We are not ashamed......

... that our play-set is now sitting in the front driveway!
We never played on it when in was in the back-yard, so I just dragged that thing, in one piece, from the back-yard to the front.
It really adds a nice touch to the house and we want to let it be known to all who drive down our street that young kids live here...
just in case you couldn't tell by the numerous dump trucks, big wheels, ride on toys, and scooters scattered across the lawn.

I must say that the kids think it is the best idea EVER!

Roughing it!

Cousins Camping Trip 2009
Grant, Tanner, Hannah, Hudson, Wills, Caroline, Brody, Owen, Kate, & Emerson
Not Pictured: Elliot and Gray

Cooking Hot Dogs and Smores...yum!

1 night of camping = this mound of laundry to fold...(+ 1 more load still in the dryer)

We had a fun weekend camping up in the North Georgia Mountains with 11 cousins, my sisters, my brother in laws and my mom and dad! It was a blast and as we drove home, Matt and I both wished we would have had more time to spend there.
It was a beautiful setting, right on the lake. The trees had not yet started to change, so I know it will be even more amazing in a few weeks. We did get quite a northern chill Saturday night, so it felt like fall was on its way, or already here!
We left Birmingham Saturday morning around 10:30, dropped Gray off at my sister's house (who decided to pass this year...but is planning on joining us next year, right Kenzie?). I am sure if we had brought sweet Gray along, my title might have been...Roughing it...for very different reasons! We are 100% positive that leaving Gray behind was the best decision and we are thankful Aunt McKenzie could help us out!
Back to the trip...we arrived at the campsite, 3 hours later than we had planned, but traveling is not the same as it used to be. We set up our tent and the kids played, played and played some more. We cooked hot dogs over the fire, had smores, the kids told stories (which was pretty funny) and we just visited and hung out. As you can imagine, the fire was a big hit for the boys. I am surprised, but very thankful, that no one took a fall and landed in it. We got pretty close to roasting a few little fingers and toes!
We called it a night at about 9:00 and it took until about 10:00 or so, for my kids to settle down and fall asleep. After we finished whining about how we didn't have enough room, who had more blankets, and that we had no pillows, we settled in for a nice, long, peaceful sleep!
UMMMMM---NOT REALLY !!!!
It was rough and it got COLD! This was something we were not prepared for! I had brought sweatshirts and blankets, but we were definitely freezing and needed a lot more. I actually am surprised that I got that cold because I had Wills practically attached to me the entire night. Matt and I both probably fell asleep over and over last night at least 2 dozen times each. At one point, we thought for sure it had to be morning, but it was only 3:00 a.m. The ground is a little harder camping in my 30's than in my 20's and the princess and cars sleeping bags were not all that warm. Around 5:00 as I lay awake shivering, I remembered I had brought towels and made Matt go to the car to get them. We awoke around 6:45 to the sweet sound of Owen yelling to us that there was a fly and a daddy long leg crawling around at the top of our tent. I know that thing had to be crawling all over me last night because I woke up a few times feeling like something was on me.
We started the fire up again, ate, took down the tent, packed up the car and headed out to pick up Gray and make it back for our ball games (that ended up being canceled due to the rain--bummer).
All in all, the trip was a lot of fun and I am so happy the kids got to "camp" with their cousins. It will be something they will remember and hopefully they will have many more camping memories to come.

Girl Time

Two of our cousins just left town after a fun weekend of spending some time with us. Aunt May May brought Hannah and Caroline, who Kate adores, to Birmingham for a visit and it was so fun for us all. I sure wish we all lived in the same city, but am thankful Atlanta is not too far away. We love when our cousins come to visit! Soon we will have one more girl to add to the 12! (Megan due in January). We are starting to even out the boy/girl ratio. 7 boys, 6 girls now. So fun!

Raindrops

Trying to find things to do with the 3 kids still at home has been a challenge. I took the kids to the park today because it was overcast and I thought we might be able to stay outside longer than 15 minutes without melting...well, the sky let loose on us. It started out as a few big raindrops and gradually became an all out monsoon! We were under the covered eating area and my kids really wanted to play in the rain! Hmmmm.....no clothes in the car, no towels, but my kids really need to get some energy out. Normally I might say, "No we don't have a change of clothes", but today---GO FOR IT. And that they did. My kids were running and jumping in the rain. Standing under waterfalls of rain pouring down on their heads. They were not just wet, they were soaked! Owen was even trying to swim in the puddles. It was great fun to watch. Owen said that this was better than getting a new dinosaur! After an hour of playing in the rain, we ran to the car, stripped the kids of their clothes and drove home with 3 naked, but happy and tired kids.

Convicted

Lately, I have been very convicted that I need to stress to my children and to my family, the importance of focusing on the eternally and not on things of this world. It is so easy to compare myself, my "stuff", my kids, etc.. with others. I know that the Lord wants my focus to be completely on Him and to give him every area of my life. He does not want me to pick and choose what areas to give to Him...He wants it all! This past Sunday, hearing Pastor Chris continue his series on the end times, I am even more convicted of living a life for God. A life that might look different to others. A life of purpose. Live the life of a person who is not in the love with the things of this world. Someone who is passionately in love with her Savior and desires to be more like Him! In I John it says that "the world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (2:17).
This past Sunday, Pastor Chris spoke about the verse stated below in I Thess. 14-23. Our family decided to adopt it as THE CARRINGTON CREED. We wrote it out (the best I could in kid friendly terms) and posted it in our kitchen. Often when I think about the things my children are going to face in the course of their lives, I am overcome with fear. I want to shelter them from the things of this world. A world that is confused, distorted and evil. It makes me even more fired up to raise my kids in a Godly home. To pray for them and with them daily. To set my children up to find their strength and victory in Jesus. As a family, we will "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" 2 Cor. 4:18

