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This past Sunday evening we had a family baptism at church and Dan Dan was baptized. He asked Jesus to come into his heart on Valentines Day this past year, and we had been waiting until he fully understood the purpose of babtism, until he was baptized.

Our church has started to have special baptisms for children, on Sunday evenings. We call it Family Baptism because it has a more relaxed and childlike atmosphere, and sometime whole families get baptized together, if need be. Very sweet!

We have a special little party to celebrate the child's obedience to God in following in believers baptism. We set up big round tables for each family in our main worship center and each child gets their own little round cake (there is another bigger cake and punch for the rest of the families). We have balloons on the table and colorful table cloths and paper products. The SBC staff really does a good job making it a fun celebration for both children and families to remember this special day.

This past Sunday, the staff actually set up an above ground swimming pool in the worship center for the children to get baptized in. It was cool! The children loved it. It is not your traditional baptism, but very effective and sweet.

I also made a home made Key Lime Pie! Nothing fancy just plain good.

Now at 7:45 I am in bed. My pup's (feet) are barking and my back is about to crack

I woke up this morning to FINALLY get on the computer and check my email and blogs, after a busy day yesterday.

BAM! There it was on my computer home page, Obama's pick for VP.

When? Where? WHY!!!!!!!!

When did the big announcement take place?

Where was I yesterday that I didn't get the 411 on this?

WHY Biden?

Of all people! I just don't care for this man. I mean, I do feel bad for him as he lost his first wife. That is sad, but other then that...

What a bummer of a political election year. Can someone play the Debbie Downer music?
Please pick a good running mate Jonny Boy!

After 457 days of having four children attached to me 24/7, I am pleased to say that my oldest two are back to school! Maddie and Danny are safely back in the school they attended two years ago, Venice Christian School. What a happy day! My house is so calm, so quiet, so lovely! I feel so free with just my two little ones who sit quietly and watch Diego on Nick Jr!

On a serious note, I am thankful that we tried the on line school thing this past year, but so much more thankful for truly going back to school. I don't care how far the school is from our home or how much gas cost to get there. I'm freeeeeeeee!

So, we are finally home from our slightly extended vacation to Lynchburg. I say slightly extended because due to transportation changes a couple hours into our trip, our stay in the burg was happily extended two days!

Once we arrived to Va, my parents took Maddie and Danny to Tennessee to go camping for a few days. My older sister Dayna and her family also went so the Maddie and Danny had a great time with their cousins. Meanwhile, Danny and I relaxed at my parents for a few days. It was much needed rest and we loved just being together without so much chaos! Danny told me several times how much he was really enjoying this vacation!

After the campers returned from Tennessee, Danny asked my father to show him how to BBQ. **SIDE NOTE: My father learned how to BBQ while working at a BBQ restaurant when attending college in Greenville, South Carolina. He has had a few BBQ restaurants of his own in the past and we all LOVE when we decides to BBQ for us, just like the olden days.
When my parents built their house years ago, my father had this gazebo (spelling?), added off the kitchen, with a grill and pit. I don't think we have ever used the grill, except to store charcoal and stuff for the real grill back by the pool, BUT the pit has been used numerous times. The gazebo is one of our favorite places to gather and talk as a family. This is one of the things I looked forward to the most about going home. Just sitting and rocking on the gazebo.

We all had a few samples before supper, which consisted of ribs, chopped pork, home made potato salad, cole slaw, YUMMY baked beans, garlic bread and a few cakes and some brownies and ice cream for dessert. Yes, we know how to eat! Oh, we had BBQ chicken too!

My dear blog friends. I just wanted to let you know that I am on VACATION!!!!! I don't have great computer access so I have not been blogging or able to get on the computer until today, Sunday while I am at Dolly's house. My mother, Sweet Jenius, and my Daddy took Maddie and Dan Dan camping to Dollywood for a few days. Mom took her computer with her so no computer for us. Anyway, I be back to blogging soon.

2. Jon and Kate Plus 8--Love this show! I just started watching it a few months ago and think it is so interesting. Bye bye Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar, hello Jon and Kate! Jon and Kate are more us, and have a book coming out in November. Hmmm...good Christmaaasssss giiiift for Denny! And yes, I feel sorry for Jon. Kate is a mess!

3. Travel--I have been blessed to have traveled to many places around the world, thanks to my sweet parents! I have not been to as many places as my sister Dolly, but nonetheless I am well traveled: London, Paris, Moscow (3 times), Amsterdam, Hungary, Romania, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, and Israel. I think that is all.

