Carry On

This past weekend, Cody and I got to pretend like we were in college again and went to a Pat Green concert with some good friends of ours.  I say that we felt like we were in college again because the last time I remember seeing Pat Green was in the grove.  I think I was a sophomore in college... I can remember riding around campus blaring some good ol' Pat Green music and singing our hearts out. 


Renee, Myself, and Joanna @ the concert

"Baby's just a little bit tired of the city..."

 Hearing and watching him perform again, took me right back.  He opened the show up with my all-time fav, Carry On.  If only my fellow Pi Beta (that's what we like to call Pi Phi for fun) sisters would have been there with us...they were with me in spirit though because I kept thinking of them when particular songs would play.  I miss you girls so very much!!!

That's all I'm gonna talk about today, although, I do have a ton of thoughts and things going on right now.  You will just have to stay tuned to find out.........

Rewind

I have tons of pictures from the past several months that I haven't shared, so I'm about to do my best to rewind the times for you a bit.  Enjoy, and hold on as you see what all we've been up to lately!

Cody and I traveled to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, this past December to ring in the new year with my bff from high school, Candace, and her hubby, Matt.  While we were there, we enjoyed tropical drinks, therapeutic massages, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, very different but yummy Jamaican food, embraced the overly kind Jamaican hospitality, jammed out to some reggae (i love bob marley), and we climbed a 962 foot waterfall...and it was AWESOME!

Dec. 2010... On plane headed to Jamaica

Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Dinner

Candace & I had a time with our floppy hats!!!  We could NOT keep them on...

Our Whole Group

Ringing in the new year, Jamaican style!

While vacationing, Manning kept running a low-grade fever and had double ear infections.  Vacation was great, but I sure did miss and worry about my lil' guy.  When we got home, we took him to his ENT in fear of tubes, but thankfully, since then, I think we've managed to outgrow our ear troubles.  Praise the Lord!  I have done lots of praying for that! Here's a pic of Manning @ Dr. Naidu's office.



We have been busy following my alma mater, the Rivercrest Colts!  We took home the state championship title in football and basketball this year!  GO BIG RED!!  We are so proud of our Colts!

The next several pictures are random ones from February... Valentine's Day & such!

Momma's Lil Cowboy

My child loves sports already!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Manning's Valentine's Surprises

He got to see Barney Live!

 

Captivated by the purple dinosaur....

The weather in Arkansas has been CRAZY over the past couple of months. On a very warm and beautiful Saturday, we decided that the Memphis Zoo was calling our names. 

Polar bears are our favorite! :o)

We aren't ones to normally celebrate Mardi Gras, but I love the decorations and fun clothing!  Here's Manning in his Mardi Gras shirt on Fat Tuesday! :o) He loves showing you his belly button now!

A few weeks ago, we took Manning to the Keiser park for the first time.  We made it a fun day full of outdoor play!  We went to the park, played with Dee-Dee's tulips, rode Manning on the lawn mower (silly but he loves it), and we took him 4-wheeler riding for the first time.  He is an outdoor boy and loves tractors, lawn mowers, 4-wheelers, and loves getting dirty (except for his hands)!  He's Papa's boy for sure!

        

At the Moore household, Sundays are spent in church, unless there's something happening that makes it impossible for us to go.  Well, let me re-phrase that.  We go to church and stay as long as Manning will allow.  Sometimes he's so wound up, we don't make it past the music service.  We sure enjoy when we get to stay, though.  Keiser First Baptist is such a blessing!





Last week, as you probably read in my previous post, we lost a very dear cousin of ours, Renee.  We all loaded up and headed to Prentiss, MS to be with family and to celebrate her life.  We would always joke about Renee visiting us in Arkansas.  She would come to visit, but we'd never know exactly when to expect her.  She might show up in the middle of the night...or just whenever.  She just went with the flow and made it when she could, and we loved that about her!  When we were on our way to her visitation, we pulled a "Renee".  We were running late and had to stop at a gas station to change clothes and get ready in order to make it in time.  We all laughed about how much she was probably loving watching us at that moment!

This past Saturday, Rivercrest had their prom, so we had to take pictures of our handsome boys, Hank & Brandon.  As you all probably already know, Hank is my cousin, and Brandon is a very good friend of ours, but I consider them both to me more like my brothers. 

Manning had a great time on Prom Night, too!  He played with his friend, Ella, and played outside, so you know he was happy!

super sweet

Kisses for Ella!

On Sunday, I helped host a baby shower for one of my dearest friends from high school, Heather.  She is getting ready to welcome baby #2, her first boy, into the world!  It was so great getting to visit with her and tell old high school stories!  Counting down the days until I get to see her again... Here is a pic of Heather with the hostesses.

Baby Lawson is on his way!

Hold Them Close...

Family is such a huge part of my life.  I thank God for my family all the time, and I feel so blessed to be a part of mine.  Sometimes, though, even as thankful as I am, I don't make the effort to stay in touch or go visit as often as I would like to and should.  Life always happens and gets in the way of our plans.  *hanging head in shame*  I'm currently regretting not holding my family a little closer after experiencing a shocking loss.  How I'd love to roll back the hands of time and re-do things......

Family Reunion

This past week, we lost one of the most generous, beautiful, and loving women in the world!! We lost our cousin, Renee.   Around midnight on Sunday, my mom called and woke me up to tell me the terrible news.  Remembering that phone call brings me to tears... I awoke to "Renee is gone" and then all I could hear was sniffles and sobs on the other end of the line. 

Over the next couple of days, we all started looking for pictures and told stories about Renee and about our other family members who have already gone to be with the Lord. One of the main things I remember about Renee is how much she loved everyone and sacrificed so much to help others.  I can't help but smile when thinking of her.  She was truly beautiful inside and out, and our family will not be the same without her.

Renee & Papaw Jim... they are together again!

I want our family to get together more often so badly.  We have such an awesome family, and I can't explain how I feel when we're all together.  It's so GREAT!  The point is this... we don't know how much longer anyone has to live and today may be the last time you get to see or talk to your loved ones.  We need to make the most of it.  Put life on hold and go visit your mom, dad, brother, sister, cousin, etc....  Enjoy them while you can.  They are precious gifts that should never be taken for granted!  Thank you, Lord, for my family! Oh, how I wish we could go back and visit with Renee one last time....

The picture in my mind when thinking of her... so beautiful!