Pink Mama

Happy Wife, Happy Life

2012-02-04T14:04:00.002-05:00

If you'veseen me driving around town you will notice the license plate I have in thefront of my car...happy wife, happy life! You would not believe the amount ofcomments I've gotten from complete strangers about my cool plate! From the men,I usually get a shake of the head and a mumble of, "ain't that thetruth!". From the women, it's usually a big smile and a "that's rightgirl!" It always makes me laugh!

Myawesome husband lives by this mantra and he really tries to make me happy inall areas of my life because he knows if I'm happy, not only is he happy, soare the kids and everything is right with the world in the Hall household. Ooh!But when I'm not happy, it's like a dark cloud has overtaken our home and theapocalypse is approaching!

Thanks tomy good friend and "Pink Lady", Melissa Mashburn, I've realized thatmy family's mood is dictated alot by my mood or as she so eloquently put it, mytherMOMeter. (click here to read her story http://www.sandypinkmama.com/p/pink-ladies.html )

Eversince reading her story, I have consciously made an effort to realize that inorder for my family to be happy or content, I need to check my attitude at thefront door. I need to stop and just chill as I listen to my kids or hubby'sday, not to try multitask because they lose out on my attention at the end ofthe day. I have to remember how blessed I am and not focus on what I don't have by doing this I truly think that will make me a Happy Wife with a HappyLife.

Ofcourse, don't get me wrong, I will continue to remind my hubby of the

treasure hehas in me!

The manwho finds a wife finds a treasure,

and hereceives favor from the LORD. (Proverbs 18:22 NLT)

Pink MamaOut!

See You Soon

2012-01-06T17:04:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year! 2012 is here ready or not! I've been a bit quiet on the blog front lately, but I'm back and ready to share.
2011 was a great year for me and mine, however, the year ended sadly with the passing of Ed's mama, Linda Marie Hall. Those of you that knew her know what a unique lady she was. She had a great love for her family and grandkids that would rival any other love. Her passing was hard on everyone, especially our son, her youngest grandchild. Grandma and he would talk on the phone for hours! She never thought his Star Wars or Harry Potter stories were too long, she never rushed him to get "to the point". It broke my heart to see his heart breaking. The good news in this is that we know we will see her again in Heaven, a fact my son pointed out to us. After processing his grief, he told us that now he understands what Professor Dumbledore meant when he told Harry Potter, "don't pity the dead Harry, pity the living," He said he knows that Grandma is up in Heaven talking with Jesus and is no longer in any pain, while he is down here on earth sad because he can't talk or see her for a long time. Out of the mouths of babes!
I know that Grandma Linda wouldn't want us to be sad, she would want us to remember all the good times and memories we had with her and she would want us to know she is finally happy,pain-free and in the arms of her Savior. We won't say goodbye Grandma, we'll just say See You Soon!

Pink Mama Out!

Las Vegas 2011

2011-11-06T11:32:00.002-05:00

15 years of marriage! Wow! When people say, "Time Flies", that is an understatement! I have been so very blessed to be married to my best friend all these years. God totally knew what He was doing when He had Ed meet me in Key West! (great story, ask me about it next time you see me!). I am pretty High Maintenance as I have stated before and he puts up with me! That alone deserves an award! I just thank God everyday for giving me the husband I was meant to have. Here's to another awesome 15 years!
Pink Mama Out!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly offers exclusive layouts and designs so you can make your book just the way you want.

I'm a Godly Gal! Thanks Melissa!

2011-07-07T11:01:00.000-04:00

My friend Melissa Mashburn has an inspiring blog & she chose one of my stories to feature this week. I am so blessed to know this incredible lady & I hope you visit her blog read my story & then stay a while & read all the other encouraging stories she has on there. http://melissamashburn.blogspot.com/search/label/godly%20gals

Pink Mama Out!

