Thanksgiving 2012 ~ Family and Childhood Friends Always Heal A Broken Heart

I know Christmas is already over but I haven't had a chance to even share Thanksgiving and all it's joy! 

My sister, brother-in-law and I drove to Texas to see the fam for Thanksgiving!  We had an enjoyable meal with uncles, aunts, cousins, and the parentals! 

Then the next day we were able to watch a second cousin get married and see MORE family, which is ALWAYS A PLUS!!!!!

Later that evening I met up with some of my bestest high school friends for a Thanksgiving Friends night!  I needed this night! 

The trip was really short but it was one of the greatest ones! 

It's Ok Thursday ~ Last One Of 2012

It's ok that I have been SO lazy today!!!!! 

 

 

It's ok that I have been reflecting a lot on my past year and not really knowing how I survived it.  2012 has been by far the worst year I have ever had.  However, even though it has been the worst as far as "events" go, it has definitely been a good year as far as growth goes.  I learned so much about myself this year.  I learned the importance of life in many different ways and I learned the value of love and the importance of faith.  I learned more of who I really am and the things I want to change to be who I really am supposed to be and THAT is something I would not take back for the world.  I hope 2013 is an amazing year!  I hope it is one that will by far be the greatest for me!  I hope to become closer to my amazing friends in both Texas and Arkansas, I hope to find true love and to be valued, I hope to become a better Christian woman and become closer to Him in all areas of my life!  

 

So with that I will end my last "It's Ok Thursday" of 2012 with....

 

It's ok that I'm SUPER DUPER excited for 2013!!!!!  

What I'm Loving Wednesday ~ Blessings And Lubbock

I am loving that I spent my Tuesday night/Wed Morning helping deliver my best friend's baby!  Words cannot express what an experience that was.  If moving back to Texas was all just for that ONE moment, then it was well worth it!  Words cannot express what a blessing it was to be in the same room and to literally watch Andrew be born!  I am not sure  how anybody walks out of an experience like that the same person!  To actually see a life brought into the world.  It's amazing!  Makes me even more excited to become a mother one day!

It's ok that I have been laying around all day.  I'm tired, feeling sick, and there is a major dust storm outside.  While some are waiting on a white Christmas, Lubbock Texas is getting a brown one! YIKES!  Welcome Home Crystal!

It's ok that I'm totally in love with a one Kliff Kingsbury.....whooooa nelly!  So excited to see what he does for our Texas Tech Football program!!!! WRECK EM!

It's ok that I'm still feeling totally lost.  I feel like my heart is in two places, here in Lubbock and back in North West Arkansas.  I have really been missing my friends over there and I do miss Michael.  All I can do is just keep praying and allowing God to guide me.  I know He is going to work it all out and bless me!  I just need to keep stepping back and allowing Him to fight this battle for me.  It's a battle of confusion and heartbreak.  I know He will plant me somewhere and I will be OK! =)

It's ok that I am loving the wedding photos of my sweet friend Elly's wedding!  So happy for her and Robert and glad I was able to capture the moment for them!

We Need To Trust Him

 

 

God's wisdom supersedes all human wisdom.

 

 

Lately I have really had to put my faith out there.  I have had so many ups and downs over the last few months, that emotions have left me at a loss. I have made some pretty drastic moves in life, literally, moves.  I left North West Arkansas to spend some time with my family.  I prayed and prayed about this move and my flesh fought it as I had always told myself "I will never live in Lubbock again,".  God reminded me quickly that I had said that, not Him.  I made the leap of faith and obeyed him.  It was a hard decision as I have NO idea what I am supposed to be doing.  I know I want to do a long term missions trip and have been looking into discipleship school in Colorado but that would not be any time too soon.  I know more than anything, I need to spend time with my family and friends here in  Lubbock.  I need to find ME again and remember where I came from and get a grasp of who God wants me to be.  Most importantly, I need to continue to follow Him and trust that He has His reasons for having me here. 

 

 

In all of life's ups and downs over the last few months, I have held strong to His wisdom.  I can't see what He can.  Only He knows why He has allowed things to happen in life.  He is such a great God! I don't always understand the whys or the hows and I don't know why certain things happen but I know He is a God of comfort and peace. 

