Magic Time Machine

A couple of weeks ago, we went to Magic Time Machine with these sweet friends to celebrate Tony's birthday.  Our family hadn't been there since Jessie was very little.  It was more fun than I expected and way more food than I needed.  We always enjoy these people and this day was no exception.  

There were lots of laughs to be had when you dine at a place like this!

My Sweet Friend

The Fortenberry's sit in front of the sweetest little family in church.  I have spent what seems like the better part of a year trying to befriend their cute little daughter.  We'll call her M.  M is shy and only smiles at me and says hi.  One day as we left church, she ran up and gave me a quick hug.  I call that a success.

One week, I thought Mom deserved a little break and I told her to send one of her cute littles our way.  She said that she had been threatening to do just that.  Just so we're clear, when you are at your wits end, I will never be your punishment.  I'm more of a friend.

I talked M into coming and sitting with us during Sacrament.  She sits so sweet and quietly.  She puts on all my jewelry and we draw or look at books.  She pretty much makes my Sunday.  One Sunday, she brought me a note that says, "Dear Sister Fortenberry."  I think M and I are on our way to becoming BFFs.

My Steven!

One of the best things about Christmas was getting to have lunch with Steven Parker!  You just don't even know how much I love Steven.  He is one of my oldest and dearest friends.  When I say oldest, I don't mean that he is literally old.  I mean that I've known him for a really long time.  I've known him for almost as long as I can remember.  He knows a lot of my secrets.  Too many.  Hopefully, his memory is fading.  We spent hours and hours on the phone when we were young.  I should probably send his dad an apology letter or send him a gift card or something.  

I remember that I was so homesick those first few weeks at UNT (yes, I am aware that I was only an hour and fifteen minutes away from home).  I was sad to leave my family and sad to leave Fred.  How thankful I was to have Steven there with me.  We had so much fun together.  1992 is still one of my favorite years!

Steven and I met for lunch at this cute little restaurant in Wylie.  It was in an old house.  How fun is that?   We talked and talked.  I could have sat there and talked all day.  I'm so glad that he made time for me while he was in town.  My dear friend lives in Colorado now, so we haven't seen each other in several years.  Mostly, we fill each other's Facebook walls with Steel Magnolias quotes and text occasionally.  My dream would be for him to move to Frisco and teach at IHS.  My ultimate dream would be for him to be my next door neighbor!

Steven, thank you for a great afternoon!  I love you and miss you, my dear friend.

F-R-A-M-I-L-Y

A couple of days before Christmas we gathered with these people that we love so much.  Jessie and I weren't able to make it to see the Star Wars movie, but the rest of this group went to see the movie and then we had dinner at Outback.  I was tickled pink, because you may or may not know that I can eat me some steak.  I think Jessie and Jaiden had macaroni and cheese, and Jonathan ordered a hamburger.  Yes, these children go to a steak restaurant to order food that they could just as well eat at their house.  I still claim them anyway.  

We then went back to the Palmers to play the candy game.  I didn't even understand what the candy game was.  Now, I know.  It is Fred's new favorite game.  We have so much candy at our house, because Fred introduced the candy game to my family.  I think you should only play the candy game ONE time per Christmas season.  Seriously!  It's kind of like a White Elephant candy game on steroids.  The Fortenberrys came home with 11 different types of full size candies.  Crazy!

We are so thankful for the Palmers and Moffitts and their sweet friendship.  We enjoyed celebrating and having fun with them.  We love them and we are thankful that they are our "framily!"

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 29

Ordinary, simple, everyday life is all the more beautiful because of the people God has placed in our path. - Sophie Hudson

These are my people and I love them!  Friends are the family that you choose, and these friends are so perfect for us. I thank my Heavenly Father for them each and every single day.

I hope you enjoy some of the older pictures, because I just couldn't resist!

Jonathan and Ally - they are both 15 so they've known each other since the day Ally was born (she is a few months younger)

Ally and Jessie - love these girls!

Madison - I always say that she is the life of the party!

These kids are all related except for my two, but they've always made them feel like family

The Garstka's - Dave and Fred were great friends before I even came into the picture.  And, then we all met Angel!

