Photo Friday (Easter Fun)!

"The Lord directs the steps of the Godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." ~Psalm 37:23

I've always loved the phrasing of that in the NLT - "He delights in every detail!" I'm such a details girl, and that's part of why I love taking pictures and having a record of the delightful fun things and quiet beautiful moments that make me so happy. Candids are my favorite, then posed candids, then fully posed shots. I got several great candids this Easter weekend, so that's today's "Photo Friday!"

Kyndal Faith not-so-gently throwing her egg into the dye - I love that you can see the color splashing out! 

Babah's traditional Easter Bunny cake!

Eileen's Sugar cookies from JoBug!

J&K admiring their colorful Easter eggs. (Rach made Kyndal's hair bow - so cute; right!?)

Josh skateboarding over from the Parrish house! I had no idea they had a skateboard. I'm so glad I already had the camera out to capture this moment before the high five! :)

Not even a posed candid - just a natural shot that I love... T-man chillin out in the golf cart, needing some introvert time while the rest of the guys were out back. I so get that. :)

Jaceman on the swing laughing at Grandad and Josh and Carter... precious!

T&C on the swings, trying to time it right for me to get a jumping pic of them together... (no such luck.)

J&T on the lookout point in the fort... it was so pretty and picturesque outside that day! I even love the big tree behind them in this.

Jaceman taking a break on his dad's skateboard.

Kyndal Faith excited to see her Momma walking over!

The jumping pics of T and C... then J braving the drop down from the monkey bars, K-Faith blowing her happy pink bubbles, and Carterman swinging as high as he can! Ahhh, childhood! :)

Silly pics with the kids (they're always so happy to pose for those!) I SO love that the boys are all being crazy while Kyndal is checking out the flowers. :)

"Looook!" -Miss K excited about finding a Hershey's Kiss in her egg!

Dividing up all the candy... another great candid shot that I didn't have to arrange or pose at all!

Posed Parrish fam pic (minus Joshua) that turned out pretty well! :)

Carter's ninja moves on the monkey bars!

Missy K so proud of herself as she climbed up the ladder.

A great candid shot of Jaceman waiting his turn for the monkey bars... my niece and nephews are seriously adorable!

T-man and Carter are already impressively strong!

Rach and Josh on Easter Sunday!

The boys holding Kyndal Faith, who was shielding her eyes from the sun and refused to smile, but still a great pic!

T-man is so great with Kyndal, and she loves her big brother! :) I love how excited she is here. And her boots, and her shirt, and her bow, and her smile.. I love all of that too! lol

Parrish Fam, Easter 2016.

Jaceman For Sale! lol

Carter Lee was in a posing mood that cracked me up!

Josh and Rach on Saturday

Josh skateboarding behind the boys as T-man drove the golf cart home! (Jace looking back to see Mamaw.)

Jace running over to chat it up with Bob Rutherford (my parents' neighbor and our former pastor) who was on his way to the golf course! lol

Kyndal Faith getting some help from Bampa! :)

A precious pic of Dad and Jaceman. (J had fallen off the monkey bars a few days back and Dad had to talk him into having the courage to try again... he was so proud of himself when he finally did it!) :)

Reagan watching from the backyard!

Emma helping Miss K get the Easter egg out!

One of Rach's latest wreaths - so fun!!

Jaceman excited to show Mamaw the eggs and candy he found! :)

Nervous... nervous... nervous... TRIUMPH! lol :)

A final Easter Sunday pic where we told them to just be silly! lol

Rach scared me a little with this text... but no, they didn't get a bunny. The new aquarium in their living room is enough for now! lol  Brooke got one and brought it over when she was picking up T&C. =)

So happy!! lol I adore her.

In other pet-related news, Bellsy-butt got a new Boo-style haircut, and it's cracking me up every time I look at her!! :) ...Sammers was already 4+ pounds bigger, and now the size difference is just absurd!

Who couldn't love this little fluffy face!?

She loves to sit with me while I watch TV at night - so cute!! :) I now have a set of PJs that I play with them in, then change into another set to go to bed. Definitely allergic... sadness!

That's all I've got for today!  Something a little lighter and brighter (and fluffier) after my deeper posts.  Hope you've had a fantastic week, and enjoy the weekend ahead!! =) (*Sidenote: Happy April 1st and April Fool's Day! If you read this early, hopefully it'll remind you not to fall for any big announcements that are bound to be all over Facebook.)