Rest, Reflect & Relax

2011-06-22T11:40:00.001-04:00

"God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work which he had created and made." Genesis 2:3

Summertime is here and it's time to pack up the kiddos and head out for a much deserved vacation from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Our favorite place to get away from it all is the beach. We just love the ocean and those spectacular sunsets that I know God created just for us! However, sometimes we are running so hard after life that we forget to take the time to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Even our Awesome Lord took a break on the 7th day to rest and reflect on all his hard work.
At one time I worked at an establishment that never "rested", there always had to be bigger and better things that had to be done, nothing was ever good enough. Don't get me wrong, it's important to always strive for the best you can do, but if you are doing that 24/7 and not taking time to stop and enjoy your successes all you will have is a bunch of burned out, unhappy, bitter folks.

I realize that financially that some of you cannot take your regular vacation time, but I really want you to stop and at least take one day to rest, consider it a "stay-cation". Enjoy the day, don't fret over overdue laundry or dirty dishes in the sink, those things will all still be there the next day (trust me! It will be there).

Just take the time to rest, reflect and relax. Just like God did on the 7th day.

Now, it's your turn! What is your favorite type of "vacation" or "stay-cation"?

Pink Mama Out!

Daughters

2011-04-26T17:07:00.000-04:00

My beautiful fashionista daughter has created her own blog. Please take a moment to look at it and help her out. Thanks!
http://amandawantstogotocamp.wordpress.com/

Mansions

2011-04-14T09:19:00.000-04:00

Hey Friends! Long time no blog! Been pretty busy lately with the kiddos and doing the "housewife" thing but last week I got the awesome opportunity to tag along with hubby on his business trip to Boston and Rhode Island. I have to say you can take Boston, it was cool, but would not want to live there. However, Newport, Rhode Island was absolutely spectacular! It was this quaint picturesque New England town with so much history. On vacation I LOVE doing the "tacky-tourist" things, I find them fun and a great way to learn a bit about whatever town we are in. So in Newport, hubby and I visited their famous mansions and got the chance to tour two of them. I have to say by far The Breakers mansion previously built and owned by the Vanderbilt family was breathtaking. As soon as I walked in I could picture the elaborate parties they had there. Oh to be so rich to have a mansion like that to use as "just" a summer home! It's almost as if the whole place was vibrating with it's history, waiting for people to come back and enjoy it's many rooms and expansive grounds. The mansion is situation right on these beautiful cliffs that overlook the ocean. Talk about God's Majestic creations, those cliffs will leave you in awe! I joked around with hubby saying that one of our kiddos needs to marry a Vanderbilt so we could get access to all their wonderful homes!

If you get a chance to travel up that way, don't miss out on the experience of visiting this fabulous home as well as others right there on Beacon Street.

Now it's your turn, tell me about some place that you visited that left you in awe and wanting to learn more about it's history.

Pink Mama Out!

I Saw God Today

2011-02-07T16:40:00.000-05:00

I saw God today! No,don't call the men with white coats and straight jackets, He didn't "appear" to me in a vision or anything. Though, how cool would that be? Or scary, depending on your behavior of late.
Anyway, I got the wonderful opportunity to spend the morning with my hubby at the beach. For all my northern family & friends, I'm sorry your weather is so terrible, but it was an absolutely lovely day here in Sunny South Florida. Temperature in the 80's, cool tropical breezes and very little humidity. Okay, I'll stop now. Don't hate.
Anyhow, as I was gazing out into the mighty ocean with the sun glistening off the waves breaking on shore, I got this overwhelming feeling that God was all over that. For a moment there it felt like the rest of the world just faded away and it was just me there with my toes in the sand staring out at God's incredible power and might. It was at that moment that I realized that this is what people mean when they say take the time to slow down and listen for God's voice. I felt a tranquility I had not felt in a while, it was as if the Lord was telling me things will be alright, just spend some time with me and you'll see I am with you always. The breeze felt like His caress against my cheek. It was a beautiful moment. (despite the french canadians talking loudly!) LOL!

I would love to hear your stories on times such as these when you felt God's presence as overwhelming as I did. I invite you to share your stories here on my blog, I can't wait to read them. Till then my friends, remember to take the time to stop and listen for God, He's there, waiting for us to just listen.

