A fellow blogger, Tales From The Crib, has been giving herself the award "Mama Wins" occasionally. In her own words she describes this award as " to honor the little things we as moms do that get little, if any, recognition. these are the kinds of things that i find myself doing (occasionally) that make me say to myself, 'i should get an award for this.'" Every time she awards this she has chosen something specific i.e. carrying on adult conversations while little children running around the house crazily, relaxed the "little-or-no sugar" rules to truly enjoy the Easter holiday, bravely forge ahead with their motherly duties no matter what kind of health problems they are dealing with. (I took/paraphrased those from examples from her previous "Mama Wins" blog posts - you can click on her name above to go to her blog).

This morning when I read her "Mama Wins" post it resonated with me. She gave herself the award for "today's award goes to you mamas out there who let your kids wear what they want to wear, when they want to wear it, even if you believe it brings shame to you and your name". As I have written about on occasion, this is something I tend to struggle with. It just so happens that yesterday, I overcame this issue for one outing :) Mondays are very busy for us. After a morning of errands and taking Bankston Hays to Mommy and Me we pick up Ann Elise from Preschool and take her to gymnastics. She has to change into her leotard in the van. Once we are back home she runs up to her room and picks out something from her "play clothes". Today, that selection consisted of an old "princess on a horse" T-shirt with several red dirt stains, a non-matching pair of coral colored knit shorts, neon striped Hello Kitty socks, and pink tennis shoes with rainbow colored glitter. Awesome!! The great thing about this? I not only let her out of the house, I let her go to the Library. Yes! Once Wes got home from school, the four of us loaded up and went to the Library - Wes in his uniform, Bankston Hays in a sweet appliqued shortall, and my very own Punky Brewster! I only wish I had taken a picture. It would have made a great addition to this post!

My kind of day

Today was just right. Ever have those kind of days? It started off with ALL of us getting to sleep in a little later than usual. We did not have a set plan for today other than "do what needs to be done". We headed outside and before we knew it all kinds of things were accomplished!
-yard work completed
-storage room cleaned out and re-organized
-teak patio furniture sanded
-old flower pots emptied and stored
-kitchen cleaned
-den picked up

And we still had energy for the fun stuff!
-Kris and Wes through the baseball
-Bankston Hays enjoyed singing
-Ann Elise made mud pies
-all three kids worked together to make a mud fort for the Star Wars and medieval knights figurines
-good bit of bike, scooter, and 4-wheeler riding

You know it is a good day when:
-your children do not ask if they can watch TV
-your children do not ask for a snack
-your baby is so sweaty, dirty, and sand-encrusted that you have to bathe him before naptime
-ate a deeelicious supper of grilled pork chops, homemade macaroni and cheese, black eyed peas, and cornbread
-got to eat outside on a clean patio because the weather was perfect (and kept your kitchen clean!)
-the kids are bathed and ready for devotion before 8 pm

Wanna try the deeelicious pork chops we grilled tonight?? We have used this marinade recipe twice and it's a keeper!


Grilled Pork Chops Marinade
1/2 cup Water
1/3 cup Soy Sauce
3 T Lemon Pepper Seasoning
2 cloves Garlic
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil

Mix all ingredients and pour over pork chops. Allow to marinate at least two hours. Grill for 15 minutes.

The week for questions...

Gotta another question for you out there...what is your favorite vacuum cleaner?

Looks like The Five Dubs might be getting close to purchasing a new vacuum cleaner - and considering we have never done so - we'd like your input!

Are you brand loyal? Hoover, Dyson, Eureka, etc.
Are you a baggie or a bagless?
Are you a retractable cord or do-it-yourself cord?

Any and all advice, experience, opinions are welcome!

Blog world question

When someone comments on your blog or asks you a question in your comment section, what is the appropriate way to respond? Do you comment on your own blog, hoping they return to that same post to read your response? Do you go to their blog and post your answer in the comments of their last blog post? Do you e-mail them, Facebook them, etc? I'd like to hear what you think!

