Thursday, June 26, 2014

Miles Family Reunion

Every year around the third Saturday of June, the Miles' gather together in reunion. This year we met at Blue Springs in Jackson County. Beautiful place, but let me you tell you it was freezing cold (and that's saying something from this Bear Creek raised girl!). Kara swam for about 2.5 minutes than decided she would rather play outside of the water. Evy's toes hit the water and she started pulling those little feet up closer and closer.

As always there was a plethora of great home cooking. Home grown veggies cooked to country perfection and the best homemade banana pudding in the panhandle.

I've always been proud to have been born into such a great family. We Miles' stick together, through thick and thin. That red dirt road upbringing runs deep. Even as we get older, marry, and many us move into the "city", you can't cut those country roots.

Below are a few pictures of the wonderful day we had.



 
 
The Miles Generations
Grandchildren of Albert Joseph Miles (Generation 3)

Generation 4

Generation 5



Monday, June 23, 2014

Father's Day Projects

Father's Day Projects

We had a great time creating a Father's day projects for all the great men in our life.  It's been two weeks since that Sunday, but I have been so busy getting  Kara registered for VPK in August and getting little Evy set up for her tongue tie surgery, that I haven't had time to edit and post all the cuteness these two sweet girls did for Daddy's Day.

My little {Lucky} clovers got to add their personal touches for their homemade gifts for their Daddy, PawPaw, and GR. I finally pulled off making my mother-in-law's breakfast casserole for the Hubbs this year. He secretly (wink wink) confessed that he liked mine better!

Our "DAD" Photo-shoot was harder to pull off than expected. Evy was trying to eat everything in sight, whether it was the letter, the grass, or her sister's hair. Plus, the mosquitos and yellow flies have become like an 11th plague in Florida this year so we had to make it quickly. In the end I just decided that even with Evy going nom nom nom on the Letter A it made for a cute, albeit quick, photo-shoot just for daddy.


We got even more "artsy" for the grandfathers with a little "Hooked On" paint fun. Kara's hand became the fish and she helped with the water and grass. Evy got her foot painted to become a fishing pole. She had us all laughing as she wiggled those piggies with paint all over them.

Now Daddy and Mommy both have art made with love proudly on display in our home.



Saturday, June 21, 2014

Check That!

I'm a "list maker." I love to create list for the simple pleasure of being able to check items off of lists. For me, lists have a two-fold purpose. One, it helps me stay organized enough to remember what needs to be done and two, it's instant gratification to be able to mark through an item that has been completed. When I worked outside the home, the first order of my day was to create a new list of everything I wanted to accomplish that day. I would often look at the previous day's list and bring forward everything that I didn't accomplish previously then add new items.

I still make list at the beginning of my work week. My full time job of maintaining our {Lucky} household has a fairly normal routine, but the "Lister" in me still wants that instant gratification from the "scratch off."

However, my list making tendencies are in place to mask over one of my major flaws....I am a procrastinator by nature. Don't get me wrong, I can finish tasks, chores, and projects in record breaking fashion....but getting started on all those things sometimes takes a lifetime. It's quite comical that my husband is the complete opposite of me. When he gets something on his mind to do he starts it immediately. However his flaw is in the finishing portion of a project.

He started our master bathroom remodel when I was pregnant with Kara (yeah, do the math on that one). I just heard him on the phone the other day looking for a contractor to finish up that remodel. I on the other hand  have a list of things that I have wanted to do once I started staying at home. A list that was started February of this year and I am just now starting on some of those items. That list included re-starting this blog (just started it the beginning of this month and launched it last week. It also included planting a raised garden, which got started in March only due to the fact that my husband helped me start it (it was his birthday gift to me). I had full intention of canning a lot of the veggies it grew out, but haven't started yet. I also wanted to try my hand in homemade baby food for Evy, even got a food processor as a gift for Christmas....haven't used it once! I have a spare computer that I need to save all my data from because I told a friend she could have it....haven't sat down next to that computer in months to just start and finish a task that would take me an hour tops. I have a list of photography ideas I want to try with my sweet girls, but never seem to find the time or a good day. On Pinterest we label lists as boards and items that we want to have, want to do, need to complete, or need to start. And just a side note my husband and my father both say that Pinterest is just one big honey-do-list created by Satan himself to annoy husbands.

