September Fun!!!

September has been a blast... and we are only half way through it!!
We finally completed Sam's wreck settlement and were truly blessed by someone in our church family to sell us a wonderful truck! Makes a wifey feel good to know her husband is driving a big truck after he was smashed by a big rig in his little car!

The boys have started doing flips, cart wheels, and hand stands all over the house!

I have a picture of Max doing a handstand, but he just got out of the tub... naked noony handstand... for our eyes only!!!

Rolo found a new bed... our blanket box!

We got to go to the beach for a weekend!!!
Pop and Lali kept the boys for us... they are sooo wonderful everyway imaginable!!!
Me, Sam, Pam , and Jud took off Friday evening for Panama City and came back Monday...
It rained all day Saturday... but we didn't care... we napped, watched movies, played cards, and got to go see the Dukes' in Destin and go to dinner! Thanks, Pop Dukes!!! Sunday was BEAUTIFUL outside.... we played in the ocean like a bunch of 12 year olds, played cards on the beach, & swam in the pool. That afternoon, we cooked at the condo and had a GREAT chill nite in with more cards and a movie!!! Much needed chill time and much enjoyed friend time!!!

I love my Pam!

My favorite person on the planet!!!

Pam & Jud... responsible for my sore stomach muscles and loss of voice after making me laugh ALL weekend!

Sam and Jason... even though we've moved... never skip a beat!

My Jen... my heart..

What a glorious September... more to come...

God Soooo Knew What He Was Doing...

I think money is soooooo OVERRATED!!!

Maybe I'm only saying that because we don't have any... every bit extra we get goes into our pantry and then inevitably into the tummy's of our 4 boys within 27 minutes of purchasing!!

ANYWAY... God soooo knew what He was doing when He created this amazing Earth... Just in the past 3 days I've experienced more beauty and joy in my own backyard and home than I could ever experience purchasing...

HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING WHEN HE GAVE US...

*Sweet Neighbors with a Really Sweet Pear Tree*

Not only will we love fresh pears and a pear tart, but also a sweet little centerpiece on the dining room table... until the hungry lil' mongers eat 'em all!
* Gardenia Bushes Lining Our Garage*
... made for some sweet momma time with her baby boy...

... and a quirky little smell good in the kitchen... recycle everything... count it all JOY!

* Grammoo*

Oh, my momma... just precious.

* Teeth Pulling*

who needs Saturday morning cartoons when you can set-up a wrestling match with your favorite wrestler attached to your loose tooth with dental floss... then, your wrestler does his signature move and... whammo... tooth pulled and a morning of laughter!

* Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake*

* Brothers*

... sometimes mom and dad just don't cut it... let me go to my bro!

I hope you are able to find much JOY, LAUGHTER, and CONTENTMENT in the things that are right in front of you... count it all joy!

We're Ba-ack!!!

but on another site.... silly me!!! I posted it on Colby's blog... check it out
www.colbyandwhitebear.blogspot.com

So Long....

Wow! Are we loving our new and simple life! Sam is in a job that he is thriving in and I get to be home with our little boys while focusing on our home and family! This decision has caused us to make some very important, yet valued sacrifices. We're making alot of changes to nurture our new life and renewed focus! Be it a pay cut, no internet, no big cable package... IT'S ALL WORTH IT! More time for the things that we love and value the most! So, although I will miss facebooking with my friends... I will enjoy phone calls that much more! Even though we won't have some of these fun luxuries... the peace of knowing that we will be putting money in savings is exciting! Although we won't have entertainment at our fingertips with the TV... we will enjoy more game times and quiet times! Although I won't be blogging our family stories for our loved ones to enjoy... that just means you have to come visit to see our life story told in scrapbooks!

So long internet buddies... call or visit ANYTIME!!!

The Couch Clan

Simple Joys...

I am loving where my heart is right now. When we felt God was leading us into a new direction, I had no idea that it was going to do SO much for MY heart and mind. I knew the boys would love and benefit from having their mommy 100%. I knew Sam would thrive and beam in his workplace ministering to and playing with kids all day long. I knew our home would have a new sense of peace, calm, and orderliness. But I had no idea that I would wake everyday yearning to soak up every little simple joy that God so beautifully places in all of our lives that we seem to mow over and miss being swept away by busy-ness and overloaded lives.

I've always heard that God doesn't have to change our circumstances, we just need to let Him change us. It's so true! In summer's past, when we would travel to our family's homes; the lake, the mountain, the creek... I would say to Sam, "Oh, I need this... the peace I feel inside here is what I need." So, I always attributed "needing" to live on a lake or in the mountains or in a treehouse on a creek to feel that peace. Needless to say... I got a big wake up call when we first moved from Orlando and stayed at Sam's parents lakehouse for 4 weeks while looking for a home in Georgia. When it was approaching time to leave the lakehouse and move to our home... I looked across the lake and said to myself, "I don't need this place, I needed to absorb the peace of following God's voice and living in the center of His will for this time in our life."

