My Daddy

2008-04-09T00:15:00.002-04:00

Today is my Dad's birthday and so I thought I would blog about him.

If you know me....you know I'm a pretty big fan of my dad. Always have been...always will be. I guess the best way to explain it is to just tell you some of the things I love about him.

His quiet confidence...Although he tells us he is a very insecure person at times, all I see is a quiet confidence about him. He seems to know who he is, what he's about, and is confident in who God has created him to be.

His unwavering faith....He never "forced" God on us but "lived God" day in and day out. I never had one moment of doubt about who he saw as the Savior of his heart and the Leader of his life.

His ability to see God in ALL things....He can take the smallest of coincidence or the largest miracle and has no doubt it is all from God. He can look at a leaf, at the way dirt is piled on a road, at the color of someone's shirt...and make it all a touch from God.

The way he thinks....He has the gift of seeing things in perspective. He rarely (if ever) "freaks out" over anything because he thinks it through, doesn't assume the worst, and sees the good in everything.

The way he teaches the Bible....I've heard him teach more Sunday School lessons and sermons than I can count. I've never heard him teach when he wasn't brought to tears by the truth of God.

His heart for his grandchildren....He is "GoGoDaddy" to Paul, Addie, & Emma and they adore him with love I've never seen. He does crazy things with them...way outside the box...things they will never forget. His encourages them in everything they do.

His servant heart....I've never known anyone to do more for others and almost always without any fanfare. He has a default reaction to help, to serve, to make things easier and better for others.

His support and encouragement....I've never wondered if I was loved by him. I was always and continue to be supported by him in all I do and encouraged by him in everything I encounter.

Our connection....Neither one of us is very verbal about our feelings or "touchy-feely". We don't have to be with each other. There is a connection there....just being in the room together. We know, right Dad?

In my Bible Study group recently, we were discussing how our dads help shape our view of God as our Father....some people have a wrong view of God because of their dads, others have a pretty good view of God because of their relationship with their dad. That's one thing I've always been grateful for....I feel like I really understand who God is as Father because of my dad. He is the most Christ-like person I've ever known. Now don't get me wrong....I KNOW HE'S NOT PERFECT! But in my eyes...He is as close as it gets this side of Heaven.

Happy Birthday, Daddy! I love you.

Spring Break in Kentucky

2008-04-05T20:05:00.012-04:00

We had a wonderful time on Spring Break visiting family in Kentucky. We stayed with Nana and had a great week doing many fun things. On Saturday, we went to Asbury College where

Glenn and I went to school. The kids had so much fun seeing "college"! We found my room I lived in for 3 years. We spent time walking around seeing classrooms, the cafeteria, the gym where Glenn played basketball, and the library. We also drove to High Bridge while out near Asbury. The scenery was gorgeous! Glenn and I were reminded of "dating days" and all the "dating activities" that happened at High Bridge. 8-) It was a great day!

On Sunday, we enjoyed church and then Glenn and I got to go to Louisville to visit with some friends we haven't seen in a while. We had an awesome time Shawn, Davis, Lauren & Stacy!

Monday we made our traditional Kentucky trip to the bowling alley. The kids always insist on this Kentucky outing! It's a tradition to go to the bowling alley where Glenn bowled growing up. It's fun watching him get strike after strike after strike as he reminisces of his "glory days" being the Jr. National Champion for the U.S. It's amazing that he's still "got it" after 20 years!

On Tuesday, our "daily activity" (you can tell we have to do something each day) was a trip to the Lexington Children's Museum. There's so much to do there and the kids loved it! From dressing as jockeys and sitting on the horses to playing doctor to experimenting in the bubble room to walking on the moon to riding in the space ship to dressing as a miner. Fun, Fun, Fun!

Wednesday was our day for the Kentucky Horse Park and riding ponies. The kids had a great time on the ponies and were all smiles as they picked their pony to ride.

We had an awesome week in Kentucky with Nana, Pop, Uncle Mike & Aunt Julie! It was a fun Spring Break and the kids were great! It was our best trip EVER in the car....it was actually "PLEASANT" for the 8 hours there and 8 hours back. I can't believe I just typed that! I think I've died and gone to heaven...to be able to say that a car ride with 3 kids was pleasant! 8-)

Philippians 2:14 (according to the Kelleys)

2008-03-20T15:48:00.005-04:00

We've decided to memorize a "Family Verse" but we had to make it "The Kelley Version". I really think God needed to add "huffing, crying, and rolling your eyes" but I'll just take that up with Him when I get there! 8-)

2008-03-13T06:52:00.003-04:00

Thankful Thursday

Here's a few things from my list today.....