4. Cheer leading--Embarrassing! I was dumb enough to think I could be a cheerleader like my older sister Dayna, and tired out for the Jr. High squad my seventh grade year. I didn't make the squad. Dumber---I didn't learn from my mistake. I tried again my eighth grade year and still didn't make the squad.

5. Decorating--I would love to have one of the houses you see in a magazine, but it is just not me. I don't know how to do it. Don't get me wrong, our house looks fine. I just don't have an eye for decorating and I wish I did. Danny has told me, without out any prompting, that when we build our dream home, he will get an interior decorator to put our house together. That is fine with me!

6. Birth or Dentist--Yes, I too hate the dentist. I would rather push out a baby any day then get my teeth worked on. I literally grip tightly onto the arms of the dental chair and it wouldn't be a cleaning if the dentist didn't ask at least once, "Are you alright Mrs. Logan?"

7. Hospitals--No, I do not enjoy hospital stays. I like to be in and out with NO friends coming to visit. (I know, antisocial.) I don't consider a hospital stay in any way being pampered. The best pampering I have had medically is the first 2 days I am home from the hospital after having a baby. Danny is so good to me and I love to watch him juggle the house and the children along with take care of ME!

8. Ironing--I miss ironing my husbands dress shirts. I used to take pride in "ironing all day" for Danny. Before he changed careers, and worked for the state, he had to wear a shirt and tie every day. I would spend one day a week ironing his shirts and was so proud of my accomplishment. Sadly, now he rarely wears a dress shirt, and ties--never. Me miss it!

9. Lip Stick--I have worn the same color lipstick for the past 11 years. Hot Fudge Mary Kay. It just works, why change.

10. Vehicle--I drive a 2002??? champagne color Chevrolet Suburban, and just like our previous Suburban, we will drive this truck to its grave. We have already replaced the carpet in it once, and will probably need to do it again in a year or two.

11. Water--I drink a lot of this fluid! Love it room temperature the best. I probably drink close to a gallon a day, but my favorite drink is Cherry Coke or sweet tea.

12. Jumpers...and Sam &Libby's--sadly, in 1994-1996 these items took up lots of room in my closet. I know, cutesy! But hey, I WAS married first in my family and before lots of my friends. It took Danny to make me a real woman.

13. Commercials--I make my children mute the commercials when they watch TV. The added noise of commercials drives me nuts.

14. TV--99.9% of the time I have to watch TV before I fall asleep, even if it is only 10 minutes. It just helps me end my day and fall off to sleep. Yes, we have a TV in our bedroom and LOVE IT! My most watched channels: TLC, DHC, E!, Food Network.

15. Salvation--I don't really have a great memory of asking Jesus into my heart the first time I did it in Kindergarten or first grade. But I do remember being baptized at a very young age. Because of this, and the freaky "Thief In the Night" movies my parents made me watch in the 6th grade, I asked Jesus into my heart again so that I knew, that I knew, that I knew, I was going to heaven when I died.

16. Turn off-- people who are decked out in obvious name brand from head to toe. Quality is good, just don't flaunt it. More then one or two horsies, T's, or COACH showing is too much! Wear the outfit, not the label.

17. Turn off #2--people who use buzz words regularly, especially "awesome."

18. My promise to others--I will not share my wedding stories or birth stories unless I am outright asked to share it. Seriously, does a new young bride or mother really care about your stories. NO!

19. Childhood Obesity-- I was lovingly taken to a weight loss center when I was in the seventh or eighth grade. And, yes, I did get caught trying to hide a Little Debbie brownie in my PJ's as I was going to bed one night.

20. Braces--I wore braces from the sixth grade to the tenth grade. Braces, obesity, failed cheer leading try outs, add some acne, yes I was a bit awkward. Thank you Jesus for the story of the Ugly Duckling!

21. Anti bacterial hand cleaner-- I have a bottle in my purse, bottle in my diaper bag, a pump bottle of it in my truck, a pump of it on the changing table and a pump of it on the kitchen counter. I buy it in bulk form at Sam's. During VBS I would not open the class up in prayer until every child had a bit of anti bacterial cleaner in their hands. The children rotated classes 4 times a night for 5 nights. Needless to say, every child had clean hands at least once that week.