So, how did those Easter iron-ons wash?!?!

It has taken me about a week to get back to normal after my sinus surgery. But, we are moving and grooving, now! A few of you commented that you'd like to know how my new found iron-on appliques washed and wore. To that my answer would be...as well as I expected! :)

The fine seamstress who created these little cuties made perfect note that if these were to be worn and washed over and over, it would serve them best to be stitched on after ironing. She even suggested the kinds of stitches to use. I chose not to stitch ours for several reasons:
A) I can not sew - my mother in law has refurbished her sewing machine and passed it down to me so, I would LOVE to learn
B) I was ironing them on the night before the Easter events I ordered them for
C) I knew they were only to be worn once or twice

In my experience - after the first wash they pulled up in one or two spots and were easily ironed back down, after the second wash a tad bit of fraying and more pulling up along 1/3 of the perimeter and again ironed back easily, after the third wash the results were about the same.

This would not keep me from choosing another pattern. I still think they are adorable and inexpensive. I could get matching t-shirts for the whole Carter brood (5 little ones) - they would fit everyone, everyone would match, at a total cost of $40 - potentially less than one outfit from a store!

Outfit Solution for a Hoppy Easter Egg Hunt

It is no secret that I love to dress my children in cute smocked or appliqued clothes. I love even more for them to match or coordinate! Holidays are some of the most fun times to match their clothes. But, in buying matching outfits for three - especially outfits they may only get to wear once or twice - I must spend more money than I want or need. With Easter approaching I started planning their outfits and wanted to find something cute Ann Elise and Bankston Hays could wear for her Easter Egg Hunt at Preschool.

A few months ago I introduced you to my new found friend, Etsy? She stepped up and helped me solve my matching/coordinating holiday clothes for Easter! I found this seller that makes charming iron-on appliques. As I browsed her site I found the most precious designs in adorable fabrics. I was tempted to buy one of everything. But, the more I debated, I settled on just ordering Easter theme appliques for now. I figured I would see how they worked first and then buy more. :) As I waited for them to arrive I went on the hunt for solid color T-shirts and ended up finding several at Wal-Mart online (site-to-store, which is a FABULOUS service) and a few at Target. Once the appliques and instructions arrived, I went to work transferring the designs:

The pieces to the bunny applique:

Plain blue T-shirt from Target:

First step - ironing on the body of the bunny applique:

Second step - ironing on the egg part of the applique:

Third and final step - sewing the button eyes on the applique:

How cute is that?!?

Can't forget baby brother! He's wearing the carrot to match!

It's getting crazy around here!

Our little Bankston Hays is coming to life! HA! He has really been letting us know just how keen his awareness is. A few examples:
1) He loves to watch us play Hide-N-Seek. He squeals and claps as soon as the counting begins.
2) Every time the alarm on our door chimes to say the door has opened he makes a bee line for it - he is thinking "the door is open - I can get outside!"
3) At Mommy and Me he sits in my lap and enjoys the singing and motions until it is time for the "Balls", "Dinosaurs", and "Snack". He immediately jumps up, squeals, starts saying "dall" and "di-oh-sor", and goes to help Mrs. Madelene pull them out. He also promptly gets his carpet square and sits down on it waiting for his snack.
4) He knows which of his clothes have dinosaurs on them and points to them and tells you so.
5) Loves, loves, loves him some baseball! He has been found digging in the outside toy bin, pulling out a big baseball glove, putting it on correctly and walking around throwing and chasing after a baseball. He also does a pretty good job of hitting off a tee.
6) When at Wes' baseball practice he will pitch a fit because he cannot be ON THE FIELD. It is not good enough to be near it - he must be on it! After all, Wes and Daddy are getting to play!
7) Over Spring Break Bankston Hays came out of my nephews' room with a play camera up to his face, eyes closed (taking a picture)

