Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Santa
Parks and Marlee met Santa on Saturday for the first time. It was so exciting, and a really good experience...I was worried we weren't going to get there in time, because he was scheduled to head back to the North Pole at 1:00 and we pulled into the parking lot at about 12:56. It worked out perfectly because there was no line and since we were one of the last few, Parks and Marlee's wishes will be fresh on Santa's mind.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Horse Carriage Ride
We love St. Augustine!
We've been going to St. Augustine for years, so it was only right that the kiddos made an appearance down their during their first year. Grandma Deb had a big birthday celebration (I think it was 35??) so we went down for a quick trip, ate some amazing seafood, and smelled the salty air. It was such a great time and we did something new...we took a horse carriage tour through the old town, which was actually really interesting.
Fun Fact: Did you know that Ponce de Leon was only 4'11" and every person on his ship had to be 4'8" or shorter because he "didn't want to look up to ANYONE!"
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| The babies were SOOO good in the car. I was shocked and so proud. |
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| Sweet girl just watching the trees out the window. Awesome traveler!! |
Saturday, December 17, 2011
I copied Kim...and my friends came over
I've been suffering from a meal-planning-creativity-deficit lately. Luckily, I have clever friends who have made some yummy dishes that I can copy.
Tonight I copied a recipe for stuffed pasta shells from Kim's blog...and it turned out yummy. Definitely putting this on the short list (which is made up of EASY and QUICK recipes, my favorite kind).
Jess and Santy Claus:
Marlee loves Jessica:
Parks loves exploring the kitchen....
I actually took this picture AND stopped him before flipping over the dog water bowl...I'm quick!
Where are my eyes???? I L.O.V.E. Parks' smile here.
Awwwww....
Tonight I copied a recipe for stuffed pasta shells from Kim's blog...and it turned out yummy. Definitely putting this on the short list (which is made up of EASY and QUICK recipes, my favorite kind).
Jessica and Ed came to visit for the day, and they were brave enough to let me cook for them. It's always so fun hanging out with them...we just do normal things, nothing special. Actually, as soon as Jessica walked in the door, she started unloading my dishwasher. She rocks!! But really, we usually don't even plan anything, and it's just so easy. Mikey and Ed took their usual bike ride after pumping up the tires:
Jess and Santy Claus:
Marlee loves Jessica:
Parks loves exploring the kitchen....
I actually took this picture AND stopped him before flipping over the dog water bowl...I'm quick!
Where are my eyes???? I L.O.V.E. Parks' smile here.
Awwwww....
Friday, December 16, 2011
So proud of Lucy
My brother's sweet girlfriend, Lucy, is in P.A. school in Augusta. She is using her newly learned skills right now on a medical mission trip in Costa Rica (something she has been wanting to do for years)!!! We are sending lots of prayers her way, and so proud and excited for her. I know the Lord will use her in amazing ways, and I can't wait to hear how it goes. She is honestly one the the kindest people I've ever known...and I know the people she works with will be blessed to meet her.
Mikey and I are really hoping to go on a mission trip this year. Southside has a group going to Kenya this year and that region really stands out to me. I've felt a pull to do this since college, but FEAR (my nemesis) has been holding me back. I let satan creep in and convince me that I have nothing to share, or that I won't do any good...or, shamefully, that I don't have the time. I'm ready to get over those lies and it's such an exciting feeling to just think of the potential!! I am sure I will get more out of it than I give, and maybe that's selfish...but WHATEVER! It's time to stop thinking about it and JUST DO IT...I might even wear my Nike's. ;)
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| This was either just before our "homemade" Warrior Dash race or Patrick's graduation.... can't remember which. |
Mikey and I are really hoping to go on a mission trip this year. Southside has a group going to Kenya this year and that region really stands out to me. I've felt a pull to do this since college, but FEAR (my nemesis) has been holding me back. I let satan creep in and convince me that I have nothing to share, or that I won't do any good...or, shamefully, that I don't have the time. I'm ready to get over those lies and it's such an exciting feeling to just think of the potential!! I am sure I will get more out of it than I give, and maybe that's selfish...but WHATEVER! It's time to stop thinking about it and JUST DO IT...I might even wear my Nike's. ;)
Thursday, December 15, 2011
And a Walkin' Man Walks....He Just Walks on By...
