A Weekend To Remember

Happy Valentine's Day (a few days late)!

We really didn't have plans for Valentine's Day, until about a week ago when some friends offered to send us here:

And they even gave us a 2 night stay here:

We went to a marriage conference called, "A Weekend To Remember" & it was really great. The weekend was held at the Gaylord Texan (amazing place) & featured great speakers, like Dennis Rainey, and a couple other people.

I was definitely a little bit surprised when we got there on Friday night & there were about 2-3 thousand people there just for the conference. It was neat to see so many couples coming together seeking to have a Godly marriage in a world that doesn't support lasting marriages. Everything we learned there wasn't really anything that no one has ever heard, it was all just presented in a great way & spurred on a lot of great conversations between Cody & me. They also had everyone make individual goals & goals as a couple on things that you can do to help your marriage this next year. All that to say, it was really good & every couple should go to one of these weekends, they are so healthy. Thanks Brenda & LJ for making this happen for us.

More Gaylord pictures:

97 Kids

This year we decided to make camp sign-ups a huge event at Alley Cats. All year we have been inviting kids to come to summer camp with us. We encouraged them to come to Alley Cats (a local bowling/arcade/laser tag place) as that would be the first time they could sign-up. Since we have never done anything like this we thought we would have a few kids come sign-up, boy were we wrong! We had 97 kids sign-up! We actually only have 100 spots & that includes leaders so we are already over booked & are trying to get more spots.

It was an unbelievable night. We really encourage kids to go to camp as it's so important for kids to get away from the craziness of life & experience life to the fullest, while hearing about Jesus. Hopefully we can get more spots so every kid that go to camp with us!

Sharptop Cove here we come!!!! www.sharptopcove.younglife.org

Happy Birthday Cody!

Happy Birthday Cody!!!!

Last Friday night we celebrated Cody's 27th Birthday. We had big plans but since we were both feeling a little bit under the weather we decided to just go to dinner & come home. We went to Texas Road House b/c Cody really wanted a steak & decided they had they best ones at the best prices. After Road House we came home, opened a few presents (notice the fancy new golf club he is holding in the pic) & had some Italian cream cake. About an hour later Hannah & Drew came over, as they were in town for a wedding. It was a fun night & we had a few other small celebrations throughout the weekend.

Weddings, Weddings

We have had several weddings to go to this year & a couple of them just so happened to be back-to back weekends this month. Two weeks ago Cody had the privilege of performing the ceremony for Heath & JuliAnne. Cody met Heath when he was a youth pastor & has stayed close with Heath & his family ever since. This was a fun wedding for us, as we were able to see lots of old friends & it gave us a chance to go to Abilene & see family.

Cody with JuliAnne & Heath

Doing the rehearsal thing

We got to see Al & Shannon at the wedding!

Last weekend we went to Houston for one of our YL leader's wedding. It was a great excuse to get a chance to see Hannah & Drew. They live in a great part of Houston & we spent the weekend, talking, eating yummy food, & going to a fun park.

With Hannah & Drew after dinner on Saturday night

Although it has been fun to go to these weddings I am ready to stay home a for a weekend & catch-up on life.

We have also been getting ready for a full semester of Young Life (we had our first club last night), Cody has been coaching some b-ball, & starting FCA at his school. He really started it last semester, but this semester it is really in full swing. He usually has about 50 kids stay after school for FCA & he basically runs it like a Young Life club, making it really fun for all the kidos.

SKI TRIP

After Christmas we took a group of YL kids to Colorado to stay at Crooked Creek & ski winter park. I have to admit that I was kind of dreading ski trip this year. I was not looking forward to being cold & I really, really didn't want to get stuck in Colorado again like we have the last two years. Needless to say at the end of the trip I felt guilty for dreading the trip - it was the best ski trip I have been on thus far. The weather was amazing, all the kids got along great, not one person ended up in the clinic, & all of our kids heard about Jesus every night we were together.

The gym & the hot tub at Crooked Creek

Only about 4-5 hours into our trip we had a huge blow-out on the highway - here is what was left of our tire.

Luke & Jane came down from to hang-out for a night - it was fun having them!

My cabin of girls

Playing a game at club one night. They were supposed to be a human hamburger. The color of their shirts represents what part of the burger they were supposed to be (green shirt = lettuce, purple shirt = onion, etc.) I think there is a guy who is supposed to be the bottom bun, but you can't see him in this picture b/c he is completely smashed.

Cody & I at the slopes - the weather was amazing!

I tried snowboarding this year & I officially hate it. I am most definitely going to stick with skiing from now on.

Thanks to everyone who prayed for our trip. One of the best parts of the trip was that all of our kids got so close to the leaders & to each other. By the end of the trip they were all taking about going to summer camp this summer. Hopefully that will happen as summer camp is an amazing opportunity for kids to meet Christ.

Happy New Year!

Christmas

Christmas this year was so great, I am sad that it is all over. All of my family was together & we now have lots of great pictures & memories to last us until we all meet up again.

We went to my parents house for Christmas & were able to stay for almost a week! We spent the time playing games, cooking & eating, watching Christmas movies, and talking.

Group picture - my family + cousins+ Grandma

Good lookin family!

All the boys frying the turkey & other random things on Christmas

Charlie got a new jacket

1/2 of the group at my fabulous birthday dinner

Eating the yummy artichoke appetizer that Jane made for my Birthday

Bekah & Mom making some Christmas goodies

Christmas was wonderful & I am really looking forward to what 2009 holds for our family.

Next post - Ski Trip pics :)