Frozen.

So today-it snowed! Like for real 4 inches of white powdery snow! We enjoyed it (bc we didn't have to leave our house) 

This was early-right when the snow started. Mississippians get stoked at flurries-so of course we hurried thinking this was it.

Mia loved it! She is just like Todd and Madyson.

She crawled and crawled and locked the deck.

We played for an hour-then we came in to warm up. 

About 2 hours later-we looked out and noticed-there was more snow! So off we went. 

Then---the fun ended and seriousness set in. Our neighbors had to walk to the schools (miles) to get their kids because the roads were gridlocked (that's a new word for me!)

Then a car hit a fire hydrant and exploded the pipes and created a sink hole!

People were leaving their cars on the road and just walking.

Boy was I glad-1)we homeschool 2)Todd decide not to work today 3) I have heat...and a fire place..and husband who will walk to the store to get milk because we used all we had making hot cocoa all day :/ 

Luckily! He got to the end of the street then remember his car was made for the snow! 

So we did some school

Snuggled and ate!

Now we are watching the news at all the people stuck on the interstate! Poor people! :( 

How have you survived the southern snow??

It's the junk.

This past weekend we headed back to Mississippi to participate in DNow weekend. DNow is a weekend geared toward 7-12 graders. They do some activities at the church then we spend 2 nights in a host home digging in to the word.

Todd hung out with the 7/8 grade boys and I had the 11/12 grade girls.

Now let me stop and be REAL...I was petrified. I teach first grade Sunday School. I lay the biblical foundation that the next years of teachers add too. I teach real stuff but it is not that hard because first graders are sponges (seriously) 11/12 graders have had time to question God-to experience real pain-and to wonder if they are even worth anything. I know. I remember how painful 11/12 grade was. So when I found out that was my group I prayed harder than I ever have over a task. I wanted God to use me. I wanted Him to speak whatever these girls needed to hear through me. Even if that meant being really REALLY open and honest-with a bunch of girls that I don't know.

So the weekend started on Friday-we pulled in to the church from Georgia 2 minutes before dinner started. Then we moved into worship with a praise band and the speaker was Bryant Bush-or more famously known as BB. Y'all-it was amazing. He started with 

And you could feel the light bulbs going off. Kids were opening their hearts and feeling And hearing God.

Around 9 we headed to the host homes where we sat and discussed life. These girls-these precious, precious girls are hurting. And my heart broke because 12 years later they are still dealing with the same issues I did but with Social media-it is a whole new level. We discussed insecurity, suicide, alcohol, sex, bullying, lack of parental support, anger....y'all on the outside-these girls look perfect. But on the inside it is pure pain. 

We (the girls,me and two other leaders) dug deep in the word. We talked about our experiences and what God does with people "like us". When you are a teen you feel so alone-I think it helped them to realize that so many people deal wih the same thing.

Saturday we woke up with small group time. Here our discussion lead to a conversation about the devil and how he takes our weaknesses and whispers them back to us feeding us the lies. We got to the church for lunch-then BB talked and what did he discuss-THE SAME thing. 

The theme of this weekend wa "called to greatness". It's okay to be Good-but God wants you to be Great. 

We did a missions scavenger hunt where we helped clean up our ministry campus, we had $100 to do whatever at Walmart with. Some groups paid for people's groceries-we met miss Evelyn -an 80(something) year old who just had knee surgery. We all felt the calling that she was our person. So we gave it to her to do whatever she wanted with. She was so precious.

Saturday night was a huge-God night. The kids begin to open up with each other about their struggles. Guys telling girls that they need their support to stay focused on GOD and not on the girls. (This opened a huge discussion on modesty which was great) BB asked the kids to join groups and pray-my girls came to me and we prayed-My girls felt God-some of them for the first time. And it was awesome to be a part of.

When we got back-they were all talking about how they don't want this feeling to end. And I knew it was time for God to speak through me. I simply told them-"all you feel in God-He is with you all the time. You are just surrounded by Him now. You have only listened to Christian music for 48 hours, you have opened your bible and read more than 3x each day, you are feeding your soul with him. Once you remove the junk from your life-you feel this all. The. Time" 

Crazy-because I had never thought about that myself. How often have I said to myself "I am so busy". And in my busyness I have not surrounded myself with God?? More than I want to admit. But that was a lesson-He needed me to hear. 

Sunday we had breakfast at the church-then BB spoke again. 

Then we headed to my parents to get ready to leave to go back to Georgia.

About an hour before we left-madyson had a freak bike accident.

Which left her in lots of pain. We iced and elevated the foot-but an hour later ended up in the ER-

She had X-rays and 4 doctors-and finally it was determined she had a crush injury to her heel and a broke fibula. She is in a half leg cast and we are so thankful it wasn't her head! 

She is feeling great-no pain! (Praise God!)

She is on crutches for atleast 4-6 weeks!

All in all this weekend was one for the books!