A hypothetical destination, Say, who is this waliking man?
Walking man, walking man walks
Well, any other man stops and talks...
But the walking man walks
Monday, December 12, 2011
9 Months
Yes, it's true. My babies are 9 months old. They are the most precious gifts and I can't get enough of them....this age has been so much fun, sometimes I wish they could stay at this age for a while.
At 9 months, Marlee is:
> Size 3 diapers
> Size 9 month clothes> Sits up by herself
> Scoots around backwards on her belly, and gets up on all fours but hasn't quite figured out the crawling thing
> Eats 4 times per day (8, 12, 4 and 7:30...bed time at 8)
> Takes naps at 10 and 2 for about 1.5-2 hours each
> Drinks about 8 or 8.5 ounces per feeding and eats 1 jar of baby food and rice cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner
> STILL puts everything in her mouth
> Still no teeth
> Plays in the bouncy seat...but starting to prefer the floor where she can move around
> Laughs so hard at funny noises...sweet, soft laughs that are the greatest sound ever
> Sooo happy in the mornings> Has huge blue eyes
> Reaches out with her arms when she wants to be picked up
> Still loves her paci, but only gets it in bed and the car seat
> Says "da-da-da-da-da-da...." all day long :)
> Is so tough (way tougher than anyone else in our family)
> Has really strong legs. She can stand up forever if she has something to hold on to
> Favorite food: BANANAS!!
At 9 months, Marlee is:
> Size 3 diapers
> Size 9 month clothes> Sits up by herself
> Scoots around backwards on her belly, and gets up on all fours but hasn't quite figured out the crawling thing
> Eats 4 times per day (8, 12, 4 and 7:30...bed time at 8)
> Takes naps at 10 and 2 for about 1.5-2 hours each
> Drinks about 8 or 8.5 ounces per feeding and eats 1 jar of baby food and rice cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner
> STILL puts everything in her mouth
> Still no teeth
> Plays in the bouncy seat...but starting to prefer the floor where she can move around
> Laughs so hard at funny noises...sweet, soft laughs that are the greatest sound ever
> Sooo happy in the mornings> Has huge blue eyes
> Reaches out with her arms when she wants to be picked up
> Still loves her paci, but only gets it in bed and the car seat
> Says "da-da-da-da-da-da...." all day long :)
> Is so tough (way tougher than anyone else in our family)
> Has really strong legs. She can stand up forever if she has something to hold on to
> Favorite food: BANANAS!!
At 9 months, Parks is:
> Size 4 diapers
> Size 12-18 month clothes
> Crawls around so fast it's crazy
> Size 12-18 month clothes
> Crawls around so fast it's crazy
> Pulls up on everything and can stand without holding anything for a few seconds
> Eats 4 times per day (8, 12, 4 and 7:30...bed time at 8)
> Takes naps at 10 and 2 for about 1-1.5 hours each
> Drinks about 8 or 8.5 ounces per feeding and eats 1 jar of baby food and rice cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner
> Takes naps at 10 and 2 for about 1-1.5 hours each
> Drinks about 8 or 8.5 ounces per feeding and eats 1 jar of baby food and rice cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner
> Getting a little more hair (yay!)
> Still no teeth> Not very fond of the "stationary" toys anymore...would rather be on the floor to get into whatever he can find
> Loves opening and closing doors and cabinets
> Laughs so hard at funny noises...big, hearty belly laughs that are the greatest sound ever
> Sooo happy in the mornings
> Has huge blue eyes
> Reaches out with his arms and opens and closes his fists when he wants to be picked up
> Crawls through the house to find me when I leave the room (awww!)
