6th

Jason & I started our new school year last week! 

My 6th year and Jason's 7th year (which is so crazy to think about). 

 I am SO EXCITED about this school year!

There are many, many changes. 

We added an additional self-contained special education teacher due to the large number of students we've had and I am most excited about that. 

 I am so thankful to be back down to a smaller class size and really dive in with each student. 

I also have a new assistant teacher in my classroom this year and she is awesome & has been a perfect fit for our classroom. The kiddos love her and I am just over the moon! 

 We are starting the school year with 6 students (whaaaat?! We served 14 kids last year--12 of them in the classroom allllllll day long).  6 students feels nice! 

 Speaking of 6 students they are SWEET, like really sweet and some of them are just down right hilarious! Mrs. Rideout and I will be laughing all year long. But most of all, I am looking forward to seeing their growth and showing them just how smart and capable they truly are. 

Even with a year starting off with SO many changes, I am looking forward to it and have a feeling that it will be a fantastic year! 

Here's to year 6! May it be the best one yet!

Catching Up

Whew!

Summer flew by and I need to play a little catch up with you guys because a lot of fun and some really wonderful things happened.

Let's start with the most exciting thing--these two became parents!

That's right. 

Sweet little Russel Paul Underwood was born on July 17th (while we were on our family beach trip, of course) but, I got plenty of precious pictures!

 As soon as I got home (literally) I had to get my hands on him and he is precious as ever!

 I mean, look at him!

We also had our Annual Griswold Family Beach Trip to Orange Beach and per usual, it was a fun-filled week full of sun, family, good food, and even better times. 

 Only the best bushwhacker in the town (above) along with the absolute best sushi (below)--both from Shipp's Harbor. 

I celebrated my 28th birthday and we had a divine lunch at Lou's Full Serve. 

 I spent a weekend with my mother-in-love, niece, and all the poodles you can imagine in Ocean Springs and had such a fun time! They showed me the down town area, we ate some yummy food, watched some good movies/tv and enjoyed quality time.

 I spent an afternoon showering this little Mama and Baby Myles--who will be here before we know it!

 And most recently, spent the afternoon showing another little Momma and her sweet little baby boy Benjamin! 

Wedding season has come to past and Baby season is in FULL SWING around here! 

Is is bad that I like shopping for babies more than I do myself? Their little clothes and toys and tiny baby sized items are just too cute. 

This summer flew by and was full of all kinds of fun things. 

I feel refreshed & rejuvenated and ready to take on the new school year!

Garage Closet Makeover

Jason has been working so hard to complete our most recent house update.

This one was all his idea and he did all the handiwork as well and I have to say, it turned out to be quite amazing!

Before:

The closet in the garage was really a decent size. 

There is plenty of space for items, it was all just thrown in there. 

 When we bought the house 4 years ago, the previous owner left that black shelf in there and that was it. I didn't feel like we needed more in there since it was for everything outside but Jason had a different idea (and I'm so glad he did!)

After deciding what he wanted to do. 

Getting all the measurements. 

Planning what all hooks and shelves he wanted and got to work and it took him alllllllll day one Saturday and then we had to wait a week since school started back and this past Saturday & Sunday, he finished up and it is awesome!

Here they are, all painted and fresh:

He added the horizontal piece of wood and each of the hooks. 

 

 Each hook you see along with all four shelves he made. 

 and here's the opposite side. 

Those shelves are STURDY too. Let me tell you. I sat on them and they are solid as can be ;)

 And finally, today, Jason put all the "stuff" in there and just LOOK AT ALL THAT SPACE!

 Everything has a place and I. Love. It. 

What do you all think?

I think he definitely, DEFINITELY hit this one out of the park. 

Now, who knows what type of project he will do now?!

"Let Freedom Ring"

Happy 4th of July to you all! 

Thank you to all who have fought for our freedom both in the past and now--we are forever grateful. 

I hope that today has been full of family, fun, and thankfulness for our freedom. 

We spent the evening at Aaron and Blair's partaking in an amazing meal prepared by Aaron. It was delicious! Per usual, we always enjoy spending time with family. 

I will leave you with Scotty Smith's prayer for The 4th of July: 

Our True and Lasting Freedoms

Jul 04, 2017 | Scotty Smith

     It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Gal. 5:1 

Lord Jesus, it’s the Fourth of July--a holiday set aside in the USA to remember and revel in our many freedoms. As broken as she is, we're still thankful for our country and for the privileges we enjoy.