**early mornings by myself with a cup of coffee

**my Monday Night Accountability group - couldn't live without those 10 girls!

**Paul - for his inquisitive mind

**Addie - for her carefree style

**Emma - she's just plain funny

**my TIVO (I won't list what I watch!) 8-)

**Super Suppers - having meals ready is the greatest and it's so fun making them with my friends!

**Covenant Academy - such a great place!

**Glenn - great dad and husband

**Weight Watchers - program I am really enjoying (19 down...16 to go!)

**Gobby & GoGoDaddy, Nana, Pop - grandparents that my kids love and adore

**The Bradshaws - our forever friends

**Pot of coffee ready throughout the day

**March Madness - (as long as KY is in it and winning...will make a happy husband...and in our house the saying changes...."IF DADDY AIN'T HAPPY...AIN'T NOBODY HAPPY!")

**Baseball season at the Little League Park - love my sunflower seeds!

**Chocolate Frosty at Wendy's

What are you thankful for???? Have a great Thursday!

2008-03-04T17:09:00.005-05:00

Emma's Easter Story

EVERYONE knows who the Easter story is about, right???? Emma says it is all about Noah. OH MY! I've always laughed that at "church"....all you ever needed to answer was "Jesus" and you'd always be right. Of course, my kid would be the one to think it's all about NOAH!

2008-02-20T11:12:00.009-05:00

It's that KRAZY KELLEY KLAN again!

I'll just let the videos speak for themselves....It was Hip-Hop Night at the Kelley house....It proves the fact...WHITE PEOPLE CAN'T DANCE!

"Our Little Stripper"

"Is that Glenn and the babysitter???"

"Kids bust a move to 'Shorty Got Low, Low, Low, Low'"

2008-02-16T13:19:00.003-05:00

Emma's Valentine Playdate

Emma had a great time on Valentine's Day with her friends at our house. We had Evie, Athena, Avery, & Brynn over for playgroup. They played together, baked heart shaped cakes to decorate and eat, and made a Valentine craft while they sang songs! I'm not sure if they'll be a singing group one day or not....see for yourself!

2008-02-09T12:29:00.000-05:00

Daddy's Little Girl

Addie and Glenn went to their 1st Father/ Daughter Dinner at church last night. It was quite an occasion and one that Addie was SO EXCITED about! She had talked all week about her dress, shoes, and her "date" with her daddy! They had such a wonderful time....she came home all smiles and couldn't quit talking about her evening. The pictures say it all...PRICELESS!

2008-02-07T20:12:00.000-05:00

"I've Been Tagged!"

Something new to me just showed up in "Blog Land"....Tagging.

When you tag someone with a set of questions or a list or a game, they respond in their blog, etc.

Here are the rules for this one:
Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more (no cheating!)
Find page 123
Find the first five sentences
Post the next three sentences
Tag five people

Sitting next to me at my computer is "Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. My Monday night Bible Study group is just starting this so I had just begun reading.

...I am saying I can do my work, keep my home, handle my relationships, and deal with my circumstances without Him. That independent, self-sufficient spirit is an expression of pride. The Scripture teaches, "God resists the proud" (James 4:6) and so if I walk in pride, I must be prepared for God to resist me and my efforts.

I can already tell this is going to be an awesome book! There are so many "lies" that we buy into and build our life around. I'm learning the value and importance of spending time alone with God. My prayer for myself right now is that it can become a more and more consistent pattern in my life...not just something I do hit or miss.

Now, I'll tag...Meri Khoury, Lanier Pearson, Laurie DeMint, Brad Smart, and Amy Reddick. Whatcha reading?

2008-01-20T15:30:00.000-05:00

"My Kids Don't Do That!"

Over Christmas, we were at my Aunt Peggy's house celebrating our family Christmas. My brother, Will, was there with his family, too. Hudson is my nephew, Will's 2-year old son. At one point during the evening Will motioned for me to come with him. He took me back to my Aunt Peggy's guest bedroom and showed me where Hudson and Emma had been playing. There on the wall was a beautiful "drawing" in SHARPIE marker on her yellow walls!! As Will and I debated about which kid did it...I kept saying, "I'm not blaming Hudson but MY KIDS DON'T DO THAT. They don't draw on walls."