Cooking Tip/Newest Favorite Recipe

I really enjoy cooking and I want our family to have sit down meals together. Soon after Bankston Hays was born I realized that was becoming more and more of an undertaking. Finding the time to shop, prepare, and cook and the effort to clean-up was becoming less and less. I solved it by "cooking double". Whenever I am going to cook a casserole, I try to double it. Then I freeze the extra casserole for later. This helps keep a supply of good meals to pull out on those most common "busy days". If it is a recipe the kids will not eat (yes, I was one of those mothers that said my children would eat whatever I put in front of them - they don't), instead of doubling it, I just split it. I try to keep 8x8 throw away pans available and I'll split the casserole into two of them - freezing the second for later. This has been a very easy adjustment and has made meal time easier. It is also nice for when a friend has a baby or other need - you have a meal ready to go!

I wanted to share my newest favorite recipe! My mother-in-law actually found this recipe on the Food Network website. She made it first and I loved it. I have made it a few times since and tweaked it a little to our liking (well, mine and Kris' liking - the kids don't eat it). It is a keeper! I am also including the recipe for the rolls I serve with it. Super Duper easy! I call them BSU rolls because they used to make them and serve them at the Missions Banquet.

Chicken and Wild Rice and Green Bean Casserole

4 Skinless Chicken Breasts (boiled and cubed)
2 cans Green Beans (I used French Style Green Beans)
1/4 jar Roasted Red Peppers (diced)
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 box Zatarain's Wild and Long Grain Rice (made according to directions)
2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
pinch of salt

Bake at 375 degrees until bubbly and browned.


Easy BSU Rolls

2 cups Bisquick
1 cup Sour Cream
1 stick Butter

Melt butter in microwave. Add Bisquick and Sour Cream. Spoon into muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned.

Holiday Books

A few years ago I started a collection of Holiday/Seasonal Books. I decided it was a great way to teach the kids about certain holidays our country/faith acknowledges. I keep these books stored with my decorations for the corresponding holiday/season and pull them out when that time of year comes around. The kids look forward to "what books come next" and learning about these traditions and celebrations.

When we ventured into the world of Preschool, I was re-introduced to Scholastic Book Clubs. We started receiving order forms every month or so and I quickly came to realize they offered some great books at great prices! I have bought some really neat books for every imaginable holiday. Some of these books are educational, while some are fun and silly. They offer books about Thanksgiving, Easter, even Groundhog's Day for $3 or so. We have lots of fun reading these and learning together!

This week I am sending in an order for an "I Spy" or "Where's Waldo" type of book. These are lots of fun to keep in the car. The kids enjoy trying to find things while we are in traffic, waiting on siblings, or even on long trips!

Cowboy Day

Most of your know or have heard me talk about Wes and his LOVE of dressing up. Around the age of 18 months he received his first pair of rain boots as a gift from my mom. They were the cutest little things! They were red and covered in Dalmatians. They graced his big baby feet everywhere...to water "his" flower garden, to stomp in rain puddles, to romp through the mud, and to run errands (while wearing the sweetest of smocked shortalls).

Some days it was even hard to get them off his feet for naptime!

Before long our first born was all about some role play. I believe his first "costume" was derived from Kris' Lasik goggles and a long sleeve T-shirt- turned cape.

As the idea of dressing up for Halloween became imprinted on his mind and he started seeing costumes for purchase, his world view was expanded. Soon we had Spiderman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Fireman, Policeman, Dragon, Construction Worker, and Cowboy costumes hanging from his dress-up peg hooks. Later he acquired Darth Vader, a larger size Spiderman, Incredible Hulk, Storm Trooper and Race Car Driver costumes. (Most of these were gifts or purchased on clearance - $5 or less - after Halloween) And, to this day he is still a fan of dressing up. Some days, he morphs through several characters!