 

 

I have asked myself over the past few days why there is such evil in the world.  Why would God allow such evilness but then I remember that we live in Satan's play ground.  My heart aches for the children in Connecticut and for the parents.  I know there are lots of questions but I hope through it all, God's comfort isn't questioned.  I don't know why things are allowed to happen but I do know that we have to trust Him.  We have to take tragedies and allow them to change our hearts.  Take the time to cherish our loved ones and for parents to step up and love your children.  We have to understand that there is evil in this world and we have choices. 

 

 

"A hot furnace tests silver and gold, but the Lord tests hearts." Proverbs 17:3

 

God was taken out of most of our schools years ago.  Why?  He has even been taken out of the Christmas season when it IS about Christ.  It amazes me that people do not see how this world is falling into Satan's hands more and more and that if we don't get a grip and allow Him back into our schools, jobs, lives.....then it will only get worse! How can we expect Him to protect us and protect our children if we are not allowing Him to?  God is a gentleman and He will not force Himself on us.  We must ask Him to come in.  Invite Him back into school, work places, our homes.  It is a CHOICE!

 

I normally do not write about world news but considering the journey life has recently taken me on, I have realized how important His light and protection is in our lives.  I am not sure how I would have made it through certain events in the last few months with out Him.  I have needed Him physically, financially, spiritually....I have needed His healing in every aspect of my life and He has been there but I had to ask Him to be.  I had to obey and trust Him!  Sometimes, that is all He really wants, is our trust.

 

Trust Him today.  Trust Him to guide you, help you with those changes you should make, lead you to where HE wants you to be, trust Him to help you forgive somebody today, trust Him to ask somebody for forgiveness today, or trust Him to just simply be there to comfort you.  We can't do these things on our own.  It is impossible.  I have tried.  It doesn't work that way.  We need Him. 

 

We need to trust Him.

His Faith In Us

Have you ever battled with your faith? Have you ever had one of those seasons where things just cannot seem to fall into place? You can’t seem to make anybody happy? You can’t seem to get the bills paid on time? You can’t seem to keep from making your significant other upset? You can’t do anything right at work? The list can go on and on of things that can go wrong all at the same time in the same moment.

Life has taught me that things in life are never consistent. Relationships, finances, work load, and even at times our hope is not consistent. Faith teaches me that the one thing that is consistent is God’s love. His love is everlasting. He is faithful to us even when we are not so faithful to Him. He stands by our side even when we are pushing Him away. He hears our hopes and thoughts even when we are not praying.

I have had moments in life where I literally felt drained of all hope. I wasn’t even sure if I could put my hands together to pray but then God reaches in and puts my hands together for me. He gets me out of the pits of hell when I’m not sure how I even got there. I have had moments where life overcomes me and overcomes my ability to believe but then there He is to remind me, Believe!

Faith is sometimes a battle. Sometimes it is so hard to have faith that there really is a better tomorrow. Can you imagine what life would be like if we had the faith in God that He has in us? God’s faith in us is so remarkable. He believes in us more than anybody ever will. He knows we can change lives. He knows we can get that promotion at work. He knows we can get that degree, write that book, or get that job. He knows we can be who we want to be through Him. He doesn’t give up on us. He knows what He created us for and He knows we are capable!

Sometimes it might seem easier to just give up and stop having faith but doing that will be more painful and a lot harder. God’s love is everlasting and His faith in us is phenomenal. Just remember the next time your faith seems to have disappeared that God’s faith in us isn’t going anywhere. Maybe everybody in the world has given up on you and you have given up on yourself but He hasn’t.

His love and faith endures forever.

Guarding Your Tongue Will Guard Another's Heart

I haven't blogged in a while....life has been pretty crazy!  I have so much to share once I get back into the swing of things.  However, for now, I would like to share an old blog of mine I found from Prissy Pink Pants blog spot.  For some reason, I had a feeling it might encourage somebody today.  Hope you all are doing wonderful and don't worry, I didn't forget about my little blog here, just trying to get things in life back to some sort of "normality"....what ever "normal" is. :)

Guarding Your Tongue Will Guard Another’s Heart

A new year and a new decade have prompted me to really think about some of the things I would like to change about myself. There’s no question that I want my relationship with God to grow stronger. So, with this being said, I have to ask myself, “what practices are helping me with this need I have and what practices are hurting me and slowing me down and hindering my precious relationship with Him?”

One of the things I have realized is that my tongue seems to be the main hindrance to my growing relationship with God. Of course I don’t cuss or try and hurt others purposely with my tongue but when I really asked God what I needed to work on the most I kept being lead to my tongue. I realized that even times I don’t mean to hurt myself or hurt others with my tongue, I do.

