Biggest Loser Week Two Standings...

After two weeks of competition, I am holding my place in third. Don't worry, I have a strategy. I'm not completely confident that it is a good strategy, but I do have a strategy! It's tight competition! One more pound and I could have taken the lead. Collin had the biggest comeback this week (and the biggest weight loss) moving into second place and knocking James to fourth. And, currently, (and actually for as long as I've know him), Ryan is the biggest loser! Not worried about him though...he just doesn't have enough weight to lose. The best news is, everyone has actually lost weight! So, there you have it. We're all losers. YAY us!

Jack-O-Lanterns

I love Fall. It is my favorite season. I love the Fall colors, the sometimes cooler weather, and the fact that it makes me want to bake something and burn candles! Don't ask me why this is...I don't know.

Last night, in the spirit of Fall, we decided it would be fun to carve some pumpkins (I guess this is now a tradition since we did it last year too!). I bought a pumpkin carving kit with patterns so we could try some more intricate designs! Take a look at the fun results!

Here is everyone with their pumpkin selections!

Here's Jordan working hard...

Showing off the results...

The Biggest Loser

I've been a little convicted lately about the 15+ pounds I've put on since joining the staff at Grace and about my unwillingness to sacrifice even the simplest pleasures (such as Dr. Pepper) in order to be healthier and less gluttonous. As a result, I convinced Deneise (mostly because sacrifice is so much more fun with someone you love!) to give up Dr. Pepper with me for 30 days just to see if it made any difference in our weight...all other things were to remain the same. We gave it up on Monday, October 8. Fast forward to Friday, October 12, when Ryan Wayne Williams has the brilliant plan to have our very own "Biggest Loser" contest among the staff. His idea: everyone puts money in the hopper each week and weighs in and at the end of 12 weeks, the one who's lost the biggest percentage of weight gets to keep all the cash.

To make a long story even longer, most of the staff are in and we had our first weigh in on Tuesday morning (BTW, that scale weighs heavier than mine at home...hence, the + sign after my 15!). I've done pretty good so far. I can't tell you my top secret weight loss strategies, but if I win, I might write a book and sell them to you!

The point is: I'M STARVING! I know that, literally, I'm not. But, figuratively, I am! I'm sitting here without my Bluebell homemade vanilla ice cream with Reese's shell topping and I'm actually hearing growls from my stomach. It's probably taking wagers from my intestines on how long I'll actually stay on my health kick!

Isn't it crazy how we get so used to excess, we think we are needy when we don't have it. And, that is essentially what this is about for me. I am realizing more and more my greed (which is what gluttony is ultimately) and how it has infiltrated every aspect of me. I actually get a rush from buying stuff, eating stuff, and think having to wait to buy and eat stuff is a catastophe! So, I'm praying that God will change the way I think about gluttony. I want to be appalled at the sin that it is. I know that I will have to depend on Him to change me and for strength to actually do without something that is typically pretty high on my priority list...eating...or at least without eating so much!

G.G.

These are some adorable pics we took of GG when we kept her Monday night. You know how some kids have a complex because their parents took more pictures of their siblings than of them as babies? My kids are going to have that complex when they see how many pictures I have taken of Glory!

In my defense, I have a really cool camera now. Of course, then, I had a really cool 35mm...I still have about 15 rolls of undeveloped film on my kitchen counter. It's going to be a super-fun suprise when we get those developed!

"Catching" up

I took a few pics of JP catching a couple of weekends ago. Actually, I think Leigh took most of them, but I can't remember. (Speaking of can't remember, I forgot that I was supposed to sub a step class last Saturday at 8:30 am...yes, I'm an irresponsible loser...however, it didn't keep them from letting me sub again the following Wednesday! It's a good thing they need me!!) I digress...back to the cute pics...take a look at these:

And, here is Glory taking in the game...

She is on the edge of her seat!!

COPS

Here is the comment on John Wesley's "What I did in school today..." sheet he brought home yesterday:

"Good day today! He got another sticker along with his entire table for being quiet! He loved the police car and kept reminding everyone that the police took his momma to jail!!"

You gotta love kids and their ability to live with no pretenses! The facts are the facts! Nothing to be ashamed of!

Little Pyromaniac

So... Thursday night, John Wesley was in Sarah's room (along with Emma) and they were just hanging out while Sarah studied. I was in the living room and I overheard this:
Sarah: What are you doing? No! You never do that! You could burn the house down!

This certainly peaked my interest so I made my way into the bedroom to see who was causing the comotion. Sarah tells me that JW just got up, took a piece of paper and held it in the flame of her candle she was burning. He just wanted to catch it on fire!!

Finding this a touch disturbing, I reprimanded him strongly and urged him never ever to do that again with various threats of pain if he did! Fast forward to Friday morning...JW and I are walking out the front door to take the girls to school and he says: "Aunt Shellee, I wish our house would burn down so I could watch those guys come fix it."

Having absolutely no idea from wence came that thought, I tried to strongly reiterate to him that burning the house down was a bad idea the whole time wondering what kind of psychotherapy would be needed to alter the mind of a pyromaniac!

Fast forward to this afternoon...Leigh and I were cooking dinner and I was telling her about JW's obsession with burning down the house. She says, "Oh! I bet that's because the fire fighters came to school last week!"

Which brings me to my point: Maybe celebrating our community helpers is a BAD BAD plan! All of my other children have gone through pre-school and the community helpers month and I don't believe that any of them have ever thought to burn the house down in order to see the guys in action! I have enough worries in my life without having to be concerned about JW's master plans! And do you wanna know what's worse? Next week, the police are coming! (All guns and knives are being safely removed from the house as we speak!) Perhaps I'll just buy a Tazer and keep it handy in case he tries to find the matches!!

Joe's Baptism

Sunday, the kids and I got an EARLY start and headed to Jacksonville, TX, to see my brother, Joe, and his wife, Shawna, get baptized. This was one of the best days I have had in awhile! My family and many friends have been praying for him for a long, long time. As I stood beside him and heard him singing in church, I felt this overwhelming joy and my heart sang along with my head! I'm so grateful for what God has done in his life and the blessing I have in my family.

Here are a couple of more cute pictures from the day

Aggieland

Okay...so, I feel like I haven't slowed down much this week; but, I'm trying not to let this blogging thing become another "chore" I feel obligated to do! I wanted to capture a few highlights from last weekend before this weekend! In a word, last weekend was BUSY! But, SUPER FUN!! (In two words!) So, Saturday, I loaded up...not got loaded up...and headed to one of my favorite places...Aggieland! Basically, we beat the snot outta Baylor (WHOOP!). Emily was a lone gold shirt in the midst of the maroon out sea.
Deneise took in the game a little differently than the rest of the crowd! As Kelly, Emily and I struggled to see the game around "the human umbrella," Neisey caught up on our book club read and headed to the MSC for a little shopping and A/C! Kelly took a slight turn toward death early in the third quater. Being the stubborn gal that she is, it took awhile to return her to the land of the living! We had to steal a towel and buy a $4 water bottle; but, in the end, it was Casa Ole` that brought her back. All in all, it was a great day with great friends! Thanks, guys, for a great day full of belly laughs!