Last week his afternoon unit at school was on Cowboys. The teacher sent home a note announcing they would have Cowboy Day at the end of the week and to feel free to dress up. Wes immediately began scheming his costume plans. You see, he has outgrown a number of the pieces of his (actually my brother's) cowboy costume. The main piece to re-create on his agenda: the belt buckle! He homemade his own belt buckle and proudly left for school on Cowboy Day feeling ready to take on any bad guy of the Wild West!

Note the cardstock pistol. Kris drew that for him to carry since they were not allowed to carry "real" guns!

Resurrection Eggs

Our family routine every night is to all get on the couch after bath time and have our devotion. We have several kid's devotionals from which we choose. However, tonight is a special night because we start the Resurrection Eggs! We will be opening one egg and reading its corresponding devotional for the next 12 nights leading up to the night before Easter. I look forward to opening the last egg...it is empty! Praise the Lord! He is risen!

`

Spring Break, LITERALLY!

Not just a week, but 5 weeks! Sorry about that. I just kind of hit a point where the blog seemed like a chore and I felt nothing around here was very interesting to write about. I am trying to get back at it!

Now about Spring Break...check out this post to learn a little about Kris' Spring Break. After we saw him off, we headed to my hometown for a few days. We had a great visit with my family, got to see my brother and sister-in-law, and do a couple of things that needed to be done (like Bankston Hays' pottery hand and footprints)! I also got to sneak in a trip to the Flea Market. It almost never works out that it is in town the same weekend I am, so that was a treat! I can usually find pretty good deals on smocked clothes, hairbows, kids' books, and homemade FUDGE (we can't forget that!). After a few days of fun stuff, we kicked it up a notch! My sister and her boys, my mom, and I all headed to New Orleans. We spent the day visiting the Zoo. It could not have been a more beautiful day! Highs in the mid 70's with abundant sunshine and a nice breeze! We did it all - flamingos, elephants, gorillas, the carousel, and the new Dinosaur exhibit! It was a great day.

But our fun had just begun! We said bye to my mom (she was going to spend the night with her brother and his family) and my sister and I started our adventure. Holly and I had booked a room at a hotel downtown. So, we loaded up and headed that way. We picked up some pizzas and then checked into our hotel. I am sure we were a sight! Two women, 5 kids (ages 1-6), a stroller, a double stroller, an air mattress, a pack-n-play, duffle bags for everyone, and cardboard pizza boxes all walking through a parking garage to the hotel lobby! Once we got our room key and settled in, we ate our supper and put on our swimsuits! Indoor pool - we're there! The pool was a blast. The kids could not have had more fun getting to swim around! There was no doubt they would pass out once we got back to the room. With the darkness of the room, everyone slept until 8:40 am when Kris called to check-in! That got the ball rolling. We got everyone bathed and dressed and everything packed up. We were ready to start our second day in the Big Easy. All of us and our garb successfully get out of our room and to the elevators. Once the tiny elevator doors open, Wes and Ann Elise step inside. (Let me remind you we have two strollers, 7 duffle bags, 5 children, two adults, an air mattress, and a pack-n-play to load in a super tiny elevator) As we were trying to steer the double stroller in first, the doors start to close. With my two oldest inside! Up they go. Terrifying!!! To say.the.least. Holly was crying and I was praying. Thankfully, before we had had time to think through the scenario, the elevator was back on our floor and we could hear Wes saying "I hope they're here!". God answered my prayers by returning them to us unharmed and provided a very nice, German lady that helped steer the children back to the right floor. With that event behind us and a renewed sense of security with my children, we checked out and started walking. We took the Riverwalk to Cafe Du Monde and enjoyed some beignets. Holly craves them regulary and her boys had never tried them so it was special!