The Millers - Dave's sister, Debi, her husband, John and their two girls Laura and Katy (Katy's not pictured-- although she is in the bowling picture above)

The DiSpignos - Dave's childhood best friend, Abie, moved to town after graduating college.  Of course, we adored him and so did the kids.  He left the area when Jessie was in elementary school and moved back to Chicago.  You don't even know how happy we were when he moved back several years ago.  He also brought us Stacey.  They are now married and have Isabella.

I am so thankful that Fred and Dave met and set the course for all of these beautiful, sweet friendships.

The Palmers - we met Tony and Kelly at church and we are so very thankful for their friendship.  They have been so good to us.  I always give Tony lots of credit for helping Fred find his way back to church and for that reason these two will always have a special place in my heart.

Jessie, Jonathan, Corbin, Conner, Fred, Tony

Corbin and Conner belong to Tony and Kelly

The Moffitts - We also met Rod, Ruth and their daughter, Jaiden at church (not pictured are Emmi and Jaxon). First of all I could just eat Jaiden up with a spoon.  I love her and her family so much.  They are all pretty darn amazing.

We love hanging out with the Palmers and the Moffitts.  We couldn't ask for better friends.

Some people make your laugh a little louder, your smile a little brighter, and your life a little better.

P.S. Jonathan looked at this post and I asked him if I missed anyone.  He told me that I missed the "family of the family."  That would be Dave's parents, Angel's parents, her sister and brother-in-law and their kids.  And, he is SO, right.  We have such great people in our lives.

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 28

I am thankful for the amazing female friendships that I have in my life.  Each one is so sweet and important to me.

"True friendship is like the asphalt of life, it fills the potholes, and makes the journey smooth."

-Richard G. Scott

Ruth and I with sweet Nicole

Here is Kelly and Ruth.  (I didn't have a picture of Kelly, so I high-jacked her Facebook and then cropped people out of the pic-- I'm sorry for cropping those sweet faces out of the pic!)  I truly love these two beautiful women.  They teach me how to be a better wife, mom, leader and daughter of God.  They are Christlike women that I look up to.  I am thankful for their influence in my life.  I love them so very much.  Those two BFFs have a beautiful, sweet friendship that is very rare.  I am thankful that they let me in their little circle.  They bless my life and they are so very precious to me.

This is Cara or Yeates as I sometimes like to call her.  My heart just bursts with love for her.  When I first started serving in Young Women's with her, I thought to myself, "where has she been all my life?"  Then I realized, she's been just around the corner from me.  She literally lives just around the corner from me and I've missed out on her greatness, because I thought she was too hip to hang out with me.  She is funny, tender and sweet all at the same time.  Mostly, I appreciate how funny she is.  I love funny people.  I also appreciate that she appreciates my kids.  Those people have a special place in my heart.

Yeates sporting Wildberry (her pet name for me) on her Temple Walk shirt.

 My crazy, sweet co-workers.  I need a picture of Lisa Galvan, because she is just one of the best co-workers, ever.  I love her dearly.

Sarah, Lynn and I at Vision Expo last year.  I have the best co-workers.

 These are the Young Women Leaders that I serve with.  I love every single one of them and I feel so blessed to serve our Young Women with them.

  

Last, but certainly not least, I have known Heather, Angela, Tanya and Gracie for a very long time.  Our dear friend Abie brought Stacey (shown below) into our lives kind of recently.  I have so much fun with these ladies.  Every single time I'm with them, I laugh until I cry.  I do things that are absolutely insane.  We always make sweet and funny memories together.  It all started when two college buddies named Fred and Dave walked into a miniature golf place called Mountasia.  They decided to fill out an application.  They met two employees that happened to be best friends-- Angel and Gracie.  It took a little while, but eventually Dave and Angel married. All of these ladies were on a soccer team together when they were little called the Blue Birds.  I belonged to Fred.

Of course, there is also sweet Debi (Dave's sister).  Love her to pieces!  You really need a family tree or a road map to follow along.  But, these are my people and Heavenly Father put these people in my path when I was just a young woman to help make me a better person.