Just when pride begins to creep in....you can easily be reminded to get rid of pride!

This morning, I woke up and went to get Paul and Addie up. They had obviously been awake for awhile because I walked into their rooms and found something on their walls! Paul's paragraph is poster-size!

Paul's "Masterpiece"....

Addie's "Masterpiece"....

But remember...."MY KIDS DON'T DO THAT!"

2008-01-08T11:22:00.000-05:00

Can you believe our baby is 3!!

It's hard to believe that Emma has reached the age of 3...no more baby years! We had a great time for Emma's birthday...we spent Saturday evening with our best friends, Michael & Laurie & Max....complete with presents, cake and ice cream.

On Sunday, we had Emma's "DORA" party! When I say "DORA", I mean "DORA"! We had EVERYTHING DORA! She picked out Dora plates, napkins, cups, tablecloths, balloons, a Dora cake, and almost EVERY PRESENT she received was DORA! She was so excited.

Emma was my unplanned surprise...not in my plan. But isn't it amazing how lacking our plans can be! God has shown me in so many ways that His plans are SO MUCH BETTER than I could have ever imagined. I wonder why I don't trust His ways more often??? Probably because I'm very stubborn and prideful about "my ways"...something I'm working on in 2008...this is also something I see very strongly in Emma....LIKE MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER! Hopefully, God can teach her earlier than I learned how much better His ways are! Emma's a mess...but one we love and adore. Happy Birthday Emma!

2007-12-26T07:50:00.000-05:00

My Favorite Christmas Moments!

Christmas this year was perfect! We had a great time doing so many fun things. There are a few highlights that stand out in my mind...Some of my best memories of this Christmas are...

**Having our first Christmas with Max! Our best friends Michael and Laurie adopted Max in July after years of waiting and then a really rough year with adoption. Max is their miracle and ours too! Max was truly our best gift of the season (after Jesus, of course!) 8-)

**Paul and Addie spent much of the holidays laughing and playing. They have so much fun together. They really enjoy each other!

**Paul was on the verge of not believing in Santa this year (due to kids in his class telling him Santa isn't real). He told me one day "Mom, I'm having a hard time believing in the flying reindeer"! We weren't ready for the awe and excitement of Santa to be over so we found "Elf of the Shelf" at a store in town and began it as a Christmas tradition in our house. Paul got into it 100% and fell back in to the magic and awe of Santa. It was so much fun!

**Singing carols at my parents house with all the grandkids. That was a fun evening!

**Paul reading "The Night Before Christmas" to the entire family for the first time. He has just learned to read in 1st grade and it's amazing to see him read and be excited realizing he's actually reading!

**Emma this year really got into one of the songs from the Christmas program we did at our house..."Go Tell It on the Mountain". She stood alone at each family gathering and belted out her version..."DON'T tell it on the mountain, over the hills and every way, DON'T tell it on the mountain, over the hills and every way" (that part repeats endlessly..."that Jesus Christ is born"...never comes unless you cue her)! I'm going to try to blog the video of it if I can figure it out.

**Christmas Eve was so much fun....watching their faces getting the cookies, milk, and picture Paul had drawn for Santa ready. They could hardly go to sleep. The excitement continued when they woke up and Paul raced to the living room!

Christmas was a wonderful time this year! Being with all of our family and friends made it so special for all of us. We are truly blessed in so many ways. The gift of His Son is our greatest blessing and having Jesus helps us to enjoy all the other blessings we have.

2007-12-20T19:42:00.000-05:00

Oh, What a Night!

Last Sunday, December 16th, we hosted our 1st Annual Kelley Christmas Program. We had such a special evening with all of our friends. A month or so ago, we invited 20 families from our Sunday School class and Small Group that have kids the ages of Paul, Addie, & Emma to be a part of our Christmas program. The plan was for the parents to drop their kids off on Saturday morning the 15th for a couple of hours to "practice" and then come back to our house on Sunday evening with the entire family for the program and dinner. We ended up with about 30 kids participating and about 46 adults returned on Sunday night to see the program. We did the traditional Christmas pageant complete with speaking parts, costumes, and music. It was quite an evening....nothing was "perfected" but everything was precious!

2007-12-13T21:42:00.001-05:00

Well, it's Christmas time at the Kelleys and we've had lots of activities going on....school parties, church parties, play dates with friends, excitement around the house (wrapping, cooking, decorating)...it's been so fun! These are great ages for the excitement of Christmas...7, 5 1/2, and almost 3...perfect ages!