But the gratitude we feel for our USA citizenship pales in comparison with the joy generated by our citizenship in heaven (Phil 3:20). We praise you today for making us members of the “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession“(1 Pet. 2:9). This is our true and lasting identity--our consummate passport and eternal liberty.

Indeed, Jesus, only those you set free are really free (John 8:36). You took our guilt and gave us your righteousness. We're no longer condemned for our sin or in fear of death. Hallelujah! Sin's dominion has been broken in our lives; never again will it be our master (Rom. 6:14). We obey you because we love you--not because of pride, pressure, or pragmatics. Holiness is beautiful, and no longer a burden. And the only reason we even love you is because you first loved us.

We now run freely and boldly to the throne of grace--into your holy presence, where we only experience your welcome and joy. We're free to own our sin and brokenness, and to repent with joy, for you bore our shame and we don't have to pose or pretend anymore. Hallelujah, on steroids!

You've set us free from seeking fool's gold and a fool's reward, by making us characters in, and carriers of, your story. Our tiny fiefdoms of self are being crushed under the grace of your all-things-new kingdom. We're now free to love others as you love us--forgiving and forbearing, encouraging and hoping. Take us WAY deeper into this particular freedom, Jesus.

By the power of the gospel, we will seek to stand firm in these and the many more freedoms you’ve won for us, until the Day you return to usher in the new heaven and new earth. So very Amen we pray, in your liberating and loving name.

"It's Not About Deserve"

Have you seen Wonder Woman yet?
If you haven't stop reading right now and RUN to your nearest theater and see this movie--not just because I'm about to share some spoilers but, because it is THAT GOOD!

Okay, on to why I love this movie so much.

For the obvious reasons such as the cool graphics, Gal Gadot is absolutely stunning, Chris Pine is nice to look at, the movie is so well done. But even more...
Would you believe me if I said that Wonder Woman carries some pretty strong spiritual elements throughout the story line? Because it does. Jason first pointed it out to me when we went and saw it (the first time) and then I couldn't stop thinking about it so we went and saw it again and I was in tears most of the movie because he was right! So much better when you see the theme throughout!

"I used to want to save the world, this beautiful place. But the closer you get, the more you see the great darkness within. I learned this the hard way, a long, long time ago."

The movie begins with Diana as a young child training to be the warrior princess of the Amazons.  An American pilot Steve Trevor, unexpectedly crashes off their island.  After being rescued by the now-adult Diana, he tells her about the war to end all wars currently taking place around the world.  Diana is compelled to leave home and kill Ares, the god of war, who she feels is behind the conflict. Diana was taught that her sacred duty is to defend the world and those who do not deserve the wrong doings that are upon them. As she grows and these beliefs become more embedded into her life and really become the essence of who she is and we hear Diana say more than once, "I will fight for those who cannot fight for themselves."

She is passionate, she is driven and she's pretty kick ass.

With many laughs & funny dialogue, Diana and Steve get to know one another and Diana insists that Steve take her to the war to defeat Ares whom she believes, once he's defeated that all war will stop.
(Wouldn't that be nice?)

Without going too much into the middle of the movie, we see their relationship grow and we see the extreme brokenness and utter depravity the war has casts on the people--all while seeing just how passionate and...awesome Diana is.

This scene, where "the guys" see Diana in action for the first time, crossing "No Man's Land" gives me chills and brings me to tears. It's just, utterly amazing.

Trevor said, “We have a mission! We can’t save everyone in this war! It’s not what we are here to do!”  Diana replied, “You’re right.  But it’s what I am here to do!”
--cue her theme song and this amazing scene--

There comes a point where Diana defeats who she thinks is Ares and yet, she still sees the war and sees men preparing to commit evil deeds and it breaks her. And it's in this dialogue that we see the meat of the message:

Diana Prince: [in tears] My mother was right about the world, they said they didn't deserve me...
Steve Trevor: Maybe it's not what you deserve, but what you believe. I believe that this war should end. If you believe the same, then help me stop it! Help me, please!

So when Diana finally figures out who Ares truly is and he is making himself known to her he says the following to her:

Sir Patrick/Ares: You were right; they don’t deserve our help. They only deserve destruction. 

Sound familiar? Sound kinda like what Satan does to us--how he uses our wants and desires, things that should be good but we are broken and live in a broken world.
And all the while Diana is putting the pieces together and Ares is trying to trick her, he is trying to lure her in and make her see the humanity, the world, as he does

Sir Patrick/Ares: I am not your enemy, Diana. I am the only one who truly knows you and who truly knows them as you now do.