And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. make sure nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire. test everything. Hold onto the good. Aviod every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess. 5:14-23

FUN FUN FUN (not in the sun)

Just returned from a wonderful day at McWane Center here in Birmingham. If you live in B'ham and haven't been in a while..I highly recommend it. I was very hesitant in going with all 4 kids. In fact, this was Gray's first visit. The last few times the kids have gone, Matt has taken them without me or Gray. But, I figure, Summer is almost over and we needed something "fun" to do. Well, to say the kids had fun is an understatement. They had a BLAST (and so did I). In packing up everything I needed to get out the door, I forgot my camera. I hate I did not get any pictures. I can honestly say it is one of the most fun days we have had this summer. Check out the McWane Center...it is worth every penny you will spend.
I should do a commercial!

Five Sisters

Some of you might not know this, but I have 4 sisters...yep! Middle child, 2 older and 2 younger sisters. It was so much fun growing up in a house full of girls and the amazing thing is, we all shared 1 bathroom! I think we all had our fair share of cold showers.
Anyway, every year, we all get together for the last 2 weeks of July. My parents usually rent a house on the beach in Port St. Joe, but this year we are heading up to their lake house in the North Georgia Mountains. My youngest sister won't be with us again this year. She is currently serving as a missionary in Venezuela. We will miss her, but so excited for her homecoming in December!
I can't wait to get to hang out with everyone and relax at the lake. I am not sure who is more excited, the kids about seeing their cousins (12 in all, and 1 on the way) or me about spending time with my parents and sisters.

SMILE!

My Birthday (and anniversary) was yesterday, and as a present to myself and to my family, I wanted to have our picture taken by a good friend who is a photographer at our church. I have never done pictures like this. I have always done the standard 3, 6, 9, 12 month pics at Portrait Innovations, and I do take pictures of my kids constantly!
But, I wanted something outside and something more unique and professional. I love the ages of my kids right now, so I wanted to capture our family in photos. We went to this cool field with a rustic red barn and Kellen took over 500 pictures of the family. Here are a few to share.
go to links list on the right side of my blog. It is the top link. Click and it will pull up a few photos for you to see.

http://kellenjacob.com/

Carrington house = RIB shack

Kate in my sunglasses!

Kate reading her bible!

My Rib Project

Today is a good day. Matt took the older kids to see my nephew in Atlanta for his birthday and I kept the younger 2 with me. Divide and conquer is the way to go! We all know that tomorrow is Father's Day and Matt's mom called to see if we would like to meet after church for lunch. I told her that sounded great, until I actually thought about what I had just committed to. Eating out at a restaurant with our family is a recipe for disaster. We do not eat out much these days. It is not a pretty sight to be sitting close (or far) from our family at a restaurant. Carringtons and eating out just do not mix well right now. I knew that it would not be the relaxing Father's day lunch with great fellowship and good conversation she was thinking of, so with great enthusiasm, I suggested our house and "I will cook". Did I really say that?

Okay, now after eating out, this would be disaster #2. I do cook almost every night, but my meals run on a rotation of tacos, spaghetti, a chicken dish, hamburger helper, pancakes, fish, another pasta, crock pot creation. I do not cook anything that requires more than 5 ingredients to prepare. I am in survival mode mind you!

It is a big day because, I have mustered up the courage and found the energy (somewhere deep within) to cook Matt's favorite...RIBS! I found a somewhat basic recipe online and off to Publix I went. Who knew there are so many different choices of ribs to chose from? Not me! And another thing, ribs are not so cheap! There were spareribs, baby back, pork loin ribs, and a few other kinds-bone in and bone out. I just want the kind of ribs you get t Jim n Nicks! I decided on the baby back. Yes, they are the most expensive, but they were also the only ones that said, "all natural". Pretty sure I wanted hormone free, natural ribs, so baby back it is.

I won't give you this recipe until after I cook and taste the finished product because I want to make sure it is actually good. The plan is to rub the spices all over the raw ribs(gross), put in the crock pot for 5 hours, take out of crock pot and finish on the grill, and then pour the bbq sauce on top when done. Easy, right? We shall see.......

And another baby makes....

Okay, I knew this might get some people's attention~ NO! I am not pregnant with #5, but let me tell you I am feeling the ever familiar feeling of the "baby itch". It always hits me about this time. My baby is almost 1, he is not nursing as much these days, starting to not need me in so many different ways. Believe me, I realize that my oldest is 5! What am I thinking? I just cannot come to grips that G could very well be my last child. I know I need to be thankful that God has blessed me with 4 beautiful and most importantly HEALTHY children and I truly am. The fact is I am facing something that I have not done in 6 years and that is to not be pregnant again. I am holding on to the verse...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances Phil. 4:11b.

God is not bound by my circumstances and He knows my needs and my wants. I pray that I can hold fast to the promise that He Knows the plans for my Life (Jer, 29:11). I want to enjoy the stages of my children right now--I mean, really....I STILL have a baby! I just feel in my heart that there might be a child that will come to us in some way-be it another biological child or a child placed in our lives in another way.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isa. 55:9

I cannot wait to see how the journey of our family continues to unfold...let the adventure continue!