Happy happy JOY JOY!

We kinda lucked out this year with Syracuse days.

Right behind Mikes Place, we watched for 2 days as they set up the carnival...

ANXIOUS kids watching in awhhh........

We walked over last night, right as the 100 degree sun was setting........it was nice.

The first night it opened....

 The crowds will NOT come till today and tomorrow---WE, are the smart ones!

We did not wait in lines for rides OR a carmeled Apple!  {Pffft, HECK ya i had one!}

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The Little's rode almost every ride.

While me and the Mr, held hands and walked around.

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I love having things to look forward too.....

It gives me both anxiety and EXCITEMENT!

lol

I will be shooting a beautiful temple wedding in 2 weeks.

Things are up and rolling in "Mike and Annie's " world!

I talked Photography with a friend over Cafe Rio today!

Tomorrow my Niece will be baptized and I will meet a GREAT lady friend from far away tomorrow I have come to love on Instagram.

I have upcoming activities planned with my 4 best friends...MY sisters!  :)

Family Dinners in the works...

Kids to kiss, a MAN I adore and wanna squeeze his face off.

It like never ends.....

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We have heart ache......yes.

But we also can have JOY!

Most of it is ONES we can and are allowed to create.

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Life isn't always lolly pops and unicorns!

We are all fighting battles....usually quiet ones.

The ones we cry about when we are finally alone in the car...

Or the ones we lock ourselves in the bathroom only cuz its the ONLY quiet place we can find to fall on our knees and ask for help, guidance and direction!!!

Or how you can actually "Throat punch" that "Someone"

In the nicest, kindest way possiable!  lol

Right?

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But we also have Joy's.....

 Take a minute, and think of yours.

Write em down....

Kiss the Bride...........

I love starting the LOVE journey with couples....

Start to finish!

Makes the Wedding day THAT much more emotional!

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These two will be hitched in 14 days....

Love them!

9 days Old....

Meet Little Ezra....

9 days old.

Perfect in everyway!

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I was Honored to capture him and his family in their home.

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They are lucky to have him.

He is lucky to have them!

See?, perfect!

soul searching.....

Jax had his first day camp with scouts this week!!

I really believe I was the only mom  {No really i was} taking a gazillion pictures and embarrassing him with all my mommy mauling-ness....One more hug?

"Mom, its ok to go"  lol

FINE!  i'll go.........waving out the window and yelling "wear your seat belt"

GAH!

How annoying am I?

He filled my ears with stories all night when he returned....and kept his NEW pocket knife in his pocket.....cuz well?  Its a pocket knife!

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I made his peanut butter sandwiches just as he likes them, cut into squares without crust!

His favorite snackies and applied sunscreen!

I love this weird little 9 year old........

HF knew to give me him, his kind heart and love for his mother.

He loves Unconditional.

And his non-rule breaker demeanor excites me....

Spending some one on one time with the girls.......

Even if its just a few moments, I savor it.

I watch them....

I pray for them...

and I hope ON for them.

A worried Mothers heart NEVER ends...., but how blessed I am to HAVE a heart  that feels what a mother is suppose to feel.

They teach me EVERYDAY......and I write everyday.

and remember....................everyday!

HF has a way of teaching us.....

Especially when we are in the seasons of life where we are NOT listening.....

I have learned patience, and kindness.

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Charlee Ann.............still teaches me this everyday.

Her spunky character and her FIRECRACKER heart.

Its a daily reminder that I am here to teach her............with kindness.  With patience!

With pure Love.

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Even tho I wanna pull her hair and then walk away.

I don't.

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I have and AM doing alot of soul searching today-----

A while ago I made this quote on Instagram and noted it with:

"If I didn't take a deep breath and grab courage by the throat Id never be where I am"

I moved.

And I moved BIG!

Change was needed, therefore I  HAD no other choice then to budge.

I have moved LEAPS and bounds, and now standing with Integrity with a newly found friend.......

My savior didn't let me down.....

I turned my back on him and let him down in the biggest way possible.......when I stepped up to the plate and owned it and MOVED......he lent me his hand.

He lifted me.....

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I'm working on this Afghan...

{crocheting is the new THING ladies....ha!}

I posted this on my "halfway" point.

I have a love for afghans, I feel they leave such a legacy behind.

Sad when they sell for only $3 - 

5 dollars at the DI.

{no, not really sad}  :)

Anyways----I am in love with how its coming along.

So eye-candyish with the stripes.

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Legacy:

I wonder how I will leave mine.

Triumphs I have and still am conquering.

How will my story unfold........

So This morning as I was doing "soul searching"  In the quiet.

YES, quiet.......its never quiet.

Therefor PERFECT timing for prayer and for inspiration.

Dear Pandora, 

Even tho you bug me sometimes....thank you for finding me Kari Jobe and her song "Love came down"

And for allowing the tears to fall"

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Instantly headed to the closet.

Picked out my pink skirt and $3 dollar thrifted polkadotted shirt.

Threw my heals on, lipstick, luckily my hairs curl still held from yesterday....