Pink Mama out!

A Mother's Love

2010-12-16T10:23:00.000-05:00

Thinking about Christmas today and how much I just LOVE this holiday! My "love language" is GIFTS, so you can only imagine what joy I get on Christmas morning! But today I'm thinking about something else, yes, it is the birth of our Savior, however today Mary is playing a big part in my emotions. As a mother of a little boy (Bubba) also, I can't even begin to imagine what Mary felt that cold night in Bethlehem, when she held her beautiful baby boy and she looked into his eyes, what did she see? Could she already see our Savior or was she content just holding her baby boy?
The love between a boy and his mom is a special thing. You are the first woman in their life. When they are little, you are the most beautiful woman in the world to them, they get angry with daddy because he got to marry you! As they grow older, the kisses & hugs become less in public, but in private he still wants to snuggle with you as you watch a movie or when you read together. I know that when my Bubba looks up at me with those big blue eyes, my heart just melts. Yes, he can drive me batty at times and I know way more about Star Wars, Pokemon & Harry Potter than any female should ever know, but I love those things because he loves them so much. I would do anything for him, I would NEVER let anybody hurt him. Want to see a side of me that is part mama bear-part lioness? Mess with one of my kids! I'll take you out!
So, I can only imagine the pain that Mary went through, a pain no mother would ever want to go through. Seeing her son die in such a horrible way for mankind, how did she not become bitter and angry at the world? Or angry at God? I guess God in His infinite wisdom knew he was picking the right lady. I sometimes wonder if I would ever be up to such a task set before me by God. I'd like to say I would do anything He asks me to do, but sacrifice my son? Whew! I can't even fathom such a thing.
I can't wait to have the opportunity when my time comes and I'm sitting up in the "Ultimate Mom's Group" in Heaven with Mary and just soak in her wisdom and love. I hope that I can make her proud in how I raised my son. Thank you Mary for doing what you had to do so the rest of us mamas could have a chance to raise our sons and daughters with the promise of Heaven.
Pink Mama out.

What You Can Learn in 30 Days...

2010-12-01T15:11:00.000-05:00

I'm baaaaaaack....Whew! This was probably the longest 30 days of my life. However, I realized that there are some incredible things you can learn in 30 days. Here goes...

1. You find out who your friends are! Thank you doesn't seem enough to express what the folks that reached out meant to me (here's looking at you "Special K"). It would have been easier for some of these folks to leave me be but they made sure I knew I wasn't alone.
2. I am blessed with the best husband ever! He will always take care of me no matter what happens in this crazy life. He's got my back and if you ask him, he's got my front too! (hee-hee)
3. I have the greatest BFF in the world! "Lucy" made sure that her "Ethel" had time to cry, be angry, be lonely, feel relieved, etc. However, she always reminded me about all the good we had done and all the lives we touched. So, although I had my "emotional" moments (understatement), she made sure that I didn't lose sight of the hard work we did and the dedication to our folks that we had.
4. "Breaking up" isn't a couples only experience! It could happen in alsmost every area of your life. That being said, I heard a song the other day that summed up my past 30 days.
Thank you Chris Daughtry!

"Now that it's all said and done,

I can't believe you were the one

To Build me up and Tear me down.

What you said when you left

Just left me cold & out of breath.

I fell too far, was in way too deep,

Guess I let you get the best of me.

Well, I never saw it coming

I should have started running

A long, long time ago.

And I never thought I'd Doubt you,

I'm better off without you

More than you know!

And when you slammed the front door shut,

A lot of others opened up,

So did my eyes so I could see

That you never were the best for me.

I'm slowly getting closure,

I guess it's really over

I'm finally getting better.

And now I'm picking up the pieces.

I'm spending all of this time

Putting my heart back together.

Cause the day I thought I'd never get through,

I Got Over You!"

Pink Mama Out!

So Many Questions...

