Slip-n-Slide Summer

I'm here to tell ya that at the Hinsons'

it's not summer until mama buys a slip-n-slide.

And now, it's officially summer!

Joseph was in charge of assembly.

So that meant James was in charge of test sliding. 

Hope you enjoyed, 

we sure did!

God's blessings,

Sarah :)

They Keep Me Hoppin'

Good morning all!

I'm still here.

No bloggy break or tornado's force,

could hold me for long.

There's so much I could say...

stories to tell,

projects to share

& don't forget lessons learned

{the hard way no doubt!}

Today's message is this:

My people 

& my life in general

may keep me hoppin'.

But I love this life,

and wouldn't have it any other way!

Wherever you are

and whatever you're doing,

put a smile on your face & keep hoppin'!

God's blessings,

Sarah :)

Stomach Bug & Valentine Decor

Hi all,

happy Saturday!

Remember that yucky stomach bug James had?

Well guess who inherited it??

Me :(

Apparently my body didn't get the memo

that Mama's don't get sick. 

It also forgot that we went to school to be a caregiver,

NOT a patient.

How could we ever forget those 2 long years of nursing school?!

The good thing is that the fever and body aches are passing

and I'm able to work in craft projects between bathroom breaks. 

Here's a simple, quick Valentine's Day project.

Ahh, it is LOVE. :)

Now I'm off for another bathroom break.

God's blessings,

Sarah :D

The Purple Cow

Good morning all,

I'm here with a morning dose of fun. :)

It all started a couple of weeks ago

when Joseph & I were discussing his classes for the semester.

 He was sad to be trading in Bible class for Speech.

But as any good Pollyanna mama would do,

I began to tell him what fun he'd have

and how taking Speech would benefit him.

As we talked I reminisced on one of my Speech assignments...

reciting a poem on stage in front of the entire class.

The poem I chose?

My all time childhood favorite,

The Purple Cow!

And because my mom still had 

her Child Craft books,

I was able to nab a pic to share.

I never Saw a Purple Cow,

I never Hope to See One,

But I can Tell you, Anyhow,

I'd rather See than Be One.

What can I say?

I'm a sucker for the silly AND sentimental! 

God's blessings, Sarah :D

Freshman Football Banquet

Tonight is Joseph's Football Banquet.

They'll be reviewing and celebrating his Freshman Season.

Since I'm home with the sick little brother James,

I thought I'd give a HOLLA to my favorite football player.

I'm so proud of all his hard work. :)

Last but not least,

 two of the cutest football lovin' fellas I know.

God's blessings friends,

Sarah :D

Newest Follower

I think it's only fitting to celebrate my newest follower.

Although you won't find her listed as a "follower",

you can be certain she's checking out the posts.

She has At Home With The Hinsons

bookmarked on her desktop.

Wanna know who this shout out is for?

My NANNY!!!

I'm not really sure how it happened,

but boy am I glad it did.

She jumped aboard this crazy ride through cyberspace.

HOLLA!!! 

Over the years there were many ways 

I've wanted to be just like my Nanny,

when I grow up.

The woman that could run a nursing home,

care for her family, 

and still find time to pitch a game of softball.

She's loved me more than the law should allow.

Her cooking is the best that's ever been.

And she's as feisty as the day is long.

Her willingness to own her first computer

and determination in learning to navigate it

is absolutely inspiring. 

This latest feat just proves that my Nanny

loves her family,

more than a hog loves slop...

and that's a lot of love!

Thanks for helping me welcome Nanny to our blog-a-sphere!

God's blessings friends, Sarah :D

Valentine's Day Decor

Good morning all! 

I'm here with a couple of announcements:

1. We survived a week snowed in together.

There were a couple of close calls,

but nothing a sleepover & trip to Hob-Lob couldn't fix.

2. I haven't lost my crafting mojo. 

As a matter of fact, it's in full swing.

Sometimes I just get too into it to grab the camera. ;)

This year, I really missed the Christmas decor.

I didn't mind it being put away,

I just needed something in it's place.

That's when I decided to decorate for the L-O-V-E holiday.

What better and cheaper way than with a rag wreath?!

I used what I had in my fabric stash. 

Added a bit of ribbon.

Then topped it off with a heart made with my Cricut.

Now I have a cute Valentine wreath 

AND shared it with you.

Ahh, all is right with the world! 

God's blessings on your day, Sarah :)

BCS National Champions

Wanna know what happens when

your Daddy's waited 46 years 

for Auburn to be the BCS National Champions??

You grab a roll of toilet paper 

and head outside.

No weather too cold, no snow to wet

to keep these AUburn fans from celebrating!

WAR EAGLE BABY!!!

God's blessings, Tiger Mama :D

Snow Days 2011

Good morning all,

I'm enjoying a lazy snow day in the south.

After some fast paced living 

I'm enjoying the perfect reason to stay home!

Yesterday we spent the day outdoors.