> Sooo happy in the mornings
> Has huge blue eyes
> Reaches out with his arms and opens and closes his fists when he wants to be picked up
> Crawls through the house to find me when I leave the room (awww!)
> Says "ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma...." definitely becoming a big momma's boy (love this!) :)
> Favorite food: the kind we let him eat!!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
A night away
A couple of weeks ago Mikey and I spent our first night AWAY from the kids. It was actually easier than I expected it to be. Don't get me wrong, I definitely missed them, but I guess they are old enough now that I didn't have any worries or concerns. They stayed with my parents over night, and Mikey's parents came over and helped with them. I was confident they were in the best hands!
We left around 2:00 on a Saturday and went to Atlanta. We drove around, did some shopping, ate dinner, found another place for dessert, walked through a tattoo parlor (ha!), drove from little five points, to buckhead, to downtown to atlantic station...and then it was 7:00. :) We've officially forgotten how to take our time doing these things, as we've had about 9 months of practice rushing through stores, scarfing down food and wasting no time.
Later we checked into the hotel and got to watch some uninterrupted TV and R.E.L.A.X. It was glorious.
My only complaint is that I was WIDE AWAKE at 7:55am (the babies usually eat at 8). I had big plans of sleeping in until 10. Not this time, maybe next time.
We ended up coming home a couple of hours early because I couldn't stand being away from the kiddos much longer, but all-in-all, it was a great experience and so nice to just focus on my amazing husband for almost 24 hours. :)
We left around 2:00 on a Saturday and went to Atlanta. We drove around, did some shopping, ate dinner, found another place for dessert, walked through a tattoo parlor (ha!), drove from little five points, to buckhead, to downtown to atlantic station...and then it was 7:00. :) We've officially forgotten how to take our time doing these things, as we've had about 9 months of practice rushing through stores, scarfing down food and wasting no time.
Later we checked into the hotel and got to watch some uninterrupted TV and R.E.L.A.X. It was glorious.
My only complaint is that I was WIDE AWAKE at 7:55am (the babies usually eat at 8). I had big plans of sleeping in until 10. Not this time, maybe next time.
We ended up coming home a couple of hours early because I couldn't stand being away from the kiddos much longer, but all-in-all, it was a great experience and so nice to just focus on my amazing husband for almost 24 hours. :)
Friday, November 18, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
MaMaMaMaMaMaMa
Parks has started saying "MaMaMa....Ma" for the past few days. The first day it was only if he was crying or mad, but now he does it all day while he plays. Melting.My.Heart.
Also...I know I've been saying this for weeks, but he is SERIOUSLY about to crawl. If you have the patience to watch this entire video, you'll see him take a few steps forward (and a few steps back). :)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
8 Months!
Parks and Marlee are 8 months old...that's 2/3 of a year! They are so much fun and have enriched my life more than I ever could've dreamt. They are really getting to know and remember people. I stinkin' love these babies.
At 8 months, here is what Parks is up to:
> Size 3 or 4 diapers (sleeps in size 4 to try to prevent leaking)
> Size 12-18 month clothes
> Sits up by himself and can get onto his belly from sitting without a wipe-out
> Doing great on his 4 hour feeding schedule (8, 12, 4 and 7:30...bed time at 8...dropped the dream feed)
> Takes naps at 10 and 2 for about 1.5-2 hours each
> Drinks about 8 or 8.5 ounces per feeding and eats 1 jar of baby food and rice cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner
> STILL puts everything in his mouth as soon as he touches it
> Still no teeth
> Plays in his "Baby Einstein" and bouncy seat that hangs from the door frame...but prefers to be on the floor where he can move around
> Laughs so hard at funny noises...big belly laughs that are the greatest sound ever
> Sooo happy in the mornings
> Has huge blue eyes and a little bit more hair...but not much
> Reaches out with his arms when he wants to be picked up
> Gets up on all 4's and crawls....BACKWARDS ONLY. He can't go forwards at all, but is very efficient at moving across a room backwards. :)
> Is very "jolly"...especially in the morning
> Has a rough time in the evenings, but is getting better as we adjust to dropping the 3rd nap of the day
> Gets red cheeks when the temperature changes (dry skin)....Daddy calls him "Rosey"
> GREATEST THING EVER: after he sneezes, he lets out the longest sigh that lasts as long as his breath will make the sound. It's hilarious (hard to describe though).