We've taken lots of pictures of the kids dressed in their Christmas outfits so "clean and put together"...but we've also captured more "everyday" shots from around the Kelley household. Just come and take a glimse! Never a dull moment!

2007-12-06T19:57:00.000-05:00

When You Get the Chance....TAKE IT!

Emma and I were heading to the mall to do some Christmas shopping. She is almost completely potty-trained but for this trip I told her she was wearing a pull-up. I am lazy at the mall and don't want to have to run on spur of the moment to the bathroom. She's in the kitchen ready and asked if she could have a cookie..."Yes, just one Emma." She took one cookie off the counter. I turned around to grab my purse and coupons. When I turned back around...EMMA IS STUFFING 3 COOKIES DOWN HER PULL-UP! Unbelievable! She saw a chance to stash a few cookies for later....AND TOOK IT! 8-) How can someone that cute be that bad???

2007-11-28T06:28:00.000-05:00

Addie's Theology

Oh how I wish I could figure out how to put a cassette recording on this blog! If you know how...please email me how because this blog will not be the same without it!

Addie was home from school on Monday. She normally "plays school" in the sunporch and teaches her "kids" or reads them some books. Today she was teaching them from the Bible and I just had this gut-feeling it was gonna be good! I grabbed my cassette recorder and hid in the living room with it recording.

Addie was sitting in the chair...legs crossed (very ladylike)...teaching from the Bible...in just the sweetest, most loving voice I'd ever heard her use. She was quoting Psalm 100 to "Lizzie" and then I heard her say...

"Lizzie, if you don't believe you will go to Hell and burn forever and never come down. That's what's in the Bible. If you believe, you will be with gold and glass forever...but the glass will probably break."

OH MY! I guess she's got a pretty good grasp of how it works!

My Bible study group is studying Galatians and as we looked at Chapter 3 this week, it focuses on "believing" vs. "works". The key to salvation is "belief and faith in Christ"...NOTHING to do with our works.

Addie got this theology lesson right...(not so sure about the glass breaking part)!

2007-11-19T07:45:00.000-05:00

"It Doesn't Take Much!"

Last week, our leaves in the yard had started falling. While the kids were at school, I raked a few big piles of leaves. On the way home from school, Paul asked (as he does each day)..."Mom, what are we doing today?" My normal answer is "Nothing, Paul....just going home, doing homework, playing, eating supper." To which he replies, "Aww! I want to do something fun." On this day I had a different answer...."We are going to jump in leaves." They got excited in the car and had a wonderful time all afternoon...jumping, playing, rake the leaves back up, start all over. It was fun...and reminded me that it doesn't take much to excite them!

2007-11-15T06:42:00.000-05:00

Thankful Thursday

Thought I'd share 10 things I'm thankful for today....(not in order!)

1. Early mornings before anyone wakes up
2. Three healthy children
3. Candles burning
4. TIVO
5. My friends and their families
6. Covenant Academy...Paul & Addie's school
7. Peppermint Mocha from the gas station (1/3 the cost of Starbucks!)
8. So many things about Glenn
9. Gobby, GoGoDaddy, & Nana....who make my kids' faces light up
10. Extra cash found in pockets so I can get a Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks

2007-10-31T21:09:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween!

We had a great day! Paul and Addie both had a big day at school celebrating "Reformation Day"...I was in charge of their parties...pizza, ice cream sandwiches, and relay races set up outside for their classes. Emma had "PJ Day" at school and went in her comfortable pajamas and we took cupcakes. Tonight was our Fall Festival at our church...full of tons of fun! It was just a busy day all the way around. As we were leaving the church tonight at 8:30...(after a very full day of entertaining kids, let me remind you)....Paul asks me, "So Mom, what are we doing tomorrow?" I was quite upset leaving the Fall Festival!

I've been thinking about that comment since I got them home and in bed...how often do I do that with God? He gives me so much...is so patient with me...blesses me in ways I don't deserve....AND STILL I KEEP SAYING..."God, what can you do for me now?"

Don't you love how God uses your kids to knock you down a little...teach you something...make you smile...and push you closer to Him??? 8-)

2007-10-30T23:37:00.000-04:00

It's fun to see both girls as the rabbit 3 years apart!

2007-10-26T20:56:00.000-04:00

2004
2005
2006
2007

Tradition!