The fun started before we ever 

stepped foot out of the house.

Layers-layers-layers!

Even Maggie had to wear a coat.

And our little secret??

Both boys sported leggings under those pants.

The boys were kind enough to pause for a sweet pic,

before getting c-r-a-z-y.

Being the Mama,

I had a plan for our activities:

1. Build a huge snowman.

2. Have a snowball fight.

3. Make snow angels.

It was all about staying dry 

as long as possible.

Of course James' first mission was a snowball fight.

 Luckily we had another snowed in Mama 

join us with her littles.

I kept them rounded up,

and she kept them on task. 

Because we've been tagging teaming 

kids together for years. :)

After a few facial expressions went missing,

we were able to refocus and bring our Frosty to life.

Frosty & his boys. 

 When things settled down we let Pepper, 

the canine equivalent of James, join us.

 Last but not least we shucked a few layers

and cozied up by the fire 

for fun, laughter & hot chocolate.

 Hope you're enjoying your snow days.

Stay safe, warm & merry!

God's blessings,

Sarah :D

Happy Anniversary Baby!

Good morning all!

This weekend the Hinsons celebrated 

our 12th wedding anniversary.

We grabbed a yummy chinese lunch 

together with the boys on Friday.

You know you're enjoying wedding bliss

when you realize the importance of time together.

Yet you choose to celebrate as a family...

in a cost effective way. 

And our gift? 

There's nothing we both need,

other than bringing Emily Margaret home.

So we chose a practical gift

as the parents of soon to be three children.

An all floor, light weight, attachment yielding vacuum cleaner.

I spent Saturday attacking all our after-Christmas-dirt.

Yes Mr.Dyson, it's l-o-v-e!

Last but not least Sunday, our actual anniversary,

found us spending time together.

It was wonderful to have Andy home & off work.

He's missed every holiday for the past 6 months. :(

Which brings me to my last point.

I've always known that God brought the two of us together.

I felt God say "this is the one" while we were just friends.

Granted, there were times when we both wondered.

The times when our differences seemed to divide us.

Over the last couple of years

we've found ourselves in a good place together.

The place where our lives were meshed together

and we found strength in our differences.

A place in marriage designed by God.

The last few months have been a harsh reminder

of exactly how wonderful a team we really are.

I've found myself flying solo and wishing 

my partner in crime were there to catch me.

I know this too shall pass,

so I'm choosing to find comfort in the wisdom learned.

God put us together for a reason.

We've found that good place.

And I am SO blessed to be celebrating 12 years 

together with my Prince Charming.

He's the man of my dreams and love of my life!

Happy Anniversary Andy!!!

God's blessings, Sarah :D

Happy New Year 2011

Happy New Year loved ones!!!

How have ya been?

I've missed my time here

so I'm here with a short post.

Today if you were to peep in my window,

you'd find my Christmas tree still up,

new toys strewn,

the hubs napping

and myself comfortably dressed

alternating between cleaning and chilling.

Yes my friends it's been a busy holiday season.

Today I'm living the good life. :D

So it's New Years and I have

some recapping to do.

But first I wanna go traditional.

Do you complete a year end review

and then set goals for the upcoming 12 months?

I've never been much of a resolution gal.

Oh I've set them,

I'm just not very good at following through.

This year, I'm filling out a questionnaire 

I downloaded from Simple Mom.

I'm a rather reflective person so I've already

thought a lot about lessons learned in 2010.

Things like knowing your core purpose,

taking leaps of faith and staying true to self.

I've been reminded of the importance of family

and how it's never too late to follow your heart.

Now during my remaining chilling time

I'll be setting goals for 2011.

I encourage you to check out Simple Mom's site.

It'll be fun to look back on our accomplishments next year!

No go,

reflect and plan.

Let's make 2011 all it can be!

God's blessings, Sarah :D

CHRISTmas Break

Good morning all!

It's officially CHRISTmas break at the Hinsons.

We've had a schedule full of holiday fun.

Today Mama's taking the day to finish up the ho-hum.

Like finishing shopping & getting some fresh hair before CHRISTmas. 

Just the little details that make a world of difference. 

Here's a glimpse into last week's festivities.

Thursday was CHRISTmas lunch at East Elementary.

Friday followed up with a CHRISTmas party 

and then a field trip to Children's Theater.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Best CHRISTmas Pageant Ever.

Now I'm off to deck the halls...

err, my hair. :D

God's blessings!

Sarah 

My Secret Delight

Good morning all!

Today's calling for bad weather

so school has been canceled.

The boys are still asleep.

Know what that means??

Time for one of my rare, secret delights.

 

I love the kinda morning

when I grab a cup of coffee, 

my laptop and jump in the bed.

It's nice to pretend there's 

not a mile long to do list calling my name...

even if it is just for a few minutes. :)

God's blessings on your day friends,

Sarah :D

Sweet Baby James

Hi all,

happy Friday!