Then we made our way back down to the Aquarium. We got to see lots of great sea animals. I think our favorite exhibits this time were the penguins and the sea otters! Ann Elise is our bravest when it comes to creatures! She touched a baby shark and a stingray. After the Aquarium we decided to call it a day and head back to our house. When we got home the kids enjoyed playing outside while Holly and I sat back and watched. We woke up super excited because Kris would be home around lunch! We could not wait to have him home!!!

This is the coolest!

A friend of mine posted this really cool word art on her blog a little bit ago. She gave me the information to the website she used and I just had to share it!

Simply go to www.wordle.net. There are many ways to do this word art. Mine above is pulled from words from our blog. You can tweak it to make it yours with all different kinds of fonts, colors, layout of the words, and even languages! Give it a try. I think you'll like it - wouldn't it make a cool gift to frame for someone or for a scrapbook page? You could type in words that you would use to describe that person or event. Fabulous! The ideas are endless!

Esther 4:16b

"And if I perish, I perish." Esther 4:16b

As you may recall from an earlier post, I am committed to a women's Bible Study this spring. We are studying Beth Moore's "Esther: It's tough being a woman". And I am loving it!!! The weekly video studies have brought insight and clarity to this gem of a book. I have thoroughly enjoyed them and the soul searching the homework has added to my life. Last week we watched the video presentation for Session 4. We focused on Esther 4:11-17. Beth did a tremendous job relaying God's word and helping us see how this applies to our lives today. She focused her teaching on fear and the choice we have in the Lord. It was incredible. With Jesus as our Savior we have the same choice as Esther. She chose to overcome herself and her fears. She chose to face her fear and take His courage. As the verse above says, "if I perish, I perish". Beth Moore had us identify things in our life that we fear (i.e. remaining single, those close to us or ourselves being diagnosed with a terminal illness, infertility, our children being affected by peer pressure, being able to afford groceries for our families, etc.). Then she had us use the above verse and finish the sentence: And if , then God. Esther came to that same conclusion. No matter the circumstances, no matter the outcome, God will prevail!

At Bible Study Tuesday one of the ladies mentioned that you can download the individual videos from each session for $5.00. Check here. If you are not able to participate in this study and this post ignites a desire in your heart, I urge you to check it out. I promise God will move you!

Almost two weeks, but we're not lost! Promise!

Even though some days have felt like we are lost - we're not! The last two weeks we have been fighting being sick. All five of us have battled the common cold (some of us get better only to revisit it again) and Kris and I both had the stomach virus. It can just suck the life out of you! Luckily the kids did not share the pain this time. But, it might be worse with the parents getting it. The house basically shuts down...no clean dishes, no clean clothes, toys everywhere, etc. We are now to the point we are trying to get back on track around here. And by back on track, I also mean with my blogging!

I must admit two other factors that have plagued this household and aided in my absence: party planning and reading.

PARTY PLANNING: I have been planning invitations, guest lists, party games, party food, goody bags, thank you notes, birthday cake ideas, class parties, presents, and wrapped gifts since October. It averages to about two a month when you count the classroom parties and Sunday School parties and Christmas...and just about all at our house! After finishing Ann Elise's birthday party on the 8th, I was tired. My brain needed a break. I had not really thought about it. But, I was carrying around so many ideas and plans and lists in my head that it was exhausting. I know, I know it does not have to be that hard. But, I do enjoy the process! It is just that this was the first year that we celebrated straight through (with Bankston Hays' birthday being added to the mix). Maybe I can learn from this year and plan ahead a little better!

