Help other Parents Cherish Moments with their newborns!

You can vote for my niece and give to the NICU at Greenville Memorial Hospital on this site and win some great prizes:

http://www.momentscaptured4u.com/blog/?p=3582

Carson's number is #10

The time has come, voting is OPEN UNTIL MONDAY THE 6TH! Here’s the plan. We’ve had just over 100 individual children participate. If each child can raise $100 we will for sure meet our $10,000 for the NICU goal!

THE PRIZE: If collectively we hit $10,000 I will give EVERY participant a disk printable 5×7 and smaller. Wouldn’t you LOVE to have all your images at your fingertips, they would be great for cards and gifts at Christmas!

Go ahead and mark your calendars for the evening of June 11th. This will be our reception, open to all participants and their families, here at the studio, Tiffiney Photography 113 Retreat Street, Westminster. There is also a BBQ and Bluegrass/Blues festival on main street that same weekend for your family to enjoy.

HOW TO VOTE: It’s very easy, fill out the GHS giving form here on this blog post, $1 PER VOTE (for instance $100 equals 100 votes!). Make sure you indicate the number of the child you are voting for on your form. This money goes STRAIGHT to GHS and you will receive a receipt from them no matter the amount, big or small, this meaning your gift is TAX DEDUCTIBLE! To see the number of a child click the thumbnail, for the larger view, and look at the bottom of the image. YOU MUST INDICATE THE NUMBER OF THE CHILD, NOT THE NAME, GHS HAS NO IDEA WHO YOU GUYS ARE! You may also bring your money by the studio on Mon, Wed, or Fridays. ALL money, to be counted for a child, must be turned in by Monday the 6th at 5pm, NO exceptions.

*NEW* EARN EXTRA VOTES: You can earn 10 extra votes by blogging about this event on your own blog and/or by posting a link to this blog post on your twitter account and/or facebook page. Each post will earn you 10 points. So if you have a blog, twitter, and facebook you could possibly earn 30 extra points! I must see your post(s), so leave a comment below with a link(s). **if you are a participant and received the information email, you’ll earn 10 points for forwarding the email to your friends!!!

WINNERS: There will be 3 top winners. I will post the numbers of those in the lead once after this weekend and before next weekend, which is the final weekend. Parents with more than one child, please read: If one sibling wins, they all win. So you can put your money on one and it will count for all your children.

•FIRST PLACE – Custom styled photo session to be featured in the Upstate Parent Magazine. This pictorial advertisment will represent the studio and the charity event. This session includes hair and makeup provided by Lora of Tangles in Clemson (if a girl wins), and clothing provided by The Grey Goose. Other prizes include: A $50 savings bond provided by Tim Williamson. Rafting tickets provided by Nantahala Outdoor Center. Custom Monogrammed towel perfect for rafting or the beach provided by You Name It. Children’s Museum, Greenville Zoo, and Movie tickets provided by Dad’s and Lad’s of Westminster, and West Union Repair. Goodies from Newt’s in Westminster. A $300 Tiffiney Photography gift certificate and 5×7 printable disk.
•SECOND PLACE – Rafting tickets provided by WhiteWater Ltd and a monogramed towel provided by You Name It. Children’s Museum Tickets and Greenville Zoo tickets provided by Dad’s and Lad’s of Westminster and West Union Repair. $50 gift certificate to Lollipop Totz. A pettiskirt provided by Jennifer Ramsey, if it’s a girl winner, and a $100 Tiffiney Photography gift certificate and 5×7 printable disk.
•THIRD PLACE – Movie tickets, and a $50 Tiffiney Photography gift certificate and 5×7 printable disk.



"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”"

John 13:34-35 ESV

"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Philippians 2:4 ESV

Not only are you donating to a great cause, but there are some great prizes!

Mrs. Butterfly and Caleb's wife

I know I said it in another blog, but C is always telling stories about his fake school and his fake teacher, Mrs. Butterfly, to compete with Jeb's school stories!

Caleb told me to come back to his room after I tucked him in b/c in a whisper, "he needed to tell me a secret." He told me in hushed tones right in my ear, "today at school I sat next to a girl and she kissed me. I tried to run away and tell Mrs. Butterfly, but she did it anyway."

I laughed so hard and explained that NO girls should be kissing him except me. I went to tell Jeb and he got a kick out of that.

Jeb told me today that two kids are together in his class and she said that she was going to kiss him, which I am sure is where tonight's Mrs. Butterfly story came from.

I hope when he has true stories to tell that he stops the made up ones! I am thinking that maybe he isn't going to be a job site-r after all...he may be a budding journalist the way he carries his notebooks around doodling things and scribbling on paper and telling stories!

The pics:
This is Cay picking berries and Cay with his "girlfriend". Keep in mind she is 3 years older, and does not agree to the arrangement, but he is not giving up. He says he is going to marry her. He says she is his favorite person to play with so that is sweet. They play Mommy and Daddy during small group and it is funny to hear about. They have horses and Jeb is their dog and Laci is their daughter. While we were picking berries he did ask her to marry him....well, actually, he said, "I am going to marry you." Who knows? Maybe he will. I won't complain.