We don’t realize that as Christians, we have an even higher obligation to watch our tongues, to only speak positive unto ourselves and unto others! We must learn to talk the Heavenly Languages, peace, love, blessing, and kindness. Too many times we get caught up in pointing out other’s faults that we forget to speak kindness or blessings over them. How can somebody change if our tongue is preventing that change? We might say, “I will pray for them, “but then turn right around and curse them or speak about their faults as if we have none of our own. Won’t that counteract what we intend on doing? Not to mention the damage on others that we may not even realize is being done.

When we say we are Christians, yet continue to bring out others faults or speak negatively against others, we are telling nonbelievers that this is what Christians do. You have no idea how many times I have heard nonbelievers say, “he thinks he is so high and mighty because he follows the Lord and goes to Church and he’s always talking about other people and JUDGING them, I thought Christians weren’t supposed to judge?” When we put ourselves out there to speak of others, we are telling nonbelievers that we think we are better and that because we follow Christ we think we can judge. Sure, others are doing the same thing and talking about the same person but guess who is going to get the spotlight with the same behavior that everybody else is doing? The Christian.

The thought of this used to anger me and I would ask myself, “but don’t they know that we too are humans and fall short? Don’t they know that just because I am a Christian, doesn’t mean I’m going to be perfect?” Yes, that’s true. I am a human and I will fall short every day for the rest of my life but that doesn’t mean I can’t grow and continue to strive to be that follower of Christ that I long to be or that walking example of God’s LOVE and mercy and grace that I SHOULD be. Our tongue has a lot to do with what others see in us. God’s Word has a strong medicine for those who carelessly wag their tongues. We are not offered the luxury of negativity or hate or dislike against others. We have an added responsibility as Christians to guard our tongues and to guard other’s hearts.

This isn’t in just how we talk about others or “make fun of” or point out others faults but also in complaining and grumbling. So many of us get into a slump in life that all we do is grumble about the terrible things going on in life that we forget to praise Him for the wonderful things that are going on. Some of us may even get to a point, and we don’t even realize it, where others avoid talking to us because they are so tired of hearing, “woe is me, why do things always happen to me, when will life get better for me…..me me me.” We may not even realize we are doing this…but we are.

No, we aren’t perfect and here on earth, we never will be. However, I will for one do all I can to allow God to use me in all ways. I want Him to use my hands for Him, hear for Him, walk for Him, and speak for Him. I’m not speaking for Him when I am putting others down or pointing out faults or when I am always wrapped up in the terrible things going on in my life. I will never be perfect in this area but I will certainly try and work with Him on this. I will learn to allow Him to capture my thoughts before I speak them. Even if I do have negative thoughts or feelings towards somebody, I will hand Him those thoughts and pray for the person and ask God to not only help them but to help me understand that person, because we never know what somebody else is battling. Their behavior might not be a “acceptable” in our opinions but that’s between them and God and instead of bashing or speaking negative thoughts on them, why don’t we pray for them and ask God to help us understand and to also use us in whatever way HE needs us to be used. Sometimes that need is to just be an example of warmth, compassion, kindness, and love……even when it is sometimes hard. Think about how many times it must have been hard for God to love us but He did it anyway and will continue to do so.

High Five For Friday ~ Thanksgiving Thanksgiving THANKSGIVING!!!!!

1.  High Five number one ~ I worked a full day today!  WOOT WOOT!  Sure I felt like crap when I was done BUT I DID IT!!!!!!!!  WOOT WOOT!

2. High Five number two ~  THANKSGIVING is next week and I'm so super excited and even better than Thanksgiving being next week....I get to see my sweet wonderful family and friends from back home!  Normally, I will meet up with a group of my high school friends and it's always like a giant high school reunion.  Although, I'm not sure IF that will be the case this year BUT I know I will get to see a handful of them for sure and for THAT, I am totally STOKED! 

Here are some pics of my beautiful friends from previous holiday visits!!! YAY THANKSGIVING!

These are friends I grew up with and have known since childhood or from college!  LOVE THEM ALL!!!!

 

 

Couldn't resist to post pictures from previous holiday visits!!!!!!  Going back home is always so much fun!!!!!

 

AND a piece of seeing my cousins and niece....DUH!  I love them!  They make my life complete!

 



and seeing my Aunts and Mom and eating home cooked meals is going to be the BEST....I mean THE BEST part of THANKSGIVING!!!!!! Love these ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  LOVE THEM!