READING: After getting my thirst for reading quenched with Even Now by Karen Kingsbury during our trip to Baltimore, I could. Not. Stop! I immediately checked out the sequel, Ever After, and read it in two short days. AWESOME! I cannot say enough good things about this writer and am looking forward to checking out a few more! (Yes, Kris found me several times sobbing about people I don't know) And, I caved and started the Twilight series. I read the first book and really liked it. It certainly pulled me in, held my interest, and left me wanting to read the next one! I finished the second book, New Moon, a few days ago and already have the third book on hold at the library. So, once it gets returned...I've go it! I definitely like the series! I can't say I am quite as gung-ho as most. I did get past the whole "vampire" issue because, as friends had told me, the focus is more on the love story. I don't know what it is exactly. Maybe it is because I was bouncing back and forth from a Christian novel to a secular novel or that it has been years since I read a secular piece (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series). I am just used to that aspect, I guess! I must say (and I was told this before I read them) there are no inappropriate relationships outside of marriage and no bad language. I'll even admit I immediately went to the computer and watched every trailer I could find! I am really looking forward to seeing the movie and seeing how the movie differs from my imagination. I even went ahead and added Twilight, the movie, to our Netflix Queue (it gets released in March)!!!

Little busy...how 'bout a tip?

Things are a little busy around here for the next few days. We are getting ready for company this weekend (my sister and her boys are arriving tonight). It is time to celebrate Ann Elise's birthday!

However, for the five of you that keep up with the five dubs...I did not want to leave you hanging without a post over the next few days. A week or two ago we discussed "tips" among our Mommy and Me class. These tips ranged from organization to cooking to potty training. I am always up for hearing ways others make their lives run smoothly - and taking advantage of ways to make my own run smoothly! I am most happy when everything has matching containers, things are color coded, labeled - get the picture? One of the tips mentioned really sounded great to me and I thought I'd pass it along!

At the beginning of a new season this mom reorganizes/cleans out her closet to make her clothes more accessible/more room. In this process she turns all her hangers backwards. (She hangs the open part of the hanger toward herself...the closed part of the hanger toward the back of the closet) As the season progresses and she wears her clothes the hangers get turned around from use, leaving the hangers of the clothes she has not worn turned backward. When the next season rolls around she is clearly able to determine what stays and what goes!

I loved this idea. I think it is a great way to keep myself honest on what I will wear next year! As Spring is on the horizon (not that it feels that way) and switching my closet around is approaching, I might just start try out this new system!

Happy Birthday, Ann Elise!

Today our Sweet Doll is 4! What an amazing day (her actual birthday was amazing in and of itself, but that is for another post)! We were so excited to hear the Doctor say, "It's a girl"! Our home would soon be rocked by pink and dresses and hair bows and baby dolls. I love that Ann Elise has a big heart, a desire to make her big brother happy and her little brother content, is a big helper, and loves to "save" anything creepy crawly. She makes our home more lively and our hearts beam with joy! With this being the first year of the blog, I am catching up to date with the slideshow. It shows pictures from her life from birth till now...sorry, if it gets a little long! I had so much fun looking back over these precious pictures! I love her so much!

A few things I asked her today:
Favorite Color: pink
Favorite Food: strawberries, chicken nuggets
Favorite Toy: Bitty Baby and her stroller
Favortie TV Show: Dragon Tales
Favorite Movie: Elmo Goes To The Potty
Favorite Book: "Princess Pruney Toes"
Favorite Game: Dora Memory Match
Favorite Bible Story: Jonah and the Whale
Interests: ride her bike, play with her kitchen, swing, hold Bankston Hays, color

We are taking cupcakes to her class today and celebrating just the five dubs tonight. My family will be coming in town this weekend and we will all get together with the Walters and celebrate with presents and cake, then!

OK, I'm hooked!

I definitely love to read. I especially love to read Christian Romance Novels. I am one of those kind of readers that totally gets sucked in, can't put it down till it's the last page, breathe and dream with every character, tears streaming down my face - you get the idea! My world has a tendency to totally stop until the book is finished. Laundry? Cook supper? Change a diaper? I have 3 children? What?!? I have not reached a point where I have picked back up on my reading since Bankston Hays was born (it seems as though my babies have been about 18 months before I have been able to do so). However, with Kris and I heading out of town for the weekend, I made a run by the library and checked out two books just on the off chance I might get an opportunity to read. I went not knowing what I would select but knew my friend, Erin, has been talking and blogging about one of her new obsessions over the last few months...Karen Kingsbury. So, I checked out "Even Now" by her and the infamous "Twilight" by Stehphenie Meyer. With as much buzz that is going around about "Twilight", I couldn't resist checking it out when I saw it by the counter. But, when I had the time to read, I couldn't bring myself to go there...just can't get past the idea of vampires for some reason. I still have the book for another 2 1/2 weeks so I might...we'll see. Anyone want to convince me on way or the other? However, I did find the time to read "Even Now". Beginning to end. Good thing Karen Kingsbury has authored over 40 novels! I'm hooked!