Life around the Hinson household has been 

a little different the past 2 weeks...

ok, 12 days to be exact.

Awhile back James asked for a picture of 

Emily Margaret for his birthday.

I sadly told him there was no way

that was possible.

Then God stepped in.

We now have a picture of a precious 

2 1/2 year old we refer to as "Baby Girl". 

We're praying that China approves 

us to be her family.

Until we know for sure,

 I think God winked 

and honored James' innocent request.

Now on to the main event. :)

Today we celebrate our Sweet Baby James.

Born 8 years ago today at 12:27pm.

Andy & his Mini-Me.

That child has always been just like his Daddy!

His brother's pride & joy.

The love and adoration is mutual!

 I think in the country they'd

call them Thick As Thieves. 

James Hinson,

this world holds great things for you.

You have the curiosity of an animal

and the joy of a saint.

This is what happens when you watch

your mama pull her hair up,

one too many times.

And not only did you have to have a ponytail,

you insisted Daddy have one too!

In preschool the kids started calling you James-Hinson.

They'd go home and tell stories about you.

When their parents said 

"Are you talking about James?"

they'd reply

"NO, James HINSON!"

You started out playing ball

to be like Joseph.

But you've blossomed into quite a little sportsman.

You've always loved to dress up.

And you love good jammy tales

as much as I do.

You light up my life and are a gift from God.

Happy Birthday, my Sweet Baby James.

God's blessings & love,

Sarah aka Mama :)

My Winter Uniform

Ok, so it's Monday.

You've survived a long weekend

and you're ready to tackle your to-do list.

But, first you need a laugh.

And being the thoughtful person I am,

I'm here to make that laugh be totally out loud.

I reveal to you what is sure to be my winter uniform...

well the one I wear at home of course.

Here are the top reasons this outfit 

will be a season staple:

1. Nike Tempo shorts are the most comfortable shorts evah.

2. I get hot & sweaty when I clean house,

so I must stick with active wear.

3. I'm secretly still mourning the loss of summer.

4. Since it's cold outside, I need the boots to stay warm.

5. And probably the top reason this get up's a keeper...

Andy almost fell off the couch laughing 

when I walked into the room this morning.

So there ya go,

your morning dose of silly fun.

Now, go tackle those bathrooms.

It's Monday ya know! 

God's blessings,

Sarah :)

Thanksgiving 2010

Good morning all!

I hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving.

We enjoyed a low key holiday.

Tuesday night we helped Nanny make dressing.

Hello Y-U-M-M-Y!

Andy had to work on Thanksgiving,

so we gobbled up two days of feasting!

Wednesday we had dinner with Franny & Frandaddy.

Then, Thursday we headed over to eat with

Nanny & Op, Nana & PaBill.

We devoured serving dishes loaded 

full of delicious food.

Of course I made my infamous Green Bean Casserole.

Then while the cousins played outside

and the adults chatted,

Joseph & Alan snuck in a little game time. 

We shared a Hinson only dinner

Thursday night.

Thanksgiving dinner leftovers 

served Mama style, no less.

It was nice to avoid rushing from table to table.

We were able to savor our time with family,

thanking God for a year's worth of blessings.

I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with 

the stuff memories are made of!
God's blessings, Sarah :)

Laundry Room Update

Hi all!

I'm here to share my last project.

It's been completed for several weeks now.

You know, long enough to be messy again. ;)

Here's the only before shot I could find.

This was at our house blessing

when we moved in three years ago.

That's my mom & niece enjoying a smackerel.

Now here's my confession.

I chose to paint the kitchen & laundry room orange.

I really wanted my Auburn dishes to feel at home.

And they did.

For awhile I loved it.

But then??

Well, I got over it.

I decided my tiny laundry room

with zero natural light,

needed a mini-makeover.

For my paint color I picked

a shade lighter than my bathroom.

Good thing it's almost time to prep for Emily Margaret.

I'm gonna need to inject a some pink in this home.

After several days,

numerous paint colors

and what seemed like a bajillion coats of paint,

it all came together.

Mama was pleased! 

Please look past the poor lighting

as you admire my impromptu hanging rod.

This adjustable rod makes the perfect

home for my extra hangers.

Check us out now b-a-b-y.

No more bags of cat/dog food to climb over.

Since we mix it all together I don't have to worry

when I pick up a different brand food on sale.

One day (soon I hope) this little nook 

will house a set of Daddy made lockers.

But until then my dresser will

help us stash away clutter.

Last but not least I pulled this 

bad boy from the garage.

It originally served us in our closet 

at the old house.

It's new mission?

To house my sewing machine, 

embroidery supplies and ever growing stash of fabric.

Sooooo, there ya go.

The last project I did before I placed myself on probation.

No more painting & beautifying until 

everything is clean and organized.

It still needs some froofing, 

but I'll get there.

Thanks for stopping by!

God's blessings, Sarah :D