Get to know ME-

I write a lot about the girls-and house stuff-and projects-and God. Which are all great things. But I rarely write about the subject I know the most about...myself.

I have shared some of my testimony in past post-but I find with each age of life I change-I am 29.5 and I am creeping closer to 30. I am actually excited-because I am ready for a new decade. 

I have spent the 20s growing. Learning. Becoming a grown up. Never did I imagine I would have gone through so much in my 20s.

Do you remember Friends? The season where Ross and Emily fell apart and he was "almost 30, divorced for the 2nd time, evicted from his apartment...and his boss ate his turkey sandwich with the moist piece of gravy soaked bread in the middle??" Dude couldn't catch a break-and I feel like that as I look back over my 20s.

Here at this point in my life-I have discovered the extrovert Sarah also has an introvert side. I would love to spend a day alone, at home, watching girly movies, eating Oreos, under the quilt...with design magazines.

I adore-ADORE cats. But i haven't found one that I love since my childhood cat "popcorn Katie cat". She was amazing-smart-loving...and my mom ran over her. No cat has lived up to her legacy. 

I am a caffeine lover. I can give it up if I am pregnant. But I love coffee in the am-a coke during Ellen-and tea with dinner.

Speaking of pregnant. I wish I was good at it. I would have a gizzilion babies if I could birth them without Csections. But I am thankful for Csections-it saved my life and madysons life and has helped my stomach get cuter each time :) 

On the same topic of babies-I never wanted more than 3...but now having Mia-I keep telling Todd "someone is missing". I don't know if that's the mommas heart of our lost baby or someone really missing but 4 could be a possibility...maybe we will revist adoption here in Georgia.

My favorite show is Castle. It is the only show Todd and I watch together.

I do not watch movies or shows that have bad language.

The bad language is something that I tend to "pick up" when I am around it. And I have been working over the last few years to erase this from my life. So if I don't watch it-it helps.

I love food. I don't eat Duck, pheasant, quail, or squirel-makes my stomach do crazy things. Other than that-I will atleast try it. 

My favorite color is blue. Robins egg blue. And I like navy as a close second.

I usually wear Toms-everyday. I have 6 pair-and all my girls have them as well. No real reason-I just like the way they feel. 

I believe that most of the adults that were apart of "my village" growing up would say they did not expect me to grow up and become the person I am. That is the truth-and the proof-that God takes all sinners and will forgive you and let you be new.

I dream to live a simply life. Like-1600 sq foot cottage-with land to garden and have chickens.

I never wanted to be a breast feeding, homeschooling, baby wearing, stay at home mom. EVER. EVER. But I have learned-when you tell God yes-you do a lot of things you wouldn't expect.

I don't like to pay full price for things. I also have serious buyers remorse when i buy something new. Usually-it goes back to the store-or sent back.  If I get a gift card I usually can make it last 3-9 months. The one thing I want is the ivory ruffle bedding from Anthropologie. I am saving change to buy it-1.5 years and I still don't have it because I get close to the total and then back out because I am not sure I can justify it.

When Todd asked me out-I told him no. I also explained I am a bad girlfriend. So he dropped it. 2 months later we were married. I love watching him tell this story.  

I also love him in his glasses-soft tshirts-trimmed beard-and dark jeans ;)

I want my long, red hair back. I always cut it off and regret it.

My most proud moment in the past year was when Aubrie Kate said, "I want to be a momma like you". 

Music is a lot of people's therapy. Truth-I don't "Vibe" that way. I am more of an internal thinker-candles and bubble baths are my therapy. 

My favorite movie is Mary Poppins. Very close Second, Father of the bride 1&2. 

I dislike cold-and really hot. I am a 68 degree girl.

I read cookbooks like they are novels.

I hate driving.

My Aunt Elsie makes a coconut cake that reminds me of childhood. 

If we have another girl her name would be Eloise, Eliza, or Savannah. Her middle name would more than likely be Ann, Jean, or Evelyn. My 3 favorite older women in my family. We've been prepared for this since the day Mia became a girl. 4 girls just seem like our forte.

I don't like scary movies. This became huge since I've been married-don't know why. I use to love them-but now can't watch them.

I am a paper planner. Computers aren't as efficient as a notebook and pen.

Dream car: 60s VW in blue. White leather interior. 

That's me-in a post. :)  

Another week in the peach state.

We survived another week in the "peach state". (I am not sure If that's what Georgia is really called but there are a lot of peach references...so I'll go with it)

I scored this table for the eat in kitchen area for $29 at Goodwill. (Hollar)

It's going to get a rug and some paint and then I'll update ya!

We got all the tacky wallpaper off the dining room wall...

We ate at the .99 cent taco truck. It is legit. Super authentic and delicious. And did I mention .99?!?!

We met a new neighbor-who brought flowers and a gift card to publix! ( I am loving publix)

We have been church searching-and boy that's a whole post in itself. Lots of great places-just waiting for God to put us where he needs us.

