Running out of ideas...

I don’t know about you, but I can NOT sit still and watch TV. I wish that meant that my house was never dirty and that there was never piles of laundry to do, but that is not what occurs. I, instead, fill my time with projects or look at magazines, but you will NEVER find me just sitting and watching TV. My husband has always been annoyed with this, but I think it’s a good thing. The only problem is…I’m running out of things to do.

I cut coupons.


I look at magazines. (I think I'm addicted. Thank you Half Price for selling mags!)


I’ve made a wreath out of paper, buttons, wire, etc.




I’ve covered boxes with paper to make pretty organization.


I’ve sewed or sewn(not really successfully).


I’ve painted canvases for my boys’ room.


I fold laundry.


What else can I do? I need new, fun, creative ideas.

"Bear"ing with him...

Sweet Bear, my youngest, is proving to be a challenge. He deserves a post all his own.
I remember saying when he was a baby that Toby was my challenging one and he was gonna be my sweet cuddler! I was NOT correct! At about 6 months I realized the kid was less than cuddly. He liked to get into things WAY more than Toby and he loved the word NO, and as stated in last week's blog...his favorite thing to say now is, "I don't want to."
He's my kid, so I am allowed to say - He is weird! He would never keep his socks on his feet - they would be removed and placed over his hands. And as shown in the pictures below...He would, somehow, twist his shirt around his body. Weird.


I stick by the fact that he is weird AND difficult, but I have to say - He is just so darn cute! Remeber the curls?! I mean - look at that face!
This was last Halloween - he was Nacho Libre.

And...he is great with babies. That's a good sign. Here he is with Baby Emma (cousin).

Don't let the cute fool you though. He's always up to something or thinking about what he can break or get into. For example, he brought me a piece of furniture last night he had broken off. He is holding the handle and I have circled where the handle came from in yellow. He's proud of himself. Can you tell?!

Man I love him and the challenges he brings. It is just so wonderful being a mom!

Rededication...

This is me rededicating myself to you, my blog! I have alot of catching up to do. We'll start simple. Toby is now 6 - YES, I said 6!!! He is in first grade and he is way too big for his britches!


I mean...look at those angels! Bear is 2 and man - he's a handful. His favorite thing to say is, "I don't want to." Come one Bear...give your mom a break! He's so cute and unsuspecting!
We recently moved to G-Town (Garland) a street over from my sister and I am loving it! I mean...I have my best friend and sister a street over and her 4 babies that I love so much! Maddie is in 6th grade and her youngest, Emma, is only a month and a half! Her two boys, Nickey and Tyler go to school with Toby. Here they are on their first day...


My cup overflows!

Africa in a nutshell

I do not know how to properly sum up my trip to Africa. It was the first of many trips my family will take and I made relationships that will last a life time. The ministry we partner with, Tree Life Ministry, is run by some of the most amazing, precious people and I miss them so much more than I imagined I would. I was afraid I would be overly emotional most of the trip and unable to hold it together, but the people (despite their circumstances) are so extremely joyful that it is just contagious. The only time I cried was when I left. The thought that it would be a year before I would be back was and is so hard to swallow.
I didn't know how I was going to pick what pictures to put on my blog, but after watching the slideshow that Chuck Pope put together of our trip I decided to just post that. Enjoy all the precious memories I made with my Wonderful SalSaf Team - Blair and Lauren Robinson, Shelly and Bre Patrick, Chuck Pope, Jake Kelley, and my amazing husband, Jeremy Hendrix.
Thank you Jeremy for all your hard work put into planning this trip and the work you have already begun for 2010. I love you. And thank you sooooo much Jake, for keeping me sane. You made this trip so much more memorable for us! We love you tons!

Uganda Slideshow from Melissa Hendrix on Vimeo.

I can't post about Africa without thanking the wonderful people I can count on to take care of my most treasured boys. Toby and Bear spent a week in Gulf Shores, AL with Pam and Steve (the amazing in-laws) and Chris and Nikki (bro-in-law and girlfriend) and then spent a few fun days with their Aunt Jen. Thank ya'll so much for taking care of my babies and thanks to all my friends for your willingness to be on-call just in case. I am sooo blessed with such a big support team! I think I could leave my boys for a month and not worry once about their well-being. Missing them would be the issue! All in all I did really well being away from the boys. I had a year to pray about it and, as usual, the Lord came through with flying colors. I have to say the reunion at the airport was amazing...
My three boys in full embrace
PawPaw made shirts for the boys to wear to the airport The boys in their shirts How cute are they??? I will devote an entire blog to the trip to Gulf Shores. It's too cute to cram into this post! Talk at ya soon.

So...I've gotten quite a bit of flack for returning from my blogging hiatus for Michael Jackson, so I feel compelled to appease.


Let me update... We have moved into an amazing house in Irving. I really love it. We've already made many memories here. For example, on Bear's first birthday (Superbowl Sunday), I was feeling the loss of my mother rather strongly so I didn't really get in gear and have a party for him, but my sweet friends came to the rescue. Melissa, Janelle, amd Krystal came with their wonderful families and we had cake and made it a birthday to remember. Thank you friends.

More recently, my oldest baby turned 5! Yes, you heard me right...5! He had a combined birthday party with friends, Titus Burger and Ben Norris. It was a blast!
Here's the Birthday boys. Ben, Toby and Titus!



Man, How time flies! Look at what a difference just a few years makes...
This is Toby at Chuck E Cheese at his 3rd birthday, hence the 3 fingers.

And this is Toby at 2 yrs. old at Six Flags. Look at those cheeks!


We leave for Africa in 5 days and I am so afraid to see the changes in the boys when I return. We will only be gone a few weeks, but while Jeremy was last in Africa Toby went from grunting for juice to stating full out, "Mommy, may I have juice please." It was the strangest thing! I truley do want to just freeze time.
Well, this is just a little catch up...Until next time.

Back from the dead...

Or so it feels. It's been ages since I blogged. I feel it necessary today though. I am newly aware of my drama-prone personality. In such fashion, I must declare that I am DEVASTATED at the recent loss! Was that dramatic enough for everyone? I recognize the kook that Michael Jackson is or was, but I can not properly portray what a huge part of my childhood was spent mimicking him. I could grab myself (to my mother's dismay), moonwalk, and spin and scream "hee hee" at quite a young age. :) My mom used to record any time he was on TV for me and I would spend hours rewinding and replaying my VHS tape to perfect each dance move. Thanks mom. I can't say why I had such a fascination with him, but man, I did and it made me truley sad to hear the news. My friends are all laughing reading this, and my husband and sister would truley gag, but I love you Michael. :) I do not know where he stood on believing in God. I know he stated in an interview with Oprah he did, but I shutter to think that he is gone now and was not welcomed into Heaven by my sweet mom.

Here's my favorite MJ song:

Michael Jackson - Man in the mirror
by dangerous_world_tour

The Olive Tree

Woohoo! I actually uploaded some of my newest art...see my Olive Tree blog!!!