As I was making plans to go to the Pumpkin Patch today, I started wondering..."Do I really need to go? Do I need to dress the kids for pictures and head to the Pumpkin Patch just because I've been every other year? So what if I miss a year of pictures in the Pumpkin Patch, right?"

Well, I decided to go. NO! It isn't a "must"....NO! It doesn't matter if I have a picture of them each year in the Pumpkin Patch...but YES! I'm glad I went....glad I went to the trouble because now I have my pictures and I had such a good time tonight going back and looking over the past 4 years of our Pumpkin Patch pictures. I smiled and laughed at how they've grown and changed. It was worth it....there are some traditions I want to continue.

2007-10-23T21:51:00.000-04:00

"If Nemo gets wet....He cries and dies!"

Well, we are on the downhill slide to our last venture EVER in potty training! It's never been too big of a deal in our house but it's nice to see it all coming to a close. Emma is very excited about all of her "new" Nemo panties (actually they were all Addie's old panties...is that gross?) Every time we put on a pair we say...."If Nemo gets wet...he cries and dies!" No one wants to kill Nemo, right??? 8-)

2007-10-14T13:28:00.000-04:00

Got to Love Phonics!!

I was cleaning up the living room today after church and came across a piece of paper on the coffee table. I knew it was Paul's writing so I asked him about it. They were supposed to recite the first 5 books of the Bible in Sunday School this morning and so yesterday he had written them out to practice learning them. It was great to see phonics in action!!!

2007-10-07T14:41:00.000-04:00

Friends for a Lifetime!

Do you have any friends that you once lived close to....you now live far away...but when you are back together it is like not a minute has passed? It is great to have close friends like that! We have college friends, Jim & Michelle Murphy, who were our great friends in college and in the 4 years after college while we lived in Lexington. We all moved away at the same time and have been apart now for 6 years. We see each other maybe once a year...when we do it is like we haven't been apart at all! They came through Macon this weekend traveling from Florida back to Kentucky. We had a blast! They have 3 kids and our 6 kids hit it off each time they are together....it is definitely a friendship God has blessed us with! We love our pictures of our whole crew each time we're together.

This was our picture last summer at their house in Kentucky.

2007-10-03T20:27:00.000-04:00

It's Hard to Believe!

It's hard to believe that Paul is 7 years old...wow! Our little boy is growing up. He had his birthday on Tuesday out at the pond with 16 of his classmates and friends. It was a wild time...especially considering that GoGoDaddy was in charge of many of the activities! We did some fun things....

1. There was a hayride that GoGoDaddy rigged up. We had a blast on it especially when it turned into a "thrill ride" going speeds that a hayride is not designed to go!

2. We had a pecan throwing contest in the pond. Paul & GoGoDaddy had collected green pecans and let all the kids throw at a target in the pond.

3. GoGoDaddy had a race with all the kids in the pasture!

4. We had organized games like Sag Nads, Bocci Ball, and Football that Gobby made a great effort to keep the kids involved in!

5. We grilled hot dogs, ate cake & ice cream, opened presents and tore up a pinata!

6. GoGoDaddy took groups of kids in the pick-up truck around the pond and let each kid drive his truck....we took their head shot and are going to make official drivers license's for each kid to have for passing the "GoGoDaddy's Pick-up Truck Driving Test"....which is VERY LOOSE....GoGoDaddy has VERY FEW RULES....IF ANY!

7. Paul's gift to the boys for coming to the party for a jar for each kid with a tadpole in it that he and GoGoDaddy had caught for each boy to take home.

It was an awesome time! Paul had a blast and at the end of the evening said, "That felt like the party only lasted 1 minute!" The adults at the party disagreed wholeheartedly....it felt like a month! Tons of fun...couldn't have done it without Gobby & GoGoDaddy. THANKS!

2007-10-01T23:22:00.000-04:00

Krazy Kelley Kid!

I'm going to start a new category in my blog..."Krazy Kelley Kid". I will post crazy things my kids do periodically...it happens often but I won't post every crazy thing...PROMISE!!

This first post in the "Krazy Kelley Kid" category comes from Emma.

We have been baffled by the way she sleeps many nights....not so much WHY (we really don't care about that) but instead HOW (this part we would like your input). We will go in to get her in the mornings and she will just be a lump under her fitted sheet....yes, I said UNDER. Somehow, she pulls the sheet away from the mattress and then gets her "not-so-thin" self between the sheet and the slats of the bed...then lets the sheet snap back around her and she falls asleep! It's definitely a crazy thing...one we can't figure out how she actually does it. We have pictures of the finished position but haven't caught her in the act....YET!