 

 

AND I just have to throw DAISY in the mix because .....because she's CUTE and because she is a princess and because she is Daisy.....and she's cute!

 

 

 

 

3. High Five number three ~ my sweet students from Christian Women Job Corp graduate tomorrow!  I hope hope hope I am feeling up to going to graduation!  After working a full day today, I have been in pain this evening but maybe sleeping in and a nice breakfast will do the trick! :)

4.  High Five number four ~ uhhhhh...... need I say more.....

5. High Five number five ~ I had another eye opener this evening and another step closer to Him and what He wants me to see!  God is so good!  I can't get over how much He has been working in my heart lately!  I fell to my knees searching for answers and He is showing them to me more and more each day!  He makes things clearer and clearer each day it seems like!  I feel like I am back to my old self but with lots of growth....that might be an oxy-moron but it's how I feel and it's hard to explain....lol!  This Thanksgiving, I truly have SO much to be thankful for!  I couldn't be more blessed to serve such a wonderful and giving God!  I'm so loved by Him!!!!!  I am His jewel!  =)

It's Ok Thursday ~ Post Surgery Randomness

It's ok that I could care less about Twilight starting tonight......not interested.

It's ok that I am still physically healing from the surgery....It will take time and I just have to keep telling myself that and NOT get frustrated (I was frustrated today). 

It's ok that I slept most of the day because of pain pills AND I am ready to go back to sleep again.  Had to take another pain pill, this pain just won't go away.  BLAH! 

It's ok that I am hoping one of my friends will want to hit the movies this weekend..... I am in need of a movie AT the theatre. 

It's ok that I'm totally lost in season transition but THAT'S TOTALLY OK!!!!  I'm just praying and going with God's guidance. I know I can't go wrong that way! 

It's ok that I still love looking at all the Get Well flowers and balloons I got after surgery.....I'm a flower girl and they make me feel so happy to look at them! :)

It's ok that I have no idea what I will wear to work tomorrow, everything hurts around my waist.  I wish I could just wear pajama pants to work!!!!!! DUH!

It's ok that I'm craving chocolate.....duh!

Thankful For True Friendships

Today I am thankful for friendships! True friends are truly amazing because they are the family we pick on our own and this choice should be made very carefully! Real friends are more than just "hang out buddies", they are selfless kind hearted people. They will never turn their back on you no matter what is going on in life. They won't JUST be your friend under certain conditions. They will be your friend even when conditions are not going their way. They will see deep into your life and want to help you, not harm you by helping you stumble in things you need help with. True friends are jewels and a treasure and really are hard to find. I am so thankful for my amazing friends. I have so many life long friends that have always shown me all of these things. They have always respected me and my life and stood by my side with no conditions attached. I have never had to wonder about my friendships and have always been able to just KNOW I had amazing friends. Some of you have been my friends for years and have helped me fight demons in my past, helped me fight addictions with alcohol by truly seeing my weaknesses and wanting to strengthen me and not just ignore it and be a part of my stumbling, you guys have prayed for me when life was going a wacky direction and cheered me on when I would get back on track, you guys have told me the hard things that I needed to hear so that I could better myself as a Christian woman (you guys don't hold back when I need to work on something or have made a mistake). I am SO thankful for the blessing of true friendships! I love you guys! :)

What I'm Loving Wednesday ~ New Season

I am loving that I was able to do a half day at work today and had some amazing friends/co-workers to help make it a fun and happy day!

I am loving that my relationship with God has become so much stronger in the last couple of weeks!  I have seen more and more of Him than I ever have!  Totally in love with Him!

I am loving that Coming To America is on TV....haha love this movie!

I am loving that I am going into a new season of life.  The transition has hurt my heart but I know God has wonderful things planned for me!

I am loving that I have so many wonderful things to look forward to!  I can't wait to see what God has planned for me! 

I am loving that the plans to move closer to family are under way.....so exciting! I'm looking at Oklahoma with the sister or Colorado or Texas with my other family!  I realized after the surgery that I need to be closer to family.  Going through this surgery with out family was really hard.  I am so blessed to have amazing friends here because with out my amazing friends, it would have been DIIFICULT but it was definately more challenging with out family.  So, I have a feeling next year will be AMAZING!!!!! I'm looking forward to 2013!  Good things can only happen from here, right!?  :)

I am loving the new Blessings And Seasons ministry is coming together and I'm so excited to launch!