Book Reviews are Back! Creative Correction

Well, today I decided I was going to go back to writing more about the books I am reading. I used to do that a lot when I first started blogging. I thought..."What book do I really need to review?" The first book that caught my eye was Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel, yes, "Blair" from the "Facts of Life". Lately, I have been noticing that I am losing self-control ALMOST as much as Jeb and Caleb and the result has been a raising of my voice! I hate that. So, today I took one of her many tips out of her book and I am putting it to use and having a conference with Jeb when he gets home today. For starters, one of our long-term training objectives for our kids is self-control b/c that covers so many other problems sooooo we gotta work on that this summer...both of us. I am NOT going to spend my summer with us BOTH being frustrated with each other. So, I made him a journal. After all, he can read and write now! So, I wrote him a note with my desire to love him better and listen more and be more patient AND what I desire for him to work on. I also wrote a couple entries about what I love about him. He can read those when I send him to his room for being out of control. My plan is to write in it some nights after he goes to bed. I also told him he can write in it to me and explain his frustration (as best he can). Today (before 7am) I put them both in time-out and they were still name-calling. So, I have decided that they both have rooms and I am going to start using them instead of raising my voice so much. The catch is that I have to stop what I am doing to go and let them out and maybe even put them there--and that is where I have dropped the ball lately. I have been reacting to their behaviors instead of responding with corrective discipline and I need to work on that before we are all here together this summer. Anyway, I have noticed that he likes to write so maybe he can get out some of his frustrations with us and I can write some encouragement to him in his journal AND his time in his room gives me time to get cool and calm--something I have needed to do more of lately.

Prov. 16:21 The wise in heart are called discerning,and pleasant words promote instruction.

Basically, when I read my proverb for the day I realized that words yelled at a loud volume are not TEACHING anything...and I shouldn't use them if they aren't valuable words.

James 1:20 The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

Back to the book...
She says that God was a good parent and yet Adam and Eve still sinned so ya know sin has more to do with the default condition of the heart than my parenting...but still our job is to train and mold so we only get one chance and we better do it right and start early! "Ignoring moral issues when the implications are toddler-size can reap perilous, teenager-size repercussions."

"Teaching our children to obey us and our words is primarily teaching them to obey God and His Word." I think we can all agree that obey's God's Word is for our kids best and so they can live an abundant life like He promises.

Question to ask: "How could you have handled it differently, in a way that would have been more pleasing to Jesus?"

Letting kids have a "do-over" when they come in a room whining or complaining...I might try this one soon.

We did have a nice talk today and we "practiced" doing right and then doing wrong (which was funny) and correcting that behavior and even practicing the consequence. I hope that we can BOTH play our roles when the time comes!

One thing I am still trying to persistently do is to pray that they will be close and enjoy each other. Ideally, it is harder to hit and name-call to someone who is truly your genuine friend!

I also made some flashcards with my favorite scriptures that I need to read often and the boys could benefit from doing something productive before/during/after discipline! I don't know how to put those cards here so email me if you'd like me to send you the PDF.

I by no means think that my kids are going to turn out to be something b/c of anything I did, but in despite of me and only thanks to God...STILL, I hope to be found obedient to raising them God's way and then I'll leave "results" to him.

The pics: It is swimming and sprinkler time again! Yeah!
My roses that I love!

Ode to Daddi-O. Top 57 reasons Daddy is Better...

It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." - Anne Sexton

I think my boys are going to remember their Daddy in many loving ways and for many reasons! This list really didn't take me that long to write last night. Some kids love superheroes but mine are not interested in that stuff at all; I think that is because they live with a real one. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Top 57 Reasons Daddy is Better in no particular order:


1. Bedtime time is very flexible. If they are talking, he is listening.
2. He read the Bible stories at night and is a walking Bible Trivia game.
3. He knows a lot about snakes.
4. He catches snakes and lets the boys touch them.
5. He can get as dirty as they’ve dreamed of getting.
6. He is a lego genius.
7. He can whittle and teach others.
8. He can fix anything even cheap plastic toys from China.
9. He can put together something that works from nothing.
10. He is a super, super, dee-dooper bull.
11. He can walk away after meals and play with them while I am cleaning them up.
12. He is funny.
13. He can carry them wherever they need to go for as long as they need to be carried or pulled up hills hiking/biking.
14. He can swim and play in cold water that is ridiculously freezing.
15. He also lets them jump off his head in the lake.
16. He can wrestle goats like nobody’s business (to Jeb this is really admirable).
17. He knows how to care for most any animal problem…thanks google.
18. He can fix automobiles.
19. He can fix/run tractors.
20. He can run a skid-steer and lets the boys ride.
21. He is more patient since he sees them 4-5 hours a day vs. my full-day-ha!
22. He lets them plant things with him.
23. He lets them help him in the shop.
24. He lets them work with him.
25. He can teach them how to do most anything around the farm like trim horses hooves, goat hooves, and fencing (yes, this matters to my kids).
26. He knows a lot about fishing: salt, fresh, river …you name it.
27. He brings home dead deer and fish for them to see and butchers them himself—what a man!
28. He takes them fishing.
29. He takes them hunting. He shot a huge deer on Jeb’s 4th Bday after him making the request the night before?? How can I top that?
30. He takes them camping.
31. He can fix anything or make anything work while camping—amazing!’
32. He shows them loads of affection.
33. He always tells them he misses them when he is gone.
34. He builds rabbit gums.
35. He takes them to play in the creek and races boats.
36. He knows lots of wrestling moves and uses them.
37. He chases very vigorously.
38. He knows a lot about guns.
39. He builds huge, incredible fires…and lets them ball up the paper and gather the wood with him. Others can testify to this!
40. He can find lots of worms.
41. He has an ipad and laptop with fun games.
42. He is TOUGH.
43. He has a knife—this is very cool to Caleb.
44. He lets Caleb use his “man-size” axe. That in itself is enough to put me under.
45. He takes them to see the cows and give them feed/hay/salt.
46. His clothes have deer, moose, and other animals on them.
47. He built a tree house for them with their design request.
48. He built a zipline.
49. He built a tire swing.
50. He can rope.
51. He is much stronger than we all are.
52. He has incredibly hairy arms that they have liked since they were newborns.
53. He shot a pesky possum and Caleb is still talking about that stunt.
54. He rides 4-wheelers with them (well, so do I, but he does everything better).
55. He was in the army and has stories to tell about that.
56. He watches more interesting TV like Swamp People and River Monsters!
57. Tons more chocolaty chocolate milk. They tell me they want Daddy to make it when they see me doing it!

A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty. ~Author Unknown

The words that a father speaks to his children in the privacy of home are not heard by the world, but, as in whispering-galleries, they are clearly heard at the end and by posterity. ~Jean Paul Richter

A few small reasons Mom is better…since this is MY blog--ha!

1. They eat real food thanks to me.
2. Books are read with more inflection and excitement..heck, books are read.
3. They know their letters and how to read, etc.
4. She is loud and likes loud, fun music!
5. I also play in the dirt, wrestle, plant things, tag along at the creek, camping, fishing, etc..but I am not nearly as cool for some reason?? Ha!

No wonder Daddy is better!

Jeb the book publisher

Proverbs 16:24

24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.




Jeb brings home lots of pictures of all his friends playing on the playground. He definitely thinks that "the best part of school is playing with my friends..." "School Rocks" is also one of my recent favs! All my prayers have been answered for his school experience this year.


This illustration is Daddy holding a snake while Jeb checks it out (quite a common sight around here).
Jeb has really fallen in love with writing this year at school! I am beyond proud. I especially love my Mother's Day book!







Yes! We recently went camping with friends and I caught the only fish; I am glad Jeb wrote about that incident! Hee!

Oh, son, you will never know how much I love to play sports (see us with football), get in the dirt (see us in puddles), and enjoy time with you (see us sliding)! So glad you captured that in a book that I can keep forever even when you don't want to play with ME anymore.





I pray J always loves words and uses them wisely to encourage others like he did me this weekend! Psalm 19:14 (New Living Translation)

14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Family reflections

After all the recent rain, I saw all our boots lined up outside the door and I thought that I should capture what our family looks like in boots right now! So many good times on the farm together.

I have to say that every time I think that I can't love my family more...I do! We have so much fun together and just love to laugh together. Someone asked me a while back if we ever sit down at our big kitchen table together to eat. I was am proud to report that strangely enough we sit there pretty much EVERY night and I cherish each evening when I finally get all the food and all the people there. I guess we're strange? I know that the time is coming when they'll have their own lives and this will be so much more difficult to do! Still, it will always be a priority for me to TRY to sit around the table each night. One of our favorite things now is hearing all of Jeb's school stories followed immediately by Cay's imaginative stories about his class and "Mrs. Butterfly" his teacher. His stories sound a lot like Jeb's?


Not only do I treasure my times with our little family, but sometimes I am amazed at the sweet fellowship that our faith family shares. Our small group went bowling recently and I still have some warm fuzzies from the laughs we shared together and the rich history we have with friends of 10 years here now. I cannot think of better people to walk through life with and to share deep, true, friendships with than those in my church. My children are so blessed to have many other adults in their lives who love them and enjoy them. I am so thankful to have so many kids to love in my life in addition to my own. These folks make it so that we don't just "go to church" they are "being the church" as we serve, struggle, laugh, sin, repent, strive, forgive, celebrate, cry, and pray for each/with each other. 1 Corinthians 12: 25-26 The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't, the parts we see and the parts we don't. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance (The Message).




And, of course, our biological family around the commune here on both sides of our street is such a rare and beautiful thing! Being surrounded by so much love and care is seriously wonderful. I would have loved for so many cousins to have lived closer to me growing up. Wild times!

I wanted to include my new, wonderful table/bench that J built me for Mother's Day. It was a labor of love. I said I wish I could have a table that would fold away and boom--there it was! I am sure that it was not that easy, but it seemed like it. He's amazing!