So what's my point in all this? It's not to point out my flaws I can assure you. It's just a gentle reminder that even though each of us bear flaws, whether it be to never start or to never finish, we serve a God who is without flaw. The "author and finisher" of our faith, "who started a work, will be able to complete it" within us (Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 12:2).

I love how The Message Bible phrases this:
"Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!" Hebrews 12:1-3.
He never lost sight of where he was headed! He started, He finished. Go over that story again and again, item by item....If that's not a list, I don't know what is!


Life is just one big, long list, and each individual has their own pen and paper. I have lists galore. Chore list, project list, bills to pay list, a bucket list...even a "Things to do better" list. Some are on paper, some are in my heart. I think it's safe to say that most everyone has some list that's sitting somewhere gathering dust because it was never started or never finished. But in the end, they only list that matters is if you are listed with the names of other believers to have finished your race, that you fought the good fight, and you are marked in the Lamb's Book of Life. What a great relief it is to know that no matter by flaws,  no matter how many projects I put off starting, that as long as I can be checked on That List, then I started and finished the One Big Project that I was put on this earth to do.

I have been saved by the One who  is faithful to complete the work He started within me. No matter how often I fail or fall short, praise be to God who is the author (the starter) and finisher of my faith.

Till next time,

Katrina
 
 
"Life's not perfect, but Life can be blessed.
And for me I feel pretty {Lucky} in
the hand I have been dealt."
-Katrina Rowell 

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Our Lucky Seven Life

So today is a start for something new for this Rowell family. In actuality, this blog was created about two years ago. However being new to the  "blogosphere" I had completed my first entry, set up the blog layout, clicked post, and in true {lucky} fashion the entire post was deleted. At the time I took it as a sign from the heavens that the start of my blogging career had past GO and immediately crossed the finish line.

Looking back, I can see how the timing was off. Our life was more hectic than {lucky}. Now, as we approach our 7th wedding anniversary, it just seems fitting to bring new life to Lucky Sevens. Now, more than ever I need the creative outlet that an unfiltered thought process of pen to paper (or type to page in this case) can give this stay at home mom and wife.

So here we go....Introductions....This is The ROWELL family.



My name is Katrina and my husband, Hunter, and I met in middle school. We were friends all through high school and then started dating in college. That entire relationship transition will take an entire separate blog entry, so I will keep that on the back burner for now. But in summary we dated for two years, were engaged for one year and married with thousands of other happy couples on the very blessed date of July 7, 2007, or 7-7-7 {Lucky Sevens}.

Three years later we were blessed with our first addition, Miss Karabella (Kara, Karebear, Punky). Add another three years and the lovely Miss Evelynn (Evy, Evy GG, Sissy) was added to our {Lucky} brood. Our two rat terrier doggies, Missy and Dakota, round off this family. The hubby is swimming in a sea of estrogen around this house, claiming he needs to trade in the pets for one big MALE dog to even out the playing field. So far it hasn't happened. Maybe we'll get {Lucky} when we try for Rowell baby number three ;)

And now what? What does one write about on a blog? I had to remind myself that this is not the journaling of my former adolescent, where with each new book I need to write out my entire life story in summary on the first few pages to keep its' readers (like there was anyone but me?) up to date with the current on goings of said adolescent. I think I have covered the basics in this first entry: love, family, pets, job.

As for this blog, Lucky Sevens, it will only be a reflection of the thoughts of it's writer. It will not always be inspiring. It will not always be funny. It will not always be correct. There are days where I can praise Jesus all day 'cause it's Sunday, and others where I curse to myself all day 'cause it's only Wednesday. Aiming for perfection has never been a goal of mine. I typically find the most happiness in the flawed imperfections of life. Hopefully, the readers of this blog can find happiness in some of the same imperfections.

Life's not perfect, but Life can be blessed. And for me I feel pretty {Lucky} in the hand I have been dealt.

Till next time...
  
 Katrina