Christmas Recap

I realize I am late in getting pictures posted from Christmas. Over the course of the last week I have seen a few friends post about their holiday and so I don't feel too guilty! HA! But, I did want to get a few pictures up of the great times we had. I have seen the photo collages done before but am not sure how they are done. I put this one together using Photoshop. We'll see if it does what I mean for it to!

After celebrating Christmas with Kris' family, we headed to my mom's house for a few days. My sister and I took the five kiddos to Chuck E. Cheese to get out of the house and expend some energy on Christmas Eve. As a family we went to the Candlelight Service at my home church and followed it with our tradition of finger foods and Christmas goodies at my mom's with family and childhood friends. Once the night was winding down the kiddos got to open their matching Christmas pj's and off to bed they went! On Christmas morning they woke up to find all the loot Santa brought. Then my sister and her family and my brother and his wife came over and we opened presents. Fun! Fun! Then we got dressed and headed to my great aunt's house to spend the day with cousins eating a big breakfast in the afternoon.

Probably my largest memory of the Christmas came from the Christmas Eve Candlelight service at my home church. This would have been Wes' 5th time to go so he is used to the routine. I was a little stressed with all the events of the day and what we had coming that night and all the fire around me and watching two little ones HAVE to hold their own candles. Well, once all the candles were lit, the sanctuary was a glow, and we were beginning to sing the first verse of "Silent Night", Wes looked up at me with bright, big eyes and with all the excitement he could muster into a whisper he said, "Mommy, this is my most favorite part!!!" It made it all worth it. The memories being made from these traditions and being passed on to another generation are priceless.

Good Times, Good Folks, Good Opportunities

We got back from Baltimore Sunday night and I had every intention of posting about our quick trip. However, the camera got taken to work with Kris and I just couldn't post about our weekend trip without a few pictures, right?!?

We got in to Baltimore around 1 and made our way to check in at the hotel. Once we settled in, we got in touch with the missionaries we were meeting. We headed to New Hope Community Church and met up with the Pastor's wife, Shannon, and their daughter, Hannah. Shannon serves as the Children's Minister, does a good bit of graphic design for the church, and is a writer for their Baptist newspaper (I think I have all this right). After showing us around the church we decided to head down to the inner harbor for some sight-seeing and supper. I loved seeing the sights of the city, hearing a little bit of history, and seeing areas that are very dear to her heart. The inner harbor was really beautiful. We just walked the docks taking in the icy cold water (mostly frozen), the cruise boats and yachts, and the different restaurants and shopping areas.

As the sun was going down we decided on grabbing a bite to eat at a really nice restaurant on the water, McCormick and Schmick's. I had a dish called Atlantic Salmon that was de-lish and the crab dip appetizer was the best around! We had a very nice time getting to know each other and finding out more about their needs. To put an even nicer spin on such a nice dinner...a former BSU'er, now interning at a theatre in the area, contacted Kris as we were touring the harbor. He was getting off for "lunch" and was able to meet up with us. It was lots of fun catching up with him and our visit seemed to really lift his spirits! After finishing supper we went to an area of the city known as Federal Hill. We parked and walked around the small neighborhood park. The park sits up on a hill over the inner harbor. From there we could see the Ravens' stadium, Camden Yards, and the lights of the inner harbor and skyline.

