One of My Favorite Things.......

For as long as I can remember the Dogwood has been one of my favorites....I love them all......Pink, White & Red.......I wish I had a yard full but unfortunately most of ours have died.....a few with the help of the last hurricane......but this picture was taken of one of our trees Sunday afternoon and I thought I would share the Legend of the Dogwood with you. ( Not that I think you don't already know it) but I can never be reminded of it too much!

According to legend,

The dogwood tree used to grow o tall and straight that

it's wood was used to make

the cross of Christ.

Out of sorrow for

the Lord's suffering.

The dogwood shrank,

Becoming slender and twisted,

It's branches drooped with sadness.

The dogwood would never again

be used to make a cross.

Instead, it's blossoms would

repeat the story of Jesus' death

The four white petals of each blossom

form a cross, and at the outer edge

of each petal are rusty brown nail

prints stained red as with blood.

In the center, tiny florets

form a crown of thorns.

The bent but lovely dogwood

blooms each year at Easter time

To remind the world of the

story of the crucifixion,

and that out of suffering

comes the promise of new life.

Isn't that an amazing poem?

I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I do evertime I read it.......Happy Tuesday!

Weekend Update & More!

Weight Watchers - Week 7 Results

I didn't weigh at Weight Watchers two weeks ago because I had to go take care of Easter stuff when I got off work Thursday.........so....last week I was expecting a gain.......but actually had a two pound loss..........I was thrilled!!!!.........that makes my total 15.2 pounds in 7 weeks........after WW Corey & I met Cathy & Kelly at Los Amigos and we all got Mexican Steaks.........I'm not much on Mexican food but I am hooked on those Mexican Steaks covered in cheese.........YUM!!!! Life was Good!!!!


Saturday morning Corey & I went to Roanoke Rapids where they were having a Home & Garden show at the mall..........Gay Implement had a display, Colin was working so we decided to go and see what it was all about..........

Corey liked trying out the equipment

I think I would like to have this...........

and of course.....can you go ANYWHERE and not jump?

We got hot so what could be better than lemonade?

Yum! Yum!

After we got back from Roanoke Rapids I had promised to help with the Spaghetti dinner at our church for Relay for Life........Corey helped too until Grandma & Grandaddy got there to eat.....then he went home with them.......

We had been invited to CJ's Birthday Cookout and as much as I hated to miss it I felt like I needed to help with the dinner since I had committed to it.....and I knew Colin would be getting home later and would be so tired.........

I sure didn't know what was in store for the party later on that night..............Please keep all the boys (and their families) in your prayers as they heal.........you can read the details on Kelly's blog if you haven't already...........I can tell you.....I admire Kelly so much for being able to change those bandages twice a day.......it makes me queasy (is that a word?) just thinking about it........You Rock Kelly!.....what an AWESOME WOMAN YOU ARE!!!!!!

Then it was on to church the next morning for Sunday School & Church......I don't think I've ever mentioned before that Corey is learning to be acolyte at our church.........he's still kinda young for it but he is really doing a great job with it...........I think it won't be many more Sundays and I'll be able to go back to my regular seat....but until he is feeling comfortable with it I am sitting behind him just to help him with when to do what..........these are not very good pictures but I think you can get the idea.........

He is so serious

My heart feels so full EVERY TIME he does this!

After lunch it was on to Cub Scouts.............I can't believe that our year is just about over...........hopefully all my boys will be presented with their Bear Badge at our May Pack Meeting.........we still have a lot to do to finish up but I am confident we'll get it all done!

That's all for now!

Happy Tuesday!

The Easter Bunny Visited MFI

Sometime during the night last night Meherrin Fertilizer was visited by the Easter Bunny. This morning started out as any other morning with the usual tasks at hand. Around 10:00 I did my usual visit to the Post Office & Main Office.

Only when I opened our post office box.......a plastic egg rolled out onto the floor. I have to admit it startled me at first........then I read the note taped to it.......saying it was for the MFI Girls from the Easter Bunny.

I took it back to the office with all the mail and the search began........

The Easter Bunny has us all on a Scavenger Hunt!

It was so much fun....

This is the egg that rolled out of the post office box.......

Kelly was ALL ABOUT finding that egg and getting the clue......


She's reading us all the clue so we can find the next egg......

Donna had just found an egg.......

A clue said an egg was in my office.......

So.........Cathy is checking out my plant........

(BTW they gave me this plant my first day)

I'm looking under my desk.....

we all KNOW that Easter Bunny can be pretty sneaky..........

Kelly is happy she found the prize........

That Easter Bunny had us going all over the building........an egg was in a file

in the file room.......under the table in the kitchen.......

in a plant in Donna's office......

behind my keyboard in my office.......

stuck to the fire extinguisher in the closet.......

We finally found the prize in the cabinet over the refridgerator......

It was hilarious........and so much fun

This was the MOST thoughtful prize........

the Easter Bunny knew ALL our favorite drinks

& snacks

AND knew we were all dieting......

I bet that Easter Bunny had alot of fun watching us looking for the eggs........

and probably laughing at all our guesses that were wrong....