> Likes most of the foods we've tried, but not a fan of clumps in his food
> Constantly chews on/sucks his bottom lip
At 8 months, here is what Marlee is up to:
> Size 3 or 4 diapers (sleeps in size 4 to try to prevent leaking)
> Size 12-18 month clothes
> Sits up by himself and can get onto his belly from sitting without a wipe-out
> Doing great on his 4 hour feeding schedule (8, 12, 4 and 7:30...bed time at 8...dropped the dream feed)
> Takes naps at 10 and 2 for about 1.5-2 hours each
> Drinks about 8 or 8.5 ounces per feeding and eats 1 jar of baby food and rice cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner
> STILL puts everything in his mouth as soon as he touches it
> Still no teeth
> Plays in his "Baby Einstein" and bouncy seat that hangs from the door frame...but prefers to be on the floor where he can move around
> Laughs so hard at funny noises...big belly laughs that are the greatest sound ever
> Sooo happy in the mornings
> Has huge blue eyes and a little bit more hair...but not much
> Reaches out with his arms when he wants to be picked up
> Gets up on all 4's and crawls....BACKWARDS ONLY. He can't go forwards at all, but is very efficient at moving across a room backwards. :)
> Is very "jolly"...especially in the morning
> Has a rough time in the evenings, but is getting better as we adjust to dropping the 3rd nap of the day
> Gets red cheeks when the temperature changes (dry skin)....Daddy calls him "Rosey"
> GREATEST THING EVER: after he sneezes, he lets out the longest sigh that lasts as long as his breath will make the sound. It's hilarious (hard to describe though).
> Likes most of the foods we've tried, but not a fan of clumps in his food
> Constantly chews on/sucks his bottom lip
At 8 months, here is what Marlee is up to:
> Size 3 diapers
> Size 9 month clothes
> Sits up by herself pretty good, but still needs a backup to save her from crashing once in a while
> On a 4 hour feeding schedule (8, 12, 4, 7:30...bed time at 8...dropped the dream feed)
> Takes naps at 10 and 2 for about 1.5-2 hours each and dropped the 3rd nap of the day
> Drinks about 7 ounces per feeding
> Still not a huge fan of baby food, but has a few things she loves...bananas, mangos, rice with apple juice mixed in
> Rolls around really well, and scoots backwards on her belly
> Puts everything in her mouth just like her brother
> Makes the funniest growl sound and LOVES when you growl back at her
> Sooo happy in the mornings
> Sleeps a solid 12 hours each night
> Loves watching people make facial expressions...is totally fascinated by the game we play when we look away and then look back at her real fast with a big smile
> Loves to grab mommy's face when she is eating
> Has beautiful big blue eyes
Parks and Marlee, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Play Date!!
Lauren, Dillon, Jenna and Jackson came over to have a play date with Parks, Marlee and me. It is so amazing to spend time with the girls I grew up with and all of our KIDS!!! Jackson and Dillon are just adorable, and they taught me a lot about how I need to baby proof my house for the coming months. haha!
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| Marlee passed out before the group picture |
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| Cutest thing EVER: When you ask Dillon a question and he doesn't know the answer, he does this.... |
Friday, October 28, 2011
Gimme S'more
The fall weather has been amazing lately. Our best buddies T&C (AKA Tony & Claire...ALWAYS KNOWN AS) spent a great evening with us sitting around a fire in our backyard and roasting some marshmallows. There is something so relaxing and necessary about spending some time around a fire.
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