A Thankful Heart

I am so thankful for God.

I am so thankful for Michael.

I am so thankful for Isaiah.

I am so thankful for my mom and dad.

I am so thankful for my granny.

I am so thankful for the time I was able to spend with my grandpa before he passed away. 

I am thankful that he lives on in our hearts and we will meet again. 

I am thankful for the legacy he left behind.

I am thankful for my aunts, uncles, and cousins.

I am thankful for all of my wonderful friends (that includes you).

I am thankful for my church and church family.

I am thankful for my freedom and the men and women who fight to keep it.

I am thankful for the simple things in life that make me happy.

I am thankful for my home.

I am thankful for family traditions.

I am thankful for all of the delicious food we are eating today!

I hope you and your family are having a wonderful day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

~jennykate♥

McLinky Monday - Black Friday

Today at The RHOK, Mrs. Albright wants to know about our agenda for Black Friday.  Do you go...or is it your worst form of torture?  She also asked us to post our tips and tricks.

Ok, so here's the DL on BF.

Yes, I go.  It's one of my deep rooted Thanksgiving traditions.  Courtesy of my momma.  She gave me my shopping gene.  When I was little my Granny and aunts would set out on an all day shopping venture, I remember wanting to go so badly.  I've always been a shopper.  My Granny says when I was little they would give me $5 and I would come home with a whole bag full of stuff.

We have this Black Friday thing down to a fine science.  The day of Thanksgiving, we send one of the guys to the gas station for newspapers...lots and lots of newspapers.  We have to have plenty to go around.  First, we just all go for it.  Dividing and conquering the sales ads.  Then, we get strategic.  We start sorting out the stores, the items we're all looking for and making piles.  After that, we compile a master list.  We decide where we'll start first and what is most important.  We also list any extra coupons that we might have that would sweeten any of the doorbuster deals.

Usually, our day starts at our hometown Wal-Mart.  It's easy to maneuver.  There aren't nearly the number of people there compared to the stores in Tulsa.  We start there about 3:30 in the morning.  You've gotta be early to get these worms.  After we wait for our items in Wal-Mart, we go ahead and make a drop-off...clear out the vehicle for the purchases we plan on making in Tulsa.

The first stop in T-Town is Starbucks.  It's a given.  By this time we all need it.  Usually we've had coffee, but no breakfast and definitely not Starbucks.  This will be our first stop of many during the day.

After our stop at the Bux, we venture off to the next store, usually Target or Khol's depending on what is in the sales ad and how early you have to be there to get the items.

We always stop sometime for a nice lunch and we've been known to even eat dinner before we finally make it back to Wagoner, where we have also been known to hit Wal-Mart one more time before making it home.  There have been years when we don't finish up until wee hours of Saturday morning.

We're power shoppers.  Black Friday is like our Super Bowl.

One of my favorite tools for Black Friday is my nifty app.  TGI Black Friday.  It's a great app w/ lists of all the stores and their sales ads.  You can even make a list on there.  I love lists!

You can also visit BlackFriday2010.com for all the latest sales ads.  They will send you email alerts and updates.

This year there will be 9 of us going.  My cousins, Lindsay and Kristen will be home for the annual event for the first time in a few years!  I can't wait!!

What are your Black Friday traditions?  Or are you more of a Cyber Monday person?  Or do you hate the whole idea all together?

Check out more Black Friday posts over at The RHOK!

~jennykate♥

A Whole Lotta Halloween

A week...a WHOLE flippin' week?!  Man, I'm failing on the blogging job. 

In my defense, it has been a crazy busy past 7 days!

I planned/co-planned 3 Halloween parties, accompanied Isaiah's class on their field trip to the Aquarium, and Isaiah played his last football game of the season...and I have pictures to prove it!

Harvest Festival @ Legacy Family Church - Party #1

Halloween Bash @ The Farm 

(aka my Mom & Dad's house) - 

Party #2

Halloween Party @ The American Legion - Party #3

I don't know if I've ever told you guys before, but I'm the President of the American Legion Auxiliary that we belong to.  Around the Holidays, we throw parties for the children of the Veterans that belong to our Post and for the local community.  So, every year I plan the party w/ games and crafts and bunches of goodies.  It's a lot of fun!

1st Grade Field Trip to the Aquarium

The jellyfish and anemones are always my favorites!

Saturday was Isaiah's last football game.  They lost, but it was a great game and they played their little hearts out.

Here's a few of my favorite pics from the game.

How was your weekend?  Attend any parties?  Did you raid your kiddos Halloween bag check your kiddos candy for razor blades and needles? 