Walked in the TEMPLE doors and took a deep breath....

because I KNEW----------------I am his...forever his! 

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UGLY CRY!  {tissues please}

Listen.......and thank me later.

Its now tradition to head to Sonic after, on Temple days!
My Dt. Coke fiasco are not daily anymore.......which I like.  Its such a treat when I do treat myself to this heavenly sin.  lol
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Again, I pulled up and another sonic was ON the house, made my day.....Literally.
Because its KIND people that make the world so beautiful.
One sonic at a time.
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So I get home and wanted to blog.........
Wanted to thank my readers for the emails.....
I don't think you realize what they actually do to me when I read them.
The buckets of tears they bring and the thankfulness I feel.
I can't even describe in a good way how I feel.
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My Un obedient "past" makes me feel  I don't deserve such good.
Such love and such encouragement.....
I simply whack myself with a board and tell myself that I am.  :)
ONLY because I have become a tool for my savior to use.........therefore, I feel worthy and capable.
I feel good......
I feel happy!!!
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Believe me it took guts and courage to be where I am.
It wasn't easy.....
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I'm rambling...
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So When I went to find Kari Jobe's song....
I also Found this.......
When she says " it came from her journal, in a season of brokenness"
It hit HOME!
Hope you enjoy it like I did.
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I know he is for me. 
HE patiently waited for me.........
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then he lovingly reminded me who I was.  :)

Still small voice!

 

 

 

 

I have known to ignore the still small voice, ALOT!

Mostly cuz i wouldn't stay still enough to pay attention------

In both thought and actions!

This past year i have NOT ignored, and I pay close attention to what the lord wants of me.

We are all USEFUL tools for him, he needs to use ALL the tools in the tool box!

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I have been busy with quite a few things and changes in my life!

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1. House sitting for my uncle and Aunt for the summer and IN love with his home!

2. Ive been "Clean Eating" for over 3 weeks now---Lost 17 lbs.

{YES I have only had 4 sonics since then}  Unbelievable i know!

But I feel amazing and Im ready to seriously training for the Half Marathon!

3. I have picked up a few photography sessions along the way.

4. Mike and I are inseparable.......and I am READY for the next adventure with him!

5.  Totally in love with Instagram and the wonderful WOMAN I have met.

{Follow me  Nanniegoat36}

6. And savoring EVERY minute with my kids.....literally savoring!

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I was over at my parents house this morning printing off  things for Abbie's Drives Ed class.....and sharing with them my morning I was having!

My dad said I needed to share.

He missed my blog.

Last week I got an incredible email that I bawled through {while driving} and a couple texts and phone calls from my sisters making "comments" about my blog.

Funny how the morning I received the email from a random sweet lady I prayed about my blog, I want to inspire, I want to capture this journaling for my kids, and mostly for myself-----all these years it was my therapy outlet.  And I wanted it back.

Funny how HF works and softly knocks on our door!

{IF we stay still and listen}

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So Here I am blogging again!

:)

 

I have been wanting to get this training underway, and start the torture of running 13.1 miles!

But my Nike's were ready to retire------

They been through 2 half marathons and 6 races......sad things!

After many weeks of "thinking" about it, I finally went up to the Logan runners store and got fitted!

They watch you run and do some simple exercises to see how you run to determine what shoes fit best for your feet and running style.

I left with a WHOLE size bigger shoe and Aasics, not nikes!

Perfect shoes, light as a feather!

My feet and legs are gunna be SO EXCITED..........and love me more!  lol

  





 

 

 

After finally gathering and finding what I needed I am SOOOOOO EXCITED to take my things out for a spin........lets hit the pavement YO!

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I was awake by 6:30 this morning....

Laying in bed trying to decide if I should get up?  lol

Go running?

Then had a random thought , THAT I shouldn't do either....

humm.....

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This is where I needed to go!

 

 

 

What got me here early this morning was the still small voice whispering...

Many waiting for me to do work for them.....angels.  Eagerly waiting....FOR ME!!!!

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I listened.

I went.

 

What happened in the temple was amazing today, it was CLEARLY known for me why I needed to be there!  ME!  {HF needs ALL his tools} even little ol' me!

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So I bounced out of the temple, happy and smiling like a little bee.  :)

 

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Decided to grab me a SONIC and Abbie one too....

The manager of sonic {hi Emily} knew who I was and was happy to know How often i post sonic pictures on Instagram.....so they were BOTH on the house!

Thank you sonic!  :)

lol

A little free treat for me,  for being Obedient....I just knew angels followed me out and have been with me today!  sonic angels, cute hair day angels, i made fresh salsa angels, good kids today angels.......ect....you get the point!

 

 

 

I texted one sister of mine.......

Asked her how her day was and that I loved her.

Her response was...."Annie, its like a little slice of heaven right now"

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She couldn't have said it better!

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I will be posting about our annual Cuzins KAMP 2013.

ITS OUR 16th year!!!!!

IT WAS AMAZING like usual!  I have great parents who sacrafice so much....