As Ares continues to reveal more to Diana, things are beginning to look dark and bleak for her. She is fighting her heart out and his power is just overcoming her, no matter what she throws back at him.
Then, there's this moment, where Diana is stuck in this heavy rubble that's wrapped around her, Steve is flying the plane full of poison off into the sky and Diana realizes what Steve has said to her and what he meant when telling her goodbye. That he was sacrificing himself for her and her life-long mission. And in that moment, her power comes to fullness and they share the following dialogue:

Sir Patrick/Ares: Look at this world. Man kind did this, not me. They are ugly, filled with hatred, weak, just like your Captain Trevor.
Sir Patrick/Ares: They do not deserve your protection.

Diana: It’s not about what you deserve, it’s about what you believe, and I believe in love.

And that's all it takes for her to get what she needs to defeat Ares. The realization that it's not about what these people in the war deserve that it's about what she believes and she believes in goodness, in protection, and in love.

Ah, I just get chills thinking about that last scene.
I will leave you with the last lines of the movie and URGE you to go and see it as soon as you can, if you haven't already.

Diana: "I used to want to save the world. To end war and bring peace to mankind. But then, I glimpsed the darkness that lives within their light. I learned that inside every one of them, there will always be both. The choice each must make for themselves - something no hero will ever defeat. And now I know... that only love can truly save the world. So I stay. I fight, and I give... for the world I know can be. This is my mission now. Forever."

Influenster (3)

I received my first, large voxbox from Influenster and it was so much fun!

I mean really, look at all these (mostly) full-sized goodies I received--FOR FREE!

Pretty amazing, right? 

The first thing I tried was the Mike & Ike Zours. 

I had just gotten home from our 2 day bus/car trip from Colorado and I wanted something to satisfy my sweet tooth. These bad boys were really, really good. I've had Mike & Ike's before and wasn't impressed but, I actually liked these. 

They weren't overly sour, just right. The fruity flavor is really intense and tasty. 

I would definitely buy these again!

 I got this Nature's Origin Aromatherapy roll-on and it couldn't have come at a better time. My lavender was on it's last drop. I love how easy the roll-on is. It's a staple in my bedtime routine...and it's a big bottle! Will last me for a while. 

 I don't have to use dry shampoo that often but, this stuff is awesome. It also smells really good. Jason has this same brand in a different scent and let's just say, I know what kind I'll be getting him when he runs out of his current bottle. Oh, and it definitely works. I used it on my hair this week and it really "brought it back to life"

 This red glitter sinful colors is so fun and it came just in time for the 4th of July.

This Tree Hut Exfoliating Mud Mask was the perfect addition to my bath time this past week. I will stick to my Rodan+Fields products but, this was a nice mask. Had my skin feeling very smooth afterwards and really, who doesn't love a fun mud mask? I will say though, I wasn't a fan of the smell--was a floral scent. 

My favorite item from my box! This Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink lip color is the best. This shade is called "lover" and it was so mild and when they say super stay, they mean it. This stuff can last all day! I will absolutely buy this again when I run out. Heck, I might even go and buy it in another shade. It is a little...sticky at times (when it's drying) but, that didn't bother me. You can just swipe a gloss or chapstick over it and poof, problem solved. 

I loved receiving this Splash VoxBox and all of the complimentary items that were in it. My favorites? The lavender roll-on and the matte lip color! So many goodies and I am thankful to have received them!

Remember, anyone can sign up for Influenster and start reviewing your way to some free stuff...just click here and sign up and let me know what kinds of fun things you receive. The more active you are on Influenster, the more likely you will be to receive items.

Oh Joy! It's a Boy!

This weekend we showered Melissa in preparation for baby Russell's arrival in less than 6 weeks! 

 Sweet baby book along with a story book that served as the guest  book

 Baby pictures of both Melissa & Ian along with some of the animal prints that will be in Russell's nursery

 Little outfits that Ian wore when he was a baby

 Beautiful (and DELICIOUS) cake--seriously one of the best I've had--thank you Amber!

 These cookies turned out to be perfect and they were so tasty! Thanks to Glitter Antler Cookies. 

 Melissa's bassinet from when she was a baby served as the perfect piece to put her gifts in

 The most creative gift--little onesies & socks that were made to look like cupcakes!

Late in the day I went with Melissa & Ian to take a few maternity pictures and wanted to share just a few of them. 

Come on little Russell, we can't wait to meet you!