Hope everyone is having a great week!♥

Thursday Thankfuls

I haven't been on the blog much this week.  

Real life is not so happy  

and I usually keep this my happy place.  

I'm a cups-half-full-silver-lining-somewhere-over-the-rainbow 

kind of girl.  

That's how I roll.

So, I don't do sad very well.

I'm here today to count my blessings 

and remember the things I'm most thankful for.

• Today, I am most thankful for today.  We don't have every day promised to us, so I'll just be thankful for the day I've been given.
• I'm also very thankful for knowing Jesus.  He's been my real peace this past week...the peace that passes all understanding.
• I'm thankful for family and spending time with them even though it's under sad circumstances.
• I'm thankful for the 3 years we've had with my Grandpa since his stroke.  The Lord knew that we needed a long time to say "goodbye".  If he had just suddenly passed that day in June 2007, we would have all been crushed, devastated.  To me, my Grandpa was someone I thought would be around forever.  He has always been a constant in my life.  He's someone I've always depended on and trusted in.  The Lord knew that we needed time.  He's good like that.  I've written about my grandpa from time to time on the blog, so I thought you all should know that he's very sick.  They've "called in the family".  We know his days on this earth are short.  Please pray for peace for my Grandpa and for my Granny.

♥

Christmas 2008

Can you believe that Christmas has come and gone? I'm feeling a little post-holiday blues, so I thought I would download some pics to see if I can get some of that warm and cozy feeling back...Christmas Magic.


For us, Christmas always starts off with a bang on Christmas Eve at my Granny and Grandpa's. See, my grandparents bought this house from my great-grandparents who bought this house from my great-great-grandparents. So, my family has been meeting here, at 13th and Proctor, on Christmas Eve for years and years and years. There are 35 immediate family members counting my grandparents, aunts, uncles, spouses, and cousins. Then add on our extended family who just gravitates this direction and you've got a house full!

Here is a pic of me and three of my cousins (from L to R: Curtis, Kristen, Josh, and me - the 4 oldest grandchildren...me being the oldest)

Here's a pic of my Grandpa. You can go HERE and read a little more about him and my family.

Isaiah tearing into a gift.

My Uncle Tom and Josh playing guitars...this is so typical.

On to Christmas morning...

Here's some pics from my house early Christmas morning:

Santa returned the magic key to Isaiah's mailbox along with a letter thanking him for being good and telling him he would see him next year.

Santa at almost all of his cookie and drank most of his milk...he was REALLY full from lots of Mexican food...err, I mean cookies.

My sweet pea sound asleep on Christmas morning...

but not for long...

Fast forward a couple of hours and here we are having Christmas morning at Memo and Papa's house...

Santa left this HUGE bag of goodies on Memo and Papa's porch for Isaiah!

Isaiah and his Memo.

Now, onto Christmas night...

My aunt and uncle bought the local bowling alley, so for Christmas night they opened it up for all of us to come down and bowl! Too fun!!

Here's my cousin Tracy...taking a picture of me...taking a picture of her. She blogs too, you should go check her out☺(Click HERE)

The newest addition to our family, Emma Shay Kathryn...isn't she a sweetie?!?!

My cousins Victoria and Noah

Some more of my cousins - Natalie, Hannah, Alyssa, and Jeffery

Me and my cousin Kristen

Christmas at Mike's Mom and Dad's:

The new fort my father-in-law built for Isaiah in THE FAMILY ROOM...

Complete with walkie-talkies...
an overlook...
and lots 'O fun! (excuse the no-make-up and nasty hair)

Hope all of you had as much fun as I did over Christmas. Most of all I hope you remembered the real reason for the season! Jesus came as a baby in a manger, so that we could have life! Celebrate life, love, and family as we go into the new year. Blessings and ♥much love♥!

