Fall Photo Shoot

The Family did a mini photo shoot a few weeks ago.  My awesome, talented, understanding, and loving sister took our pictures!  We were attempting the Christmas card.  Thanks Jen, you are the best, I mean REALLY :)

Pep Moms Bridal Night

It was that time of year again for our Pep Moms Bridal Night!  Love this MNO!  We brought our wedding albums/videos and had a blast getting to know each other better.  I loved all the romantic stories that I heard.  I really enjoy my Pep Moms group!  God has really used this group of friends in my life!  Love you girls!

Operation Christmas Child

We went to the Dollar Tree today to fill our shoe boxes! The kids each took a basket and picked out gifts for their "new friend." It was so cute to see them pick stuff that they liked for the kids! Alex was all about the race cars and Grace was into the hair things and mini dress-up stuff. I think they really enjoyed this! I want to teach my kids to be generous and to give back! That's what really matters! I hope the kids who get our boxes are blessed!

FBC Women's Retreat

This past weekend was our church's Women's retreat!  What a good time we had! It was relaxing and fun!  We learned about relationships this past weekend.  We not only dug deeper into the Word, but with our friends!  I really had some "level 5," talks with my girls!  I am so challenged to go deeper with my friends.  Skip surface stuff and focus on heart issues!  We also had a ton of fun!  I love to see ladies bust out of their shells--awesome!  I have many great memories from retreat!  You girls are so much fun!

FCA Banquet 08

Keith and his FCA sign or something.

We love Dennis Swanberg!

Two of my best girls,  Monica and Amy!

They love FCA too!
Biven and this sweet lady I met that night!

Keith and I hosted a table at the annual FCA banquet last Tuesday night.  What fun!  I've been the "official," photographer for the past couple of years and have enjoyed hanging out with the famous featured speakers!  Keith and I were really looking forward to hanging out with Dr. Dennis Swanberg!  He is so funny!!!!!  It was also good catching up with friends like the Bivens, Rogers, McLemores, Bryants....the list goes on! This ministry has greatly impacted so many of our friends' lives and ours!  We love FCA.  God is working through this ministry.  It seems like our wonderful country is trying to kick God out of everything, even our schools.  FCA has a foot in the door.  FCA is in our schools!!!  There's always hope, isn't there!  If you want more info about FCA, check out the national website at www.fca.org.

The Akards

Baby "buke," and his cuz Alex.

Aunt Kathy and Baby Luke

Get that off of my big ole head!

Saturday night, we had Kevin, Kathy, Spencer, Hanna, Luke and Aya over for dinner.  It was good eats and lots of fun!  Luke is getting so big!  He will be 1 before we know it!  Grace and Alex love to play with him.  He is so sweet, has such a calm personality!  Dude can eat too, a true Akard boy!

FCA OW2P

I spent part of Saturday afternoon volunteering for FCA.  It was so much fun!  I got to talk to 4 girls hoops teams at a tournament.  I shared part of my testimony and challenged them with the One-Way-2-Play commitment!  These pics are of the Webb girls.  One of my good friends coaches this team and I've shot their highlight films for the past several years.  We also had a cool experience with one of the teams.  After I shared, the coach started talking about how perfect this OW2P program ties into their team.  She started sharing Christ with them by using athletic examples!  This is why I love FCA, b/c athletes get that stuff!  Love it!

Daddy!

Just wanted to post this picture!  Can you tell that the kids are so glad that Daddy is home?  Keith is trying to cook, and the kids just want to be near him or on him, whatever works.  They really love him and he is such a GREAT dad!

Paw-Paw's Birthday

The kids are all about the cake....

......and the presents.

One tough boy!

My Christmas Barbie girl!

We had fun celebrating Paw-Paws birthday on Wednesday!  The kids loved opening his presents for him and blowing out his candles.  Grandma cooked us a yummy dinner, a dish she hasn't prepared since I was in high school.  Happy Birthday Paw-Paw!

Starbucks on Election Day

The kids LOVE their G'Ma and Paw-Paw!

Oh, and they LOVE starbucks!

Me and the Boy....Gracers with her SB!

Yes, that's my parents...customers of the week!

I was all about getting my free Starbucks on Election Day!  I met up with my parents for a coffee and the kids enjoyed their chocolate milk (in starbucks cups).  I'm all about a freebie!  My parents go to SB everyday, seriously.  My kids love the place b/c their Grandma and Paw-Paw love it so much.  As we were walking in, Alex said, "I need my Starbucks."  He is so my Dad.  Hilarious!

Happy Halloween!

I'm a cute kid, now give me some candy (please)!

Grandma and Paw-Paw w/the kids!

Say cheese!

Buzz Lightyear, Super Woman and 2 Firemen

Halloween night we headed over to the McLemore's for a night of fun!  Even though it was just our families and Kimberly and Tim's parents, they still had the big spread!  Chili, fixins, cookies, and pumpkin cheesecake!  Yummy!  After dinner, we hit a few houses in their neighborhood.  It didn't take long for the kids to get tired and for the parents to be annoyed by all the high school kids trick-or-treating.  We headed back and got into the car to head to Grandma and Paw-Paws!  After hitting a few houses in their neighborhood and hanging out for a bit, we headed back to the house.  Nana and Aya came over to see the kids!  It was a fun night of candy and more candy!