So, I am just excited to be anywhere... so, long as I am following God's lead... no matter how radical it seems sometimes! In doing so, I've found that God speaks to my heart the loudest and clearest when life is simple... shall I say when I am simple... Here's a few simple joys from the past week...

Today... Pop and Lali came for a day visit!! We played and grilled out. That's it.. plain and simple. But when you have been atleast 6 hours away from each other for the past 9 years... you soak up the beauty of living close to family.

Simplicity of Toys... when we were packing up our Orlando house we decided really scale down the toys. So, when we found this house, Sam and I were determined to have ALL of the boys toys in this one closet. WE DID IT! What a pure joy to have so little to keep clean and organized. And if we can't get to clean up... close the door and don't worry about it!!

Our Valentine's Day this year... simple joy of a date"in". We got the boys to bed, I hopped in the shower while Sam started to grill the steaks and bake the potatoes, I put my pajamas on, and we relaxed in our home eating our yummy meal! No babysitter to pay, no traffic to dodge, no voices to speak over... just us!

Free haircuts from dad... Ooh, I just beamed inside as Sam gave all the boys GREAT haircuts... that saved us forty bucks..

My Jen... just a simple phone call away to say "Hey." Never a need for a long conversation (well, atleast 2 times a week), just a quick simple hello can bring each of us so much joy! This is one of my favorite pictures of us. Snapped at a wedding by the photographer while we were talking to others. Simple moment, simple joy to me every time I walk by it

My gift to the boys... we have so much room in our new house due to us simplifying our "stuff" when we moved that we have closets with no purpose. So, the boys have two closets in their room... this one with an empty bottom. Well, the boys LOVE reading lately, so I decided to surprise them with a reading nook. A place where they can go and close the doors and have a quiet adventure with their books. Before bedtime last night, I told them that I had a gift for them in their room. They all lit up saying, "Ooh, a present!" To which I said, "Well, it's nothing I bought, just something that I did for you." They got even more excited... which that is a simple joy in itself. :) So, we scurried off to their room for bedtime and THEY LOVE IT!!! We piled in and read their bedtime story... then all throughout the day today, I kept finding someone tucked away in their reading nook... who knew a quilt, a body pillow, and a lamp would be so adored... simple joy

I hope you're able to find the Simple Joys in your day today... and everyday!!!

Thanks Austen, Hayden, & Jack!!!

To our sweet Orlando friends...

Thank you so much for sending us our t-shirts! We got home from school and put them right on!! Then, took them off so we can wear them to school tomorrow!

Can't wait to play the Wii with you in 40 days when we come to Orlando!!!love you sooooo much...

Jackson, Colby, and Bo!!

February at our Crazy, Fun Home!

February has been a GREAT month... we've settled into our home, found a great church family, and are loving our extra time together as a family!! We love having family close by, meeting new friends, and REALLY enjoying doing life with our great friends Pam, Jud, and the kiddos! Have a peek into our little, happy life...

Bo loves his Rolo-time! Oh, a boy and his dog... so sweet!

Our sweet friend, Julia! Sporting her crown she won at a pageant! We're so proud... we thought we'd have a little fun...

Max, the walking Princess...

Jackson, the unwilling Princess...

Colby, the swollen lip Princess...

Bo, the very eager Princess...

Me and Pam... friends for the past 12 years... so excited to be living close to each other so we can share these fun times together!

Tommy got in on the fun, too!!!

Lots of brother cuddle time!

Yeah, these are the pics I have to treasure when the boys are at each others throats... threatening each other that they don't want to be brothers anymore...

White Bear learned to skateboard... Colby's insert!

Make your own Pizza night!!

Big man turned 9!!! Sam managed to make a pancake in the shape of a 9!! Bo turned 4, but I can't find the pic of his breakfast!!

Max loves when Sam gets home from work... here they are resting on the back porch in the sun!

Our house has been sick this whole month... stomach flus, flus, ear infections, coughs, colds... you name it... we had it! March is looking good so far... shew... go away winter!!

Max learned how to throw things in Tommy's tank... Tommy is a Monster Truck fan, as well!

Max learned how to walk, feed himself with a fork and spoon, and continuously melt our heart!

My mom and I drove to see my sister at her Teacher of the Year Banquet. We LOVE weekends together... Momma Mia, Steel Magnolias, and LOTS of laughs!!!

Another wonderful month behind us... I wonder what's in store for us this month!