Speaking of Blessings And Seasons, I am even more excited about more and more writing.  Spoke to my publisher today and I'm so super excited about getting this book together!  God is so good! :)  Still have a lot to work on but the starting steps are what gets it going, so I'm excited about that! 

I am loving that CHRISTMAS is right around the corner!  I just love the holidays and Christmas music!

Most of all I am loving counting all of my blessings.  It seems like my emotions have been all over the place the last few days (p.s. my doctor warned me about this because of all that my hormones are going through right now) BUT I do realize that a lot of this has been from a dear relationship to me ending.  I haven't talked much about it because I have still been in a state of shock and confusion and I guess I haven't really known what to say.  This surgery and the loss of a relationship with somebody dear to me have both had me up and down lately.  However, I'm not one who stays under very long.  I'm a strong girl.  I have been through a lot in life and I have made lots of mistakes of my own over the years, yet I continue to keep growing closer to God and growing as a woman.  I'm not perfect by any means but I have a big heart and a love for life that will only keep growing.  When I love, I love strong and passionate and nothing will ever stop me from doing that!  I have so much to be thankful for and one of the greatest things that I am thankful for is my ability to keep growing and learning more about myself.  I desire to fix things about myself that are broken and I hope that never changes.  I'm a jewel and a treasure and my positive qualities will always out weight my negative ones....period!  Life isn't easy but it sure is AmAzInG and I am SO excited about my future!  I know GOD has amazing things in store for me!!!!!  Lovin' life and all that God has done for me!  What has He done for YOU lately? :)  Count your blessings!

Miracles Are Signs Pointing To The Future

"I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in Him.  Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13

So, I am back from my much needed "social media vaca".  It wasn't very long but it was definitely refreshing.  The last two weeks of life have been up and down but I have experienced God's touch in a deeper way than I have ever experienced.  He emptied me enough to where I could see Him in a way I never had before and for that, I am so thankful! 

Trusting God is critical, especially when it is difficult to have faith.  We see unanswered prayers where Jesus sees the answers.  Where we see and feel the absence of God, Jesus sees the plan of God.  I am learning to never underestimate God's power!  He can change everything in a matter of seconds!  He can turn a hopeless situation into a miracle! 

Over the last few years, I have often questioned my ability to have children.  I have always had a feeling that something just wasn't right with my body.  I have prayed and pleaded with God on this feeling since I desire so badly to one day have my own family.  I  have battled lots of female issues since I was 13 and I have felt the enemy try hard to bring me down.  I would be lying if I said that my faith never wavered.  Because it did.  However, I can tell you that even though I had doubts or wondered how this dream would come to pass, I always knew deep down that God would see it through, one way or another.

Recently I had surgery.  My doctor wanted to go in with a scope and see if I had endometriosis or some kind of scar tissue that would be causing the pain/cramps, contributing to ovarian cysts, and anything that might prevent me from having a child one day (whether it be conceiving or carrying one to full term).  Keep in mind, I always knew something was not right with my body but I had no idea what or why.  Long story short, the doctor removed scar tissue, a LOT of it according to what the doctor told my sister after my surgery.  The tissue was so bad that it had moved an ovary out of place and he had to move that back into place.  I talked to the nurse the following day and she said that they are confident that this will put an end to all of the pain (I mean, I had an OVARY out of place...uh, OUCH) and help eliminate cysts and will definitely help get my hormones back in balance (again, I had an OVARY out of place....wow).  It is crazy how just removing something like scar tissue will change my life so much.  He said, in a few weeks (after healing from the surgery), I will finally know what it is like to be a "normal" woman again. Wow!  I can't wait to be "normal".....what is normal any way?  ...... uuhh.....Anyway, needless to say, fertility is also A plus, which means, one day I will have a little Crystal junior running around! YIPPY! 

So, why am I throwing all of my business out there?  To maybe give somebody out there hope and to remind you to never stop praying!  I know I am not pregnant right now and I still have to go through the whole husband search and then actually getting to the time that my future husband and I are actually ready for a baby BUT I have so much hope now and I prayed and prayed and prayed for answers to my women problems and God delivered.  Not a day too early and not a day too late!  He delivered and not just gave me answers but handed me a miracle of new hope and new eyes!  I have battled women problems and He has delivered me from that.  I have heart disease but I believe I will continue to overcome that as well! He is so AMAZING and His miracles are perfect!