2010-10-13T15:23:00.000-04:00

My friends! It's been a while! Things have been hectic, what with the kids back in school and work in full swing it's been your typical start of fall. I hope this blog finds you well. I have a few moments now to share something that I am struggling with. Yesterday a neighbor a few doors down killed herself. She left a husband and 3 adult children behind. I must confess I did not know her well. Sure, there was the neighborly wave, the "hey, how you doing" at the local supermarket, but I never went above and beyond that. I do not know what caused her to take her life...what depths of despair she was in for thinking death was the only answer. All I can think about is her children and husband and what utter pain they must be in. I have so many questions! Perhaps if I had reached out to her or taken the time to get to know her...I just don't know. I know we serve an awesome God and that only He truly knows the reason, but it seems the enemy won that battle with her. Growing up in a Catholic school, we were taught that if you took your life you would go to hell. I find it so hard to take in. I want to believe our Holy Father still gives us a chance and my Pastor told me today that the bible does not say they go to hell, it does not speak of it. I can only hope that my neighbor accepted Christ into her life and that she is God's hands right now and that her pain has stopped. I pray now for her family and I ask God to help me reach out to those around me, to not let "life" pass me by without stopping and really getting to know people.

Oh, why?
There's no comprehending
And who am I to try to judge or explain?

("Why" by Rascal Flatts)

Pink Mama Out.

In My Daughter's Eyes

2010-09-05T19:08:00.000-04:00

In my daughter's eyes, I am a hero. I am strong and wise, And I know no fear. But the truth is plain to see: She was sent to rescue me, I see who I wanna be, in my daughter's eyes.

Martina McBride sang this song and every time I hear it I can't help but think about my amazing, incredible daughter (Ms. Fashion). I have been so blessed to have a daughter who is fearless, loving, smart & beautiful inside and out. This child is who I want to be when I grow up! Since she was a baby, she was social and intelligent. She is not scared of what life throws at her, she welcomes new challenges with eagerness and confidence in her abilities to handle what life has in store for her. I tell folks all the time, I don't know where she gets it from? Frankly, I'm a BIG chicken! I am scared of change and need to mentally prepare myself for life's tough days. But through Ms. Fashion's example, I believe I am slowly changing my attitude and the way I see things in this world. It's funny, because as parents, we are the ones that are supposed to teach our kids how to handle this world, but I believe she is the one teaching me and all I can hope for is that one day she'll have her own precious daughter that will continue to show her the light in this dark world.

In my daughter's eyes, I can see the future. A reflection of who I am, and what will be. And though she'll grow and some day, leave: Maybe raise a family, When I'm gone, I hope you'll see, How happy she made me, For I'll be there, in my daughter's eyes.

Star Wars Bubble Bath!

2010-08-25T13:31:00.000-04:00

So I decided to take a much needed Bubble Bath in my new tub that took months to be functional! I grabbed the latest People Magazine, an adult beverage and headed to the bathroom anxiously awaiting the relaxation that I knew I was going to experience. However, when I arrived there, I must have just missed the EPIC battle that the Star Wars figures had! See, my little guy, "Bubba", likes to play in the tub and I had not realized that so do the Jedi and Sith! I was way too tired to move them, so I went ahead with my luxurious bath. As I was covered in head to toe bubbles, I contemplated the EPIC battle we all go through everyday. The battle of "good vs. evil". I have no choice but to like Star Wars because lil Bubba is obsessed with it! When he plays Star Wars, he always plays as a Sith (the bad guys), I ask him why he doesn't play the "good guys", like the Jedi or the nice robots and he tells me point blank, "those guys are no fun, the Sith get to do cooler things!" Of course, this initially scared me, because I thought,"oh no! He will be a bad guy and make bad decisions and then I'll be a bad mom because I let him play that way and his future therapist will label me the root cause of all his problems!" Whew! I know...I know, I have a very overactive imagination. But in watching him further, I see that although he's playing the bad guys, he ultimately lets the good guys win. I am relieved that he is NOT going to grow up to be some kind of sociopath! He knows the difference between what is right and wrong and has a great imagination (hmm, wonder where he gets that from?)

Pink Mama Out!

Real Housewife of Davie!