22. Spotless Home--I love a clean spotless home. But with such a big family, this is hard to accomplish and becomes more of a battle that is not worth fighting. Like I told my sister Dawn when she came to visit a few months ago and was constantly cleaning the kitchen floor, "You've gotta get past the crumbs." Danny and I have agreed that this is just not our decade. It belongs to the children.

23. Target--November of 2005 I personally made myself boycott Target. I had a serious problem in going to Target(s) and would find myself there 3-4 times a week. I would search the clearance shelves, like most of you, and I would buy things even if I didn't need it, just because it was a good deal. During that month (don't laugh) I asked God to forgive me and made myself commit to being a better steward of my time and our money.

24. KitchenAid Mixer--When I was in the sixth grade my mother had back surgery that put her in bed for while. For some reason I started to take over the kitchen and cook our meals. A few months later, my father came home one night and told me he was taking me somewhere to buy me something. I was so excited, until we pulled up in front of Best Merchandise and I found us walking down the appliance aisle. My father wanted to buy me, a sixth grader, a top of the line KitchenAid Mixer. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind but it ended up being a great purchase and one of my most favorite gifts. My Dad is truly a thoughtful man. I am on my second mixer now, one that is not so heavy. I still have the original in my parents kitchen. I will keep it forever, it still works great!

25. Dimes--My sixth grade year started my years of awkwardness mentioned above, as I began to, develop???? Anyway, maybe it was payback for what I am about to tell you. My school cafeteria sold yeast rolls everyday at lunch for a dime. The smell was too tempting for me, so 3-4 mornings a week, I would STEAL a dime from my mother's purse and buy a yeast roll with it. Yikes, sorry mom. I PROMISE I don't steal anymore!

Tomorrow Harry Jack, Margaux and I are going to visit Danny, Dan Dan and Maddie at camp. I thought I would be a good mom and bring them some home made Chocolate Chip Cookies.
When I was in college and first married, I used to make a couple batches of these cookies, EVERY Friday. I would take them to my father's office and pass them around to the employee's in the plant and then leave the rest on the conference table for my dad to enjoy. I have made several hundred dozen of these sweet little cookies in the past years.

Once we moved to Florida, I stopped baking like I used to. This state is just not your sweet southern cozy state and I just don't enjoy baking here. I do miss it, especially in the Fall. But today I had a hanker'in for some Chocolate Chip Cookies. I made 2 sheets of cookies and then took the remaining dough and put it in the freezer in perfect little bite size pieces for a little "pick me up" whenever needed.
Sadly, at 16 months, this is Margaux's first experience with my home made Chocolate Chip Cookies. She didn't like it when I said, "no more."

Sweet girl, this is not a good picture of you. You need to learn to NEVER smash your chin into your neck when getting your picture taken. Not flattering!
Desperate, she tries to steal the rest of Harry Jack's cookie. She was caught, but then succeeded a few minutes later when Harry Jack left the room again and his cookie was unattended.

Here's a little helpful hint. Use Butter Flavor Crisco in your cookie recipe's that call for butter. It makes a better shaped cookie and tastes good too!

I finally finished reading Redeeming Love this afternoon. What a book!

I was wondering why a few of you were saying things like, "needing a box of tissues as you read" and reading the last page and closing the book and crying your eyes out. I was thinking, "okay there are some really sad things that have happened in this book, but crying over it??? Come on girls."

Okay, it finally got to me too. Once Elizabeth went into labor and needed Angel's help delivering the baby, I was a goner. From that point on everything effected me.
~The last night Angel had planned with Michael before she left again.
~ Jonathan Axel rescuing Angel, Cherry and Faith from the brothel/bar.
~ Paul coming to bring Angel home.
~ Ahhhh....the reunion of Angel and Michael.
~ Angel finally telling Michael her real name, Sarah. (Mom, D,D,D, and D I am laughing because I am imagining all of us saying " Saraah, Saraaaaahhh" like the father in The Little Princess.)
~The comparison Micheal gave to his barren Sarah, to the barren Sarah in the Bible who God did eventually give a son to.
~The surprise blessing of so many children that Sarah actually did bare.
~Michael and Sarah's death.
~Sarah's epitaph.

I just had one thing that struck me as odd. Why didn't Michael get more upset at Paul for taking advantage of Angel in Paul's agreeing for her to "pay" him for her ride back to town? In my opinion that was totally Paul's fault and it made him look "dirtier" than Angel. Any thoughts....