Miracles serve as signs pointing to the future..... 

This miracle gave me hope that I am on the right path and that my future IS in His hands and that He does intend on the desires of my heart to come to pass and not because I WANT these things but because HE wants these things for me!  I seek Him daily and so I trust the desires I have are from Him.

There IS purpose in pain and there IS purpose in difficult times.  We just have to keep holding on and trusting in Him.  We have to know that He is always there and always ready to walk us through the valley.  He will never leave us and in His timing, He will reveal His plan for us.  He will bring us through hard times and show us a miracle of life!  I'm so thankful that my Father is so perfect!  I am so thankful for this life He has given me.  It isn't perfect by any means but I know I am exactly where He wants me, even if I don't understand it or see it right now.  He has shown me what staying in prayer does and He has shown His faithfulness to me.  He has shown it to ME, somebody who doesn't even deserve it.... but that is how much He loves me! 

So, if you are going through a difficult time right now, please don't give up on Him.  I know that sometimes the pain is so real and so piercing that we ask questions like "why me?", "what did I do?", "why God why?" and the list goes on....but just remember that there ARE answers and there are reasons.  We might not understand them or see them while in the middle of the storm but just keep praising Him because I PROMISE, there are answers.  Even in our own mistakes, there are answers and there is grace!  He will never work something out that isn't for our good, even in our own mistakes!  He uses every opportunity for His perfect will for us, we just have to seek Him and ask for that perfect will and believe in Him.  We might get off track from time to time but keep seeking Him because He WILL get us back on track!  He will never fail you!

So, believe in miracles and never underestimate His Power!!!!! 

Taking A Break From Social Media

So, I have decided to take a break from social media and all it's "glory"!  =)

I have had a lot going on and after spending lots of time with the Lord, I have (clearing throat, HE has) decided that I not only need to spend much of my time fasting and praying but I also need to clear my mind of social media and all of the junk that comes with it, including my sweet little blog here!  I have lots of changes I need to make with my personal growth and I also need to really focus on Him and what He wants for my life!  Social media tends to sway my focus away from the important things, allows me to "snoop" on others, and I have found that too many "shallow friendships and empty relationships" keep on going in life because of Social Media.  Yes, I know that's harsh but.... true!  It takes real time to maintain a relationship/friendship with people and if the only connection I really have to somebody is through the facebook or twitter world then my everyday real life relationships are being cheated of having all of me! Just a realization I have currently come to realize, although, I have made some great friends through this sweet little blog here!   Whom most of you, we do talk via text or phone calls or emails every other day or so, so I am confident that my absence from spending time in social media world will not effect the true friendships I have made with some of you gals!

I am also having surgery on the 8th, so asking my blogger pals out there, please keep me in your prayers! =) 

I am honestly not sure how long I will be away from the social media world.  Honestly, I am not even positive that I will be back.  I think a lot of the personal changes I need to make for myself might find me getting rid of social media all together....forever.  We shall see.  I do enjoy keeping up with family and friends from back home and I do enjoy writing in my blog and I know I have a calling to encourage but I will allow God to work in me to determine how He would like me to encourage others.  I just know that right now, HE needs my focus more than anything else does and that once I give Him all of me, everything else will fall into place as He sees fit!

So, please keep me and my family and loved ones in your prayers blogger friends as I will you!

God Bless!  =)

What I'm Loving Wednesday ~ Simple and Sweet

I am loving that my Teal Toes still look amazing!

I am love love loving this little girl's smile!

I am loving fall!  I love love love fall!  Fall colors, fall fashion, pumpkins, pumpkin patches, warm apple cider!  LOVE IT!

Bikes Blues and BBQ 2012

I'm not generally a Bikes Blues and BBQ kinda gal.  The only time I had ever been before this year was a few years ago when I was a semi-pro cheerleader. 

We had a promotion there and I was only there for the promo and then I was OUT!  For some reason, I was always scared of it.  (P.S. - we probably look super tired and warn out, we were)

This year, the boy talked me into going.  I was very hesitant to go but I went because I knew it meant a lot to him for me to spend time with him and his brother, to get to know his brother.  So, the first day Ed was in town, just he and Michael went.  Then, I was asked to tag along, so I did and we really did have a GREAT time!  The motorcycles and the amount that were there were PHENOMENAL!  It's crazy how many bikes were there!  Here are a few pics from our Bikes And Blues adventures!

Life sure is good!  =)