It was really a special experience - especially for me. Last year, Kris brought a team to work with a church right down the street from Federal Hill. He would walk to the park and call me from there most nights. It was neat for me to see where he had been last year and see the skyline and monuments that he had described to me just a year ago! After praying over the city and taking it all in, we called it a night and headed back to the hotel with BIG plans for the next day!

We awoke with plans to meet at our hotel mid- morning and tour the site of their church plant. New Hope has been reaching out to an underprivileged area of the city just a few miles from their church. They are getting to know the residents of this community through servant evangelism, feeding programs, camps, and small groups. At the beginning of the year they started having church services at the local community recreation center.

This area of the city is known as Curtis Bay. The people are really struggling with depression, all sorts of addictions, being homeless, etc. Kris and the team will be focusing their time among them. They will be doing mission projects in the mornings and sports camps for the kids in the afternoons. Touring the area, visiting the rec center, and seeing the needs helped tremendously! Now, Kris knows the details to share with the team to better prepare them for what lies ahead. After we had seen the area, it was time for a little fun...we headed to the Polar Bear Plunge! Talk about exciting! When Shannon mentioned the possibility of going we never looked back! Of course, neither Kris nor I had ever experienced anything like it (being from such warm temperatures!). After picking up a friend from church, we took the short drive to a parking area, boarded a shuttle, and started taking in the sites of a true plunge! We were amazed with the thousands of people preparing to commit such an insane act! There were people everywhere! If you can imagine a huge festival near the beach of a State Park, tents, sand sculptures, food vendors, games, a stage, music, unusually weird art, a large group of people doing the Hokey Pokey, running into a few normal people in bathrobes and swimming shoes and a few not-so-normal people on stilts, in batman capes, or even Santa Claus himself - you'll get the picture!



We had the best time taking it all in, eating a HUGE hot dog with all the fixings and a funnel cake, and getting a good spot to watch the plunge. We even got to see the Governor, Mrs. Maryland, and several Baltimore Ravens football players - including Joe Flacco!!!

Soon after the declaration, "Take the plunge!", the beach began to empty as thousands of people stripped to swim trunks, bikinis, and speedos and entered the icy waters. A friend from the church was one of the participants. He said the water was definitely frigid but he was surprised at how warm he was when he got out. He said the wind blowing felt so warm (we guess because the water had been SO cold!) What a sight - definitely an experience we will never forget! After braving the cold temperatures (low 30's) and wind off the water for the afternoon we went back to the hotel for a short rest. We met back up for New Hope's weekly church service that night. It was a great time of worship and preaching. The church members were so welcoming. After the service a few of us went over to the Pastor's house. We ordered pizza and discussed more details for the Spring Break trip. It had been a long day, we were ready to see the hotel bed for sure!

Our last morning there we went to the community rec center in Curtis Bay for the new church service. They generally do the same worship songs, sermon, and children's activities as the night before. It was really great to see some faces from the community that has so much hurt! Visiting with a few of the residents was really eye-opening. And, I don't even know them. We hung around to help break down the lights, chairs, TVs, etc. and wrapped up our trip by eating lunch with Pastor Larry and Shannon and going over details that each of them have to work on.

This weekend was so nice. The time alone with Kris was so nice. The accommodations were so nice. The people were so nice. The sights and sounds were so nice. The fun was so nice. But most of all, it was nice to be so close to the front lines of missions. Not the missions of our backyards, not the missions of the Bible Belt, but missions involving people who have never heard! While being on this trip I came to realize that it has been since before Wes was born that I have actively participated in a mission trip. And, while on this trip I was reminded how much mission trips have meant to me...how much I have missed them...how much I enjoy the work. No, Robin, I am not packing for Zimbabwe :) . Home Missionaries and International Missionaries alike are special people. They are called for a special work at a special time to touch the lives of special people. I am glad I have had the opportunities to be a part of it!