But........doesn't Rhonda look very pleased (and maybe a bit proud????)

for SOME reason?

I wonder if she KNOWS the Easter Bunny.........

But I'm new there so I wouldn't know.......

But I do know I'm working at the best place ever!!!!!!

I'm feeling very blessed!

I hope you all have a Great Weekend!

Cub Scout Easter Egg Hunt

We had our Pack Easter Egg Hunt yesterday in Severn.

Unfortunately alot of our Pack had other committments.......so...they couldn't be there.....

but....I think all the boys (& little brothers & sisters) had alot of fun

This is our Pack Cub Master giving some instructions......
Corey, Aaron & Ethan with their eggs

Corey counting his eggs

Mr. Joe had 2 special eggs that he put a Dollar in with the candy

Corey was one of the lucky winners!

After the Egg Hunt everybody enjoyed cupcakes & snacks

and they could work on a craft and play on the playground

It was nice watching the kids just having fun together

I hope everybody has a Great Sunday!

Week 5 Results

I am extremely happy to be posting a weight loss this week......I lost 1.4 pounds for a total of 13.2 pounds in 5 weeks. I can't explain it but I am not complaining. I told the girls at work the other day that for the last couple of weeks it's like I have forgotten all about that I'm suppose to be on weight watchers. Hopefully I can get myself back on track and follow the plan again.

Tomorrow is Grandparents Day at Corey's school. He asked me last night if I was coming and when I told him not this time he looked so hurt. He said "But mama YOU come to everything I do at school". It was so hard trying to explain that I now have a new job that I can't just come & go as I please and that his grandma & grandaddy would be there and they will take pictures for me and I wanted to hear all about it when I get home from work.

Happy Friday!

Dose of What's Really Real

Today didn't start off as a very good day at all.......Colin & I had both taken off work because Corey had an appointment at King's Daughters Hospital this morning........He was referred there by his Dr. a couple of weeks ago......and I can tell you.......last night was a very sad & scary night for me.......so many thoughts and so many unknowns..............so many what if's.............when Corey went to bed I layed down with him because when I got home from work I could tell he was 'anxious' about today.........and I knew he would want to just talk........he tries to be so 'Big" and so brave but a mommy always knows...........we talked....and we talked....and we talked some more.........but after he finally went to sleep I couldn't bring myself to leave him........I sat on his bed just looking at him and found myself really wondering what kind of mama I am to him and what kind of teenager he'll be and what kind of man he will grow up to be..........

But.....I am SO HAPPY to say all the worrying was for nothing..........everything went fine this morning......he is as healthy as can be.........but I think it took a little scare for me to really put things in prospective AGAIN..........we all have so much to be thankful for...........sometimes I find myself really getting caught up in all the material things I would love to have for my family........and get a little jealous of what my friends have.........but at the end of the day.........I can always take a good look at all I have to be thankful for...........and find myself wondering how I can let myself get so caught up with such un-important things and let myself loose sight of what is really important.........and that is a Happy, Healthy family!

I hope you all had a Great April's Fool Day and didn't get too fooled by anyone........I have to admit Mandy really, REALLY got me with her Blog....Did you read it?

Corey's Birthday Party

OMG!!!!!!

Where do I even start?

Today we had Corey's Birthday party at the Skating Rink

in Franklin

Well.......we sent out about 40 invitations

We invited both 3rd Grade classes at school, the other 6 boys in our Cub Scout Den

and a few other friends

I started getting phone calls for regrets last weekend

and by last night I was really thinking we were going to be lucky if we had 10 kids.....

How sad is that thought?

We got to the Skating Rink to set up and the kids started coming.......

and coming.......

All in all we had about 31 kids (& some parents)

It was AWESOME!!!!!!

I think Ballgames were cancelled

and other's plans just changed

Corey was so excited......

And it made me feel SOOOO good!

What a Great Party we ended up having after all!

Here is the hat Corey picked out the other night at Party City to wear at his party

That we forgot all about until we were cleaning up

Carol made the cake from the invitations

Did y'all see the invitations Mary D. did for us?

She is so talented
and Carol is amazing

Here is Corey skating



Doesn't he look so happy?


And here he has collected some of the balloons to pass out to his friends after the party


OK........the party was not all wonderful
Carol (one of my Best Friends)
decided to be a 'cool mom' for her son
and skate......well......
she got a little too comfortable
and fell.......
That's right........
she fell.......
One of the parents took her to the ER
after the party I went to the hospital to check things out
and to pick her up
Only to find out
she BROKE her arm
That's right.......BROKE
Colin took Corey & her boys to Conway
I waited for her to get her temporary cast on
then took her home

What kind of friend am I?
I have more pictures of HER than I do of Corey
I have the fall, the swollen arm, her almost passing out and laying on the floor
the hospital pictures
and now I'm wondering what she must have been thinking.......
I'm sorry Carol!

So....that was our eventful party!
If any of you are ever wondering about a different kind of party I would highly
recommend the Skating Rink
It was an awesome afternoon
and with our 50+people
there was still plenty of room
and the kids had so much fun!

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the weekend!