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 27

I love note cards, cute pens (Flair Pens and Pilot Frixion erasable pens are my favs).  I love Washi Tape, stickers and self-inking return address stamps. I love the way all of these things make a note look and feel special.  I always say that it's all in the details.  One day, after I'm gone, my kids should make that into a meme.  I just love sending mail!  I'm sure the post office thanks me for it. Most of all, I love the way it makes the receiver feel.  I'm grateful for the opportunity to send notes that maybe make people smile. I'm thankful that I'm pretty good about getting birthday cards sent out, because people really enjoy feeling loved on their birthday.  

"Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today but the recipient will remember them for a lifetime."

- Thomas S. Monson

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 3

I am thankful for this crazy girl!  Because of her, I've had to stretch and grow more than I thought possible.  She challenges me, but she makes me smile and laugh.  I love her sensitive, caring nature and the way she loves little children.

I am so very grateful that I have the opportunity to be her mom.

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 1

Day 1 for me is going to be my Halloween recap, because I really am thankful for this time of the year and the fun that starts from Halloween and goes all the way though New Years.

I feel like it is a time to spend with those you hold most dear to you.

We had the best time visiting with each other at the Garstka's house.  It doesn't seem like we get to do that nearly enough!  We even ran into Fred's sister while we were out and about on Halloween night.

Because, I am a good sport and want to be known as the "fun" one, I let Madison paint my hair.  I was truly scared when Madison and Angel came at me with two cans.  I didn't sign on for Angel to paint my hair.  I was a little worried, but it came out in time for church.  There were spots on my scalp that had been sprayed purple.  I thought it might be like that forever, but I shampooed my hair about 4 times with a clarifying shampoo.  The things we do for love!

I feel like this sums up perfectly what life with Madison must be like on a daily basis.  She is fun and crazy.  I like to say that she is a one-woman party.  She comes ready to have fun.

We love her and her sweet sister!  I have maybe one picture of Ally and I together, but I have several pictures of Madison and I.  And, they are always silly!

Our cute little friend, Isabella, was a unicorn.  She and Jessie were both unicorns.  Madison and Ally were of the Super Hero variety.  

I told Ally that we should have all dressed up like Batman and we could match.  I thought she was going to die. No way, could we a) pull it off or b) dress like her.  Almost-16 year olds are so funny.  In the end she didn't go trick or treating with us.  I reminded Angel that Jessie's Sophomore year, she thought she had better plans than to hang out with the family.  Jess chimed in with, "Yeah!  They were no fun!"  So, she promptly came back the next year!

 Jonathan is this blob.  Every year.  He doesn't even try!  He sits with the men and hands out candy.

Angel and I follow behind our teenagers, because trick or treating is still fun!  No matter the age.  Young or no-so-young!

This year we had Isabella in tow.  She scored a dollar and a teddy bear.  It pays to be little and cute.

 We had so much fun and we are thankful for a little Fall Fun with friends.

My Little Basket

Every month I put together a little Personal Progress Motivator for our Young Women.  Now, I don't know that these little motivators send them running home to work on their Personal Progress, but they sure are fun and they seem to enjoy them.  I love making them and they love receiving them.  It's like a Win-Win set-up we've got going here.

I try to make it cheesy and funny, but give them something they enjoy. Ramen noodles, potato chips and Swedish Fish seemed to be the favorites.

The all-time favorite?  Flair Pens!  Flair Pens are the way to a Young Woman's (or not-so young woman's) heart.  They loved their Flair Pens and were so excited when there was enough left to send the basket around twice for a second pen.

This week's treat was simply a Halloween treat, but it was prepared with love!

I stuffed all my little candies into my basket and was thinking that I sure do need to get a bigger basket.  It occurred to me that I received this basket as a wedding gift from my Mom's very best friend, Evelyn.  These projects would have been right up her alley.  She loved a good project and spent so much time meticulously trimming and cutting to make everything perfect.  

I am planning and preparing our Young Women in Excellence and I am in the home stretch.  I am down to the decorating part.  I sure could use Evelyn's expertise right about now!  I feel like I could have given her my theme and she would have had a million ideas to help me tie it all together.

My mom and Evelyn were quite the pair.  They turned class parties into solid gold-- long before Pinterest. 

I wish my kids could have known the greatness of this duo-- Calhoun and Forthman!  I think they were a force to be reckoned with.