2007-09-28T13:20:00.000-04:00

Pick a Reason!
After lunch on Friday, Addie went to the cabinet and got some pudding after I told her she couldn't have any. I'm sure what followed was the "correct discipline approach that James Dobson would approve"! 8-)

Afterwards, we were talking about her disobeying and I asked her why she had disobeyed....through her tears she said, "I haven't picked out a reason yet". That was a good one! She is still back on her bed picking a reason...I'll let you know when she picks one!

2007-09-27T15:23:00.000-04:00

Our Little Gymnast!

Emma is enjoying a tumbling class on Thursday mornings. As the 3rd child, she is usually being hauled around for Paul and Addie's activities. She is finally enjoying one of her own! I'm not sure that she has a future in gymnastics...sometimes her form isn't very good...but she's only 2 so there's still time to develop, right?? The best part is that she laughs, smiles, and has a great time....and she's VERY proud of herself!

2007-09-22T21:56:00.000-04:00

Super Saturday!

Today was one of those rare days in the life of the Kelley Klan....we had a Saturday in which NOTHING was planned! We decided to take advantage of the day....we slept in (7:20!), ate a big breakfast, packed a picnic lunch, and headed to our pond in Marshallville. We took Rupp with us so he could enjoy the open fields and the cool water. We had a "relaxing" ride down to Marshallville....the kids never stopped talking and the dog never stopped barking. Around Byron, Glenn & I looked at each other with that "Are we sure this was a good idea?" look. It proved to be a wonderful day! We went on adventures around the pond, went fishing, played in the sandy bank, took tons of pictures, ate our picnic lunch, and had several moments we won't forget for a while.

One of those moments was with a butterfly...the most gorgeous large butterfly keep staying close to Addie, Emma, and their shoes which were laying in the sand. The butterfly kept landing on their shoes and Addie wanted to get close. The butterfly just sat there as Addie and I crept closer and closer...I was snapping pictures, of course! Addie finally got right up to the butterfly and held her little finger down close. The butterfly flew right to her and you should have seen Addie's face! She was holding a butterfly and she couldn't believe it! She stayed really still and kept saying over and over..."I wish I could stay this way forever!" It made me think of those rare times when we are still and quiet before God....isn't it a feeling that we wish could stay forever??

Another moment...a not-so-warm-and-fuzzy moment...came on our adventure up these dirt cliffs. Paul discovered a cactus! He said, "This can't be a cactus...they only live in the desert!" After we convinced him that it really was a cactus and that they really could live here, he was determined to take it back to show GoGoDaddy (that's my dad). I leaned over and didn't see any prickly things so I helped him break it off from the ground. It looked really smooth, nothing to fear because there was nothing to stick us! Well, that wasn't entirely true....there were these little bumps that appeared harmless...they were actually filled with "little prickly hairs". Those prickly hairs have been stuck on me all day. Even tonight after a shower I have felt them on my arms and can't get away from them! That got me thinking....that's how sin looks in my life. It looks ok....I go in to take ahold of it...then I realize it wasn't such a good idea...then it just lasts and lasts and lasts! It made me want to begin each day asking God to help me stay away from any "cactus" areas...pride, self-sufficiency, impatience, or out-of-line priorities. Got any cactus areas??

2007-09-21T22:13:00.001-04:00

Giving It a Try!

I'm going to give this a shot! I've enjoyed reading other people's blogs and so I thought I'd try one of my own. Everyone else's life seems really interesting and full of "tidbits" to share...I'm not sure any of my blogs will be worth reading but someone may get a good laugh from THE KELLEY KLAN!

My three children are all very different and follow what I think of as the typical birth order in terms of personality. Paul (about to be 7) is the first child...he is a perfectionist, very intuitive, asks questions CONSTANTLY, and is very structured (all of these good traits, of course!). Addie (5 years old) is the middle child....she is extremely free-spirited, not very structured (AT ALL!), flys by the seat of her pants, and is not a structured, perfectionist in any way (all of these good traits, of course!). Emma (2 1/2 years old) is the baby of the bunch....she is laid back, knows how to get what she wants, and always gets it (that's okay, right??).

These kids keep us laughing with their comments...keep us on our toes by the things they pick up from observing us...keep us praying for their daily life and their futures...keep us thankful for all God has blessed us with.