"How great is the goodness You have stored up for those who fear You. You lavish it on those who come to You for protection, blessing them before the watching world."  ~Psalm 31:19

Monday Morning Quotables!

"I always used to think smart cars were for midgets!"  ~T-man's announcement to the extended fam at dinner lol

"I tend to get motion sick on airplanes, but I take pills that help with that." ~Me

"Do they cost money?" ~Triston

"The pills?  Yeah, a little." ~Me

"Well, then you might as well just have them clean up your mess on the plane and not have to spend any money!" ~T-man, taking frugality to a new level

JEM: "Chet has a mancrush on Kyle's wisdom."

Me: "And you have one on Heath's!"

"May we both find ourselves shopping for smaller clothes this year!" ~part of my Aunt Charlene's b-day card to me! :)

"'Oh, have you lost weight?' ...Yeah, about a hundred pounds!" lol Charlene (talking about how it usually takes people so long to notice that)

"Are you headed to a funeral, Mockey!?" -Chet's greeting to me (referring to my super-cute black dress and sweater combo for my b-day dinner) Lol

"There's a reason they're called asses!" -Evan (on Chet wanting to get donkeys for the farmhouse)

"Well, you guys know I sometimes use hyperbole to make things more memorable!" -JEM (after telling a story that had a few new details since the last time he told it)

"Road trip! I wanna feel rich!!" -Jeff (getting in the Wilsons' Lexus to ride from Napa Flats to Melting Pot) Lol

"Were they called the lady hookers?" -Kelly (discussing the Hooker High cheerleading team)

"Are you and your sister a lot alike?" -JEM to Evan

......(Evan shaking his head no; Jessica nodding that they are.)

"I've actually never met Kathleen." -Chettles

"She's basically me with long hair!" -JEM :) 

"So what's your favorite memory from your 31st year!?" ~Chet Lee

"Well I got to go to Vegas again, which is always a plus. Maybe getting the Celine tickets!?" ~Me
"Way to pick a memory that involves no one at this table!!"  ~Chet
"Okay then, my favorite memory was the night we all celebrated Chet at Red Rock!" ~Me ;)

"Then we went to Republic for your 27th." -JEM, going through all my past birthdays
"Oh, that was actually for Malori's birthday." -Me
"Yeah.  Tread lightly!" -Stern Chettles

(Cut to me and JEM making eye contact and laughing, while Kyle quietly tries to explain to Jenna who Malori is)

"Okay, so we need to strategize!!" -Chet to the Melting Pot waitress (trying to get our ticket up just over $100 so we could use our coupons) Lol

"A runner actually died there a couple years ago... but it's usually somebody who's doing their first one when that happens!" -JEM (discussing the Bearathon Half race)

(TK laughing as he points to Karli, who was prepping for her first Half at this year's Bearathon)

"Oh, yeah.  ...So how's that coffee, guys!?" -JEM shifting out of another awkward subject! lol

"'Does anyone have any ____ that I can borrow??'  Uhh, WalMart's got it!!"  -Chettles, venting about people using their Facebook status to get free stuff! lol

"Two boys are in Disney World! They won't see me for daaaays."  ~Jaceman explaining their absence to me during Spring Break

"You wanna help me with this... since it was your damn idea!?" ~Babah to Jobug while making deviled eggs lol

"Did you lock the car? Afraid someone's gonna steal the Honda with this Mercedes right here!?"  ~Babah to Grandad

Bachelor Finale:"Doesn't he have a Bible verse tattoo?" ~Jessica
"Let me google it... yes, it's Proverbs 16:3: 'Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.'" ~Kelly
(Jeff looks right over at me and is already laughing.)
"Wow... you're welcome for not commenting!"  ~Me
Me again, about 5 seconds later... "I commit this Fantasy Suite to the Lord..."
(Cannot even handle that show - my 2010 rant feelings still stand. lol)

Tea Time at McAlisters:
JEM:  "Text that picture to Mockey!"
Chet:  "What picture??"
JEM:  "The one you're about to take of me!" :)

"I also need to advise you that your voting rights have been suspended..." ~Judge

"Well, that came at a good time - there's not really anyone I'd like to vote for at the moment!" ~(Defendant)

"I don't blame you!" ~Judge lol

"We're NOT giving up!! No one hits the bullseye with their first arrow!" 

~Lady Sybil to Gwen, Downton Abbey Season 1 (I borrowed those DVDs from Kristin again - such a great first season, and this quote made me happy!)

