Work with me

I know that my posting has been sparatic and non-existant at times over these past few months.
Now I know that excuses don't change anything, but here's my explanation...

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? And that was after I had already cleaned for about three hours! So I shouldn't need to add any more to this post, but I will.

Between cleaning and organizing this house, plus the holidays and all the wedding buzz, I have not had time to keep up with my postings. I apologize and will do better as soon as life gets under control...that is when I find the computer in all this mess next time!

Oh, and just in case you are wondering, I did get that part of the house organized! See!

changes...

Life has had many changes over the last few weeks and all of them worth waiting for. I am now happiy married to an amazing man. We are busy trying to learn to listen to the meaning of each others words and not the way the words came out, finding out what foods the other hates, and enjoying the togetherness of having someone to make decisions with.

I know that it has been awhile since my last update, but give me time and I will catch you up on everything from engagement pictures to new house news to wedding fun! I have man stories to tell, but what seems like no time to tell them in! LOL

One prayer request before I go...

I am still struggling with my head injury and am trying to find a doctor in the little rock area. Your prayers would be appreciated as I try once again to start over and to find insurance, medical care, and answers.

My love to all my readers and my thanks for your patience as my life spins gloriously out of my hands!!!
Erin Kingston (just in case ya forgot!)

An Aunt Erin Kinda Day

 I love spending time with my nieces and nephews. I always try to give in to the things that mom and dad can't. We have tons of fun and learn quite a bit about each other and life.

This is my youngest niece Kate. She's eating a brownie...about 15 minutes before supper! (sssshhhhhhh! Her mother would flip! LOL)

One of those "aunt" things you can do since ya send 'em back at the end of the day anyway! Haha

McDonalds is of course the choice of supper...which thrills mom to death yet again. Not always but there are many hours of entertainment to be had at a play place when there are happy meal toys involved!

This is Maggie and Sammy...they are rocking out to the lastest songs from Francesca Battistelli. This is the calmest picture I could find, as usually rocking out involved a lot of dancing and shouting!

Josiah is in this picture "ooo"ing and "ahhh"ing over all of the army trucks at Jefferson Barracks, where I drill with the reserves. The only reason my nephew thinks I am so cool is because I have army stuff! LOL I love his face when I show up with cool stuff, like an MRE fork (just a plastic one, but its army which of course means that it is way cooler than any other one!)

Sam and Kate are helping bake cookies. Or I guess I should really say they are baking the cookies, since everyone knows that licking the beaters is the most important task of baking!

For some reason the car always looks like this (or worse) when we are heading back towards home. Sodas, candy, chips, and toys are usually to be found somewhere...but not always!

...and though it isn't required, for some reason they all look a little like this on our way home. I always feel the same way and ask one of them to drive, but they never seem to think that is a good idea...wonder why?

More than all of these fun things though, I want these children to know their aunt as someone who loves God and helps others. We might not always be out and about, having a "fun" day, but I want them to know that even in the every day drudgery chores you can have fun. I try to remind myself in my sometimes busy "adult" life that showing them adults have fun too is important. So if they want to dance around the living room in their pj's listening to the Beach Boys sing "Barbara Ann" for the 15th time, I am gonna do it with them (given I have enough breath to last that long!) because time spent is more important in the scheme of things than my "business".

I love you Kiddos! We have had some amazingly fun times together, and I know that we will have many more! I wish I could show you how much each of you mean to me, but that would be impossible! Stay close to Jesus because He is always close to you, even when I am not. All my love, Aunt Erin

DISCLAIMER: All of these event did not happen all in one day, so you other moms who read my blog need not be too upset with me!

Wedding Shower - Bethel Style

This is my closest family that isn't related to me at all. They are my church family. These ladies have watched me grow up from elementary school to now my wedding shower. They have been encouragers, prayer warriors, mothers, and friends to me throughout life's trials and blessings. I love them all dearly and was so blessed to be able to share a day with them.

This was my cake...so cute I thought!

We ate snacks, talked, played a few "shower" games...

...and I opened presents.

 Thank you to everyone who added to Brian and I's household! We are truely blessed to have so many that want to help us in our new lives together!

The shower was put together by two ladies that I look to for guidance and as examples of what Godly women should be, Dawn Kingston and Ellen Turner. Both have had a huge influence on my life, more than they will ever know. I love you both and hope that I will have the same impact on the next generation that you have had on me. Thank you! 



"my" ring

As I wrote to you when I first got engaged, Brian wanted to use the engagement ring that his father gave his mother. Momma Vickie was kind enough to allow us this pleasure. This week I was able to get it sized and it fits perfectly.

As I wear it on my finger, there is one thought that I continuously utter in prayers to my Heavenly Father...to add to my life the character traits of my mother-in-law. She is an amazing woman, who was continuously faithful to her wedding vows. Her patience and strength in the face of many great trials throughout life is an example that I want to learn from and follow. She would rather be behind the scene working than have even the smallest spot light on her. (She would hate me writing about her this way)
I pray that the Lord will use her in my life to mold me into the woman that her son needs and the person that the Lord wants me to be.

apple pickin'

I love fall....so many things to do that no other time of the year will allow.

Being burried in the newly harvested corn.

Petting and feeding the goats.

tasting each apple to make sure its just right...then setting it down and moving onto the next.

Bouncing in bounce houses.

Climbing trees

To find more apples...or better ones!

Sliding down slides.

Yet another blow up bounce house. This time with a big slide that usually creates the look Josiah has on his face.

Playing on the play ground.

This cool little teeter-totter is an airplane that someone can sit in and drive too!



Eating outdoors. Nothing like packing a good lunch of chicken nuggets and pickles. After, of course, a feast of apples during the pickin' process.

And of course the adults have to have fun too...

Don't mess with a girl whose got a pumpkin!

I love having a family that values time spent together and doesn't have to spend a lot of money to have fun.

Wedding Cake

Yesterday, I went to Harps in Little Rock to order my wedding cake. I had expected to walk and look through some books and then tell them what I wanted. I was pleasantly surprised when the worker picked up the books and led me to a table. She sat me down and told me to begin looking while she got me some cake to taste. I was thinking...a small piece of cake or two...not even close.

Out she walks with this tray!










There were five kinds of cake and three kinds of icing to mix and match.

So I am sitting there looking through three-ring binders full of pictures of wedding cakes now eating this glorious cake and thoroghly enjoying myself, when I thought...poor Brian should be involved in the process of picking what will be his wedding cake too. (Yet another thing I love about him...he is actually interested in wedding plans and quite helpful with all the details!) So I text him a couple of pictures of different designs, so that he can help me with this decision. Of course, I can't help but torture him with a picture of all the cake that I am getting to try, not sure he appreciated that much (good thing he has a sense of humor!).

This is the one that we both liked. We changed up the details and colors a little, but you will have to wait until the wedding pictures are done to see all of those.