Weekend In Review

What a great weekend! Saturday morning, Isaiah and I took a trip to the donut shop and bought some donuts and sausage rolls (this will be on my Friday Confessions later in the week). We took them to my mom and dad’s and had breakfast with them. They supplied the coffee...I supplied the donuts! We all just lounged around on the deck, it was a gorgeous morning. I took a call from my cousin Lindsay and we caught up on our chit-chat. The game was at 11:30. We played Baylor and it wasn’t much of a game. The score was 21-0 in the first quarter! However, my Sooners looked good and they played well, so I was happy. Sooners ended up winning 49-17. After the game, my parents and I took Isaiah to the Tulsa State Fair. There were people EVERYWHERE...very interesting people! Do you like to people watch? I LOVE to people watch. I’m nosey by nature. I just can’t help myself. You have to remember that we live in Oklahoma and let me tell you, we have one of every kind...and rednecks flock to the State Fair. The weirdos come out in herds. They’re attracted to all the pretty lights. I was standing in line waiting on my fair favorite, Wisconsin Cheese Curds, and as I stood waiting there were 6 people in front of me...a cowboy (we are in Oklahoma), a punk rocker (or at least a wannabe), a lady with her underwear (ok, maybe they were not "technically" underwear)on for shorts and a hot pink cowboy hat, this she-man (no kidding, this lady had more hair on her body than Michael), and this guy in a wife-beater with a mullet (see I told you...rednecks!). It was entertaining to say the least. Isaiah was totally into riding the rides this year, but he needed ME to go with him on a few. So, I got to ride this boat that went around and around and around...a little nauseating...and we went on the fun slide (ok, I admit that was really...fun!)...oh, and then we went in this Indiana Jones “fun house” thing...I prayed most of the way through...a little scary!...but we made it and Isaiah had a blast!!! Sunday was spent at church and then at my Granny and Grandpa’s. We also took a drive out to the farm house that my mom and dad are remodeling. It’s looking great, by the way! In the back yard, there’s a pear tree and it has TONS of pears right now, so we picked a bag full of pears. Last night, my mother-in-law and brother-in-law drove from Norman and met us for dinner. It was a good weekend. I’ve got tons of pictures, so enjoy the slide show! Hope you all had great weekends too!

Winds of Change

The winds of change are blowing through 1306 N. Proctor...

that's where my Granny and Grandpa live. 

 That address has existed my whole life...

my whole thirty years. 

 When I was born, 

my Great-Granny Pearl and Great-Grandpa John lived there. 

It has always been a place where love abounds...

where Sunday dinners are cooked and EATEN! 

 It is where we gather every December 24th 

and celebrate...

make memories, exchange gifts, play music. 

 When my Granny and Grandpa James (Pearl and John) passed away in the 80's, my Granny and Grandpa moved there. 

 My cousin Curtis and I had 

the reign of the house for a good amount of years, 

the two oldest grandchildren. 

 We had foot races around the garden 

and made the green house our personal dwelling place. 

 We built things and took things apart. 

 There were clubs and club houses...

the age of entry always changed according to how old my cousin Lindsay was...

hehehe...

we always had to keep it one year older than her. 

 You may say it was mean, but we had FUN! 

 Real fun. 

 Now, there are 15 of us, cousins. 

 Four of us are married. 

 The two oldest, me and Curtis, 

we have children of our own now. 

 My cousin Lindsay, the one who was never "old enough", 

well, she is going to have a baby this fall. 

 Things are changing...

the winds of change are blowing. 

 We have always been a family who loves to have a good time. We don't sit around. 

 NO, we go out...we do things. 

 We're busy! 

 That's us. 

We've lived in the same small town for decades. 

 People know us. 

 I'll say, "my mom was a Barney", 

and people's eyes spark up 

and they look at me like they know exactly who I am...

I'm a Barney. 

 My Granny and Grandpa have 

made a good name for us over the years. 

 My Grandpa had a stroke last June...

a massive stroke is what the doctors told us. 

 For us Barneys, this rocked our world. 

 My Grandpa, one of the strongest people I know, had a stroke. It took a while to sink in...

weeks for some, months for others. 

 Almost a year later, 

we're still going strong and 

by the grace of God, Grandpa is getting better. 

 He's regaining his speech, slowly but surely. 

 He's getting stronger and 

beginning to use his right side again...

more and more everyday. 

 Yep, the winds of change are blowing. 

 These past couple of weeks we have been changing things in my grandparents house...

a remodeling of sorts. 

 Funny thing is...

my Grandpa hates change! 

 I was laying on the bed last night 

in the newly remodeled back bedroom of my Granny and Grandpa's house and I was thinking...

thinking how this is probably driving Grandpa crazy! 

 But it is looking SO good! 

 I can tell my Granny is happy...

happy to have some new stuff in this old farm house. 

 We're taking up old carpet and tile, 

and replacing it with beautiful faux wood floors and new carpet. We're scrapping off old wallpaper and giving everything a fresh coat of paint. 

 I've taken a huge load of CRAP...

oh, I mean "stuff" to Golden Rule...and the dump! 

 We've recycled things and 

given things back to their "rightful owners"...

funny how things collect at Granny's House. 

 I think it's giving my Granny a refreshed and renewed since of spirit...

boosting her morale. 

 Yes, winds of change are blowing...and it feels good...