2010-08-20T22:36:00.000-04:00

Ok, I'll admit it, I'm not ashamed, "I, Sandy, watch ALL the Real Housewives shows on Bravo!" Secretly I wish I could have my own "Real Housewives of Davie" show! There I said it. Whew! What a weight off my shoulders. I can't help it, those shows are so entertaining! My hubby thinks they kill brain cells, but he's a guy, what does he know!
I love all the drama, cat fighting, their expensive things! But lately, I've noticed that although it may seem that all these women have everything this life can give them; big houses, fancy cars, incredible vacations, best clothes & money, there is a sadness to them. Their lives might seem "perfect" to the secular world, but it is far from the world our God intended us to live our lives in. I sometimes wonder how awesome it would be if these women used their "celebrity" for good instead of slamming each other. If they used their money to help those in need, if they would open their hearts on national TV and shared God's Word instead of calling each other names? How great would that be? Chances are they probably wouldn't be on TV for much longer and isn't that such a sad statement of the world we live in?
I propose that they make a show about us everyday God-loving, carpooling-kids, working-mamas in sweats and allow us to show the world how Real Women in this country live! Hmm, wonder what our ratings would be? Who'd like to be on my show? "The Real-Real Housewives"!
Pink Mama out!

What will Heaven look like?

2010-08-14T21:34:00.000-04:00

Revelations 21:21 The 12 gates were made of pearls-each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.

Beautiful right? This passage got me thinking about what Heaven will look like and after coming home from our trip to Disney, I realized that I knew what my Heaven would look like. For me, Heaven would look a lot like the Magic Kingdom with Jesus being the celebrity I can't wait to me instead of Mickey. When I arrive there, I always feel such an utter sense of happiness and warmth, sometimes I get emotional seeing the "magic" and remembering the good memories I've had there.
Now listen, don't judge me! I know I love Disney more than most people, but if you understood the happiness that that place makes me feel, you wouldn't be so quick to make fun of a 30+ yr old woman loving that place!
I asked my son, Bubba, what he thought Heaven looked like and he said, "mama, it's just this beautiful place full of happiness and there is nothing bad there. I'll get to talk to all the good guys and play anytime I want with Jesus." How precious is that! However, he was concerned that George Lucas may not be a Christian because he really wants to hang out with him in Heaven! Gotta write to Mr. Lucas and see what his status is! Wouldn't it be great if he was! Star Wars Christian geeks would rejoice!
What does your Heaven look like? Something fun to ponder.
Pink Mama Out!

Domestic Diva, NOT!

2010-08-08T22:44:00.000-04:00

Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel. ~Author Unknown

Call the papers, I actually sewed a button unto my shorts! That is a huge success as a "Domestic Diva" I am not! But I realized if I wanted to not toss my favorite shorts I'd have to try to not cut an artery while threading the needle. Many pinpricks later, I got the button on there and I felt so accomplished and thankful that I didn't lose more then a gallon of blood!
Which got me to thinking how very lucky and blessed I am in this life. I have a husband that loves me, though, I can't cook, clean or sew worth a lick! I have two incredible kids who are my pride and joy and I have family and friends that encourage me daily. So, I may not be the perfect "domestic" but I am thankful to God for the life I have that allows me to try to at least attempt to be "June Cleaver"! What are you thankful for today? Even everyday little accomplishments, like sewing a button so you don't have to throw away your favorite shorts, can be something to be thankful for! So, take a moment and think of one thing, big or small, that you are thankful for today!
Pink Mama out!

Ouch and other 4-letter words!