Yeehaw

Well, we finally celebrated Fred's birthday.  It took a couple of weeks, but we did it.  I think it is the first year we've celebrated it in FOREVER.  I blame it on him, actually.  On his 40th birthday, HE planned a camp out with his Boy Scouts.  Last year, I think he was either camping or we were at a football game-- or both.  This year was football games and marching competitions.  But, we finally got it celebrated!

We went to Texas Roadhouse with our good friends the Moffitts and Palmers last Friday.  I'm so glad that he picked Texas Roadhouse (or maybe we picked it for him, because he was indecisive).  Most of us used it as an opportunity to splurge.  I was mostly speaking of the delicious fillet that I had, but I think it could also be said of the chicken fried steak that took up an entire plate (and then some) that Tony ordered. We won't even talk about all of the food that Jonathan put away.  I think it was just 2 years ago that I had to beg him to eat.  Guess those days are gone!

 I signed us all up for coupons so that we could get free appetizers (sometimes I think ahead).  I think we should all go out on all the restaurant websites and figure out what we can find for free.  This might be my new hobby.

  We capped the evening off with big fluffy cupcakes from Smallcakes.  Let me say that they weren't small by any means.  And, again, I was thinking ahead and brought take-home boxes for the cupcakes and we all brought our cupcakes home.  I had the strawberry cupcake.  It was amazing.   I don't really like cupcakes.  I just ate the cake and threw away a mound of frosting.  Fred said that was wasteful and that I threw away the best part.  I beg to differ.

I am especially glad that we went to Texas Roadhouse, because I couldn't live another moment without this picture of Fred on the bull.  He was so close to me that I couldn't really get a good picture, but it still makes my day. 

 What a fun night!  So thankful for great friends that braved the rain and  helped celebrate Fred's 43rd birthday.  I love Fred and I love the Moffitts and Palmers!

Yeates and JFort

So, I got a text yesterday from my sweet friend, Cara, letting me know that she had the great fortune of having my boy, JFort, in her class that day at school.  Okay, maybe she didn't say that she had the great fortune.  I added that part.

When I got home, I asked Jonathan about it.  Here's how the convo played out:

Me:  I hear you had Coach Yeates today.

Jonathan:  Yeah, why?  (He looked a little concerned.  Like maybe Cara had given me some inside information into his day that he didn't want me to have.)

Me:  No reason.  I was just wondering how it went.

Jonathan:  Well, when we came into class one of my friends said, "Hey Jonathan, when I walked in I heard Coach Yeates say, 'Oh man, there's Fortenberry.  I think I'm going to hurt myself.'"  So I told him that it's okay.  I know her.  Technically, we're neighbors and we go to church together.

Me:  What?  You didn't tell him that Coach Yeates is one of your mom's favorite friends?  Or, can you not talk about your mom at school?

Jonathan:  (Looking at me like he was thinking about rolling his eyes) No, Mom!  I just didn't have time to tell him ALL the ways that I know her.


What does that even mean that we are "technically" neighbors?

Also, the first time I referred to Cara as Coach Yeates, Jonathan said that sounded so weird.  He said that what is more weird is trying not to call her Sister Yeates at school!

JFort and I are thankful for Yeates and how she serves others.  This mama considers it a tender mercy that she is at IHS each and every day.

1,000th Post!!!

In honor of my 1,000th blog post (oh yeah, that's right, 1-0-0-0), I felt like I needed to do a little Throwback Thursday and pay homage to Angela's birthday, the State Fair of Texas and these boys that truly love each other!

So, first of all Happy Birthday to my crazy friend, Angela!  You haven't changed a bit-- you still look and act just like you did when we were in college.  Amy, your hair was a little higher in college!

I feel like there are several things to point out...

1) That "kiss" sure is awkward

2) I wonder if we planned our coordinating outfits.

3) Check out Dave's flip phone held together with electrical tape.

4) Fred needs a hair cut.

5) Why did they pose like that?

6) I believe this is the one and only time that I have ever been on the Texas Star.

7) I wonder if I needed Dramamine.

8) Can I say Amy has great hair?

9) Again, do we know why Dave and Fred posed like that?

10) I'm just going to keep asking the question about Fred and Dave until someone answers it for me.

I don't think there will be 1,000 more posts, but here's to a few more!

Thanks for reading!

P.S.  Here is last year's tribute to Aunt Angel.