An Anchor for the Soul

"We who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."  ~Hebrews 6:18-19

An Easter Sunday lunch conversation:

"So what did you learn in church today?" ~Mom
"That Jesus died on a cross, and then He came back to life!" ~Jaceman
"That's RIGHT!!" ~Mom
"It was soooo sad when He died..." ~Jace (very genuinely troubled by the thought)
"But so happy when He was alive again!" ~Mom
"Well, is He alive right now?" ~Jace, trying to figure this thing out
"He is. He's up in heaven with God!" ~Mom
"And Bob Barry, Jr.?" ~Jace (the only other person Jace really knows of who has died - I want to put lol but it feels weird here)
"Yeah." ~Mom
"Awwww, I wanna go see Him!"
"Well, we can't go see Him quite yet."

"But I WAAAANT to!!" ~Jace

"We'll get to go see Him someday." ~Mom

"You can talk to Him right now, though!"  ~Dad :)

I was writing a long, poignant post in my head... then that conversation made me shift gears. In a really good way. Simple childlike faith is precious to God for a reason!

(A cropped version of my phone background, courtesy of the She Reads Truth app)

My first and greatest love is Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. I pray that this will always hold true, no matter what it costs me. He is God in human flesh. He lived a sinless life on earth. He died so that God could forgive and redeem all who believe and accept Him as Lord. He is risen and waiting for us in heaven right now. He has redeemed my life and continues to shape and transform my heart. My ultimate hope is in His Word and coming kingdom, and that hope will not disappoint! It is the anchor for my soul through every storm, and it holds firm and secure. Jesus Christ is very much alive, and because of His love and sacrifice, I will also rise after death and live forever with Him in heaven!  ......."Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

"Because of God's tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace."
~Luke 1:78-79

Happy Easter, friends!!

Photo-Filled Good Friday!

Since my deeper posts aren't fully formed yet and I don't want to rush that, I'll go with pictures today... so here is a Good Friday update:

2-12-16... Rach and Kyndal Faith outside after playing on the fort! :)

2-13... Birthday cookiecake with the fam; they heard the D as a Z and went with it! lol Linzsey Muscle - that's me! :)

Anthony's 4th Birthday Balloon Release!

2-14... Valentine's Day dinner with Sarah and Beka

2-17... Maybe my favorite birthday text ever, including a T-swift gif from Angie!! :)

Silly hat pic after my 32nd B-day lunch at Miss Scarlett's Tea Room with Kristin and Laura!

Awesome Ludger's chocolate cake before Impact class, courtesy of Chettles! :)

2-20... Celebrating at the Melting Pot with the Myers, Wilsons, Jeff, Kelly, Kyle, and Jenna!

3-2... Last Ecclesiastes Impact class with Rick Griffith (such a fantastic teacher!)

Rach's awesome wedding sign with Donna Dewberry flowers - she learned that really quickly! :)

3-4... I always love this church (by the courthouse) when the Spring trees are all white!

3-4... First Friday Art Crawl downtown with Tiffany, Sarah, Laura, and Tara Lynn!

3-5... Peaceful walk around Crescent Park with random neighborhood kid serenading the park with guitar music! :)

3-7... Pizza Monday at Planet Fitness! :)

Plus working out with LB!

3-12... Saturday in MWC... here's J&K showing me their room, (assuring me that Mom said it was fine for them to sit up there only moments before she walked in and corrected that)! lol

3-14... Celebrating Jeff and Kelly's engagement at the Myers' house (I suffered through the Bachelor finale watch party just for them!) lol

3-15... Celebrating again with the women's lifegroup & Ludger's cake!

3-17... Rach and fam came down to Jenks to visit the Aquarium! :)

Jaceman wanted to touch anything he could and didn't grasp the concept of not picking them up very well...

Me and Miss K at Merritt's Bakery after the Aquarium! :) Preshface.

My new favorite picture... I love how creeped out Jaceman looks by this guy in the Saint Patrick's Day parade! lol

3-18... Hilarious text from LB as they were on the Bearathon trip (I got sick last minute and didn't get to join them - sadness).

(Yes. Yes, he did.)

3-19... My first time making a chicken salad sandwich (a healthier recipe using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise)... so good!! 

Beautiful Spring walk around Crescent Park - I just love it there! :)

3-21... Making "Vision Boards" and catching up with Lindsay's lifegroup!

That's all I've got for now!
Happy Friday, gang, and Happy Easter weekend!! =)

"Those who abide in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him."
~Psalm 91:1-2