2010-08-04T22:50:00.000-04:00

OUCH! It's the only "family-friendly" 4-letter word I can use for how I feel tonight! There are parts of my body that hurt that I didn't even know were possible to hurt! In case you're wondering, just finished my 2nd training day with some awesome pastors who have taken it upon themselves to assist me in this 1 mile challenge. All the folks have been so encouraging, but I'm definitely the slowest! You know you're slow when the pregnant mom pushing her two other kids in a stroller flies right by you! Oh well, I guess the main thing is that I'm doing it. You see I'm used to winning things or at the very least being in the top 10, but with physical challenges, lets just say...not so much! Growing up I was the smart one and my sister was the athletic one. We had clear cut expectations, no one expected me to win the game and no one expected her to be in a sorority, it was just that way. I know a lot of why I'm struggling with this challenge is due to the fact that I am out of shape, but I was told tonight that the other half is mental, if I go into this thinking, "there is no way on God's green earth I can do this", then I won't be able to accomplish it at all. Forget about the challenge for now, I've got to do this for myself, to prove to my toughest critic (moi) that I can do it. Chances are I won't be bringing home a Gold medal, but I'm gonna cross that finish line,even if I have to do it by crawling on my knees with icy hot patches on both hamstrings! Run the race folks, surround yourself with people who'll encourage you and invest in a lot of ibuprofen!
Pink Mama out!

Huffin' & Puffin'

2010-07-31T22:29:00.000-04:00

"Huffin'...Puffin'...can't breathe! Just finished...Ugh! Couldn't run, had to fast walk, tried to run a stretch and my heart almost came out of my chest! Here's my pathetic time: 16.02 minutes".
You're probably wondering,"what is she talking about?" Well, this was my text message to my bosses today on my time for running a mile. As you can see, I'm a tad out of shape, though in all fairness, round is a shape! We have been challenged at work to team up and get ready for our upcoming ministry season, not only spiritually, but physically as well. Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm all for teaming up and competition, except when it comes to physical challenges. I'll admit it, I don't like to be active or sweat or do anything that might mess up my nails! But as with all work related things, I had no choice in the matter, I had to turn in my time to my team, I can pretty much guarantee that I'm their weak link, but do you know something cool? I expected to get responses from my superiors mocking me, but know what? Their replies were anything but! I got encouragement for just doing it, for not letting the team down and most importantly, to not focus on the "now" to look toward the future, what my time can be and will be at the end of this competition. How awesome is that! Instead of feeling rejected, I'm actually excited about what I will be able to accomplish, trust me, every few minutes, HA! Who am I kidding? Every few seconds I felt like quitting, but I knew I had to do this, I had to get myself ready for the battle I have before me, because believe me, it's a battle fighting for peoples' eternities and I need to be ready for anything. Here's what I mean, found this in the coolest book ever made! Check it:

Hebrews 12: 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!

So, I'm not quitting, I'm gonna better my time and not let my team, myself or my God down. Psst...but I sure wish they would have done this challenge in February instead of August! Whew! It's hot!
Pink mama out!

Why Not?

2010-07-30T18:37:00.000-04:00

Always wondered what would possess anyone to blog about their life? I mean, sure, if you're famous or something,you may have something interesting to say. However,who wants to read about the life and times of your average mama? Really, who cares? Right? Well, I hope I'm wrong because I have decided to start my own blog, Pink Mama! Yeah, you're probably thinking dumb name, but if you know me, you know I LOVE the color pink and well, I'm a mama. Simple right?
Anywho, a little bit about myself...I just celebrated the 17 anniversary of my 21st birthday, I have two kids, my son who we will call, Bubba, is 9 yrs old and my daughter who we'll call, Ms. Fashion, is an 11 yr old tween going off to Middle School for the first time in a month! I know, pray for me! I've been married to the same wonderful man for over 13 years, he puts up with me and my sorta kinda diva ways. I work with my best friend, whom we shall refer to as Lucy (I'm the Ethel in this equation). We make a great team and lead out the Preschool Ministry at our church.
So, now that you know a lil' bit about moi, let me tell you what I was thinking about when I decided to write my own blog. See, I kinda have a strange sense of humor, a great love for our God and Savior and a weird obsession with purses(more to come on that later) and I thought I really wanted to share my thoughts with friends, family and of course, complete strangers from the world wide web!
So, follow my blog if you think I'm even a bit remotely interesting to you or ,you know,pass it along to other fellow pink-loving, purse-addicted, everyday mamas!
Hope to hear from y'all soon!
Pink Mama out!