We also have been teething. 

This precious nugget is getting a full grill of pearly whites at the same time.

Cure for teething? Chocolate graham crackers. (Secrets in the sauce)

And for this week-Georgia weather is getting drunk.

Sun, snow,sun, snow....

And today we started (home) school. And we all survived. 

Here's to some more school, snow, and hopefully sleep. 

that time when....

The other night I was lying in bed, trying to get some sleep (finally) when my sweet California Momma facebook messaged me..."what happened to your blog?"

Instantly, I sat up, hit my handy dandy "Broadus Bunch" icon and sure enough-It. Was. Gone.

I jumped out of the bed, ran to the computer -and logged into my dashboard-the blog was still there....when I hit "View Blog" nothing.

So I cleared cookies...(because that's what google said to do) and nothing

I checked to make sure all domain accounts and such were up to date...they were...

and still....nothing.

Days and Days went by.....and Thebroadusbunch.com was not coming back to me.

I was devastated. Horrified. depressed.

See-this space is more than me telling some stories-its how I keep up with our life-words/struggles/God given days that I want my girls to know about LONG after I am gone.

I had backed it up....but then I remember I had my computer wiped right at Christmas and didn't get a chance to backup the backup.....

After four days of trying-I decided to do the unthinkable. Delete the blog. Maybe this was God saying, "Quit living in your rear view mirror".Focus on the journey I have placed before you...." Then I had a moment, a quiet moment where I thought to myself...."Just try it"

So I created a new blog...and imported the old blog post...maybe it would work...maybe it wouldn't...

Well-It did!!!

We lost our domain "thebroadusbunch.com" that we own for the next 2 years....and nobody at the hosting site can explain to us what happened. But that's okay. and with that means we lost our readers-because I can not post a "we've moved" post.
But in the long run-that's okay too. I have my stories. and I have backed them up and uploaded them to be printed into books.

So here we are-Please continue to follow our journey here. Hopefully we will work out our domain issues and have it associated with this blog soon.

Thanks so much!

New house /love/dilemma

Note: I am not a decorator. I have a crazy style and I have a hard time conforming to the way things should be done. I love weird pieces -bright colors- and mix match furniture. I like to use common things in strange ways and well-I like for my guest to say-"it's comfortable here". So with all that in mind-let me introduce you to the big room.

This is the main area upstairs-we have a huge open floor here with this living area (with fire place )

Tons of windows and it adjoins the kitchen and dining area. This room alone is 20.3 feet long. 

And the ceiling is really high up there! 

So over the next few weeks this is project 2 (after the dining room) any ideas are appreciated! 

So far in 2014---

Well we are officially "in" 2014 and the year is...cold so far. 

Today the wind chill in Atlanta is zero. Ohhhhh snap.

So we are doing a lot of "settling in". 

We are unpacking-and snuggling-and just getting acquainted with our new home.

If you are on Instagram you can follow daily updates Of our move with the hashtag #broadusbunchmove

Hopefully by February I will be able to share a full house tour with you.

But for a sneak peak...here is the one room that is finished at the moment. 

This is our family room in the basement. Also down here is the girls room-bathroom-Todd's man cave/office and the unfinished guest room. 

My big project is the dining room-it had some...not broadus style wallpaper in it so we removed that-we will be painting and I am also doing a new set up furniture wise! I can't wait to share that!

Here is the before picture. 

Our other big project is preparing for our new school adventure. We are homeschooling this semester while we adjust to the transitions of our new life. I will do a whole blog post once we are into school but we are busy developing our plan-lessons-and all that jazz.

Mia and Minnie have been doing some settling in as well. They have enjoyed snacking...

....snuggling...

....and escaping to play in "their" room.

That's about the just of our first few days of 2014! Are you up to anything fun?

Happy 10 month Mia Margaret

Happy 10 month birthday Mia Margaret!! 

You are creeping into your final months before you are one! 

You had a big month! You now have 4 teeth! Finally!! And with these teeth comes a new favorite food-cucumbers. You love to eat them. And behave so well when you are!

You also love pizza, pasta, and apples. And broccoli. 

You took your first plane ride and did excellent. You are a terrible car rider so I was a bit nervous but you slept or played the whole time!

You went to Disney!! And you loved it!! You kissed all over Minnie Mouses nose!

And you adored Cinderella! 

You adore your sisters and you want to be wherever they are doing whatever they are doing. And most of the time they let you. 

We have officially moved to Georgia and you are doing very well adjusting! You like your new room and enjoy exploring!

However-you also do a lot of this-if Mommy is not holding you. I blame it on the closeness we had the last month but since we are home-I am hoping it stops soon.

You are still nursing right before bed but you are slowing transitioning to a sippy from a bottle-you love to drink like a big girl...as long as you aren't tired. 

We love you very much Mia!!