Mundane to Miraculous

(Insert music to Sunrise, Sunset)

2010-08-28T16:41:00.000-04:00

Just had to upload a few pictures of this sweet little man to the blog. Being the big 4 (Almost 5!) boy that he is, there is just no time to stop for a picture. The AH-mazingly talented Avery Davis took these for us a couple of months ago. You will be seeing a lot of these images for a while on the blog. I'm trying to space all the goodness out!

Jackson starts pre-K next week and he is super excited. Me? Not so much. Life is moving quickly, possibly a little too quickly for this mama. I'm a tad bit nostalgic that this time next year he will already be in kindergarten. I feel as though I have one more year to give him the firmest foundation possible before he is out in the world. (As much as a 5 year old is out in the world, but you get what I'm saying, right?) I just want to soak up every second of this next year. I'm sure once he is in school, time will fly by even more than it already does.

What's that you say???

2010-08-25T08:01:00.005-04:00

Ace is 19 months old as of this past Sunday. Holy Moly. We're getting close to 2 and that is just crazy to me.

Little Acey man has quite the vocabulary, and since I use this blog as a sort of baby book I want to record some of these words.

- "Thigh! Thigh!" (translation: outside!)

- "eyesh" (translation: eyes or ice)

- "bye" (translation: of course it is bye. he says it with the greatest southern accent.)

- "ooouuff" (translation: off)

- "was aaat?" (translation: what's that. this could be his most favorite phrase.)

- "bawuul" (translation: ball. again, said with the most amazing southern drawl!)

- "mine" (no translation necessary. with an older brother, he had to learn this one quickly!)

- "ah oh" (translation: I've done something I shouldn't have! Come and fix it, Momma!)

These words are some of the most common, every day words that he uses. He also knows all of the members of our family (momma, daddy, jack jack, j.d.). He also uses a lot of signs and cues to let us know what he wants. He is quite the little talker. He is constantly "saying" something, even if he is the only one who can understand it!

Playing catch up!

2010-08-20T08:41:00.006-04:00

We've had a fun and busy summer. I am most definitely looking forward to fall. I'm ready for cooler weather, Jackson's school to start back, and all of our activities that we attend starting back up. Here's a few pictures of what we have been up to!

Ace and his new obsession: shoes. He loves trying them on, hiding them (my favorite yellowbox flip flops in particular), carrying them around, etc. He is also demonstrating another one of his favorite things in this picture; cheesing for the camera. As soon as he sees a camera he starts saying, "teeeeeese". (Cheese!)

Painting/ eating paint. Thank goodness it is non-toxic! Jackson and Ace have kept me supplied with new art this summer!
Taking a bath in Nana's sink is a must while you're still small enough. I will have to find the picture I have of Jackson at this same age in the same spot!

A shot of why Kyle is hands down, the most fun Daddy. Ever. Who knew a commercial leaf blower can provide so much entertainment???

We've had some sweet friends over for play dates. Here are Reagan and Jackson making homemade pizza's for lunch.
More than anything else this summer, I have enjoyed just hanging out with my family. We know how to have a good time together, and I love that!

Brown Eye Boy

2010-07-02T12:00:00.000-04:00

Summer Days

2010-07-01T15:39:00.010-04:00

Today was a little cooler here. (Think 88 degrees. That is almost frigid to what it has been!) So I decided that the boys and I should enjoy some outdoor time. We had a little picnic and played, played, played at the park! We had the entire park to ourselves, which was so nice!

Beach Trip 2010

2010-06-29T13:14:00.010-04:00

We headed down to the gulf the last week in May. It makes me so sad to think that it may be our last trip there for quite some time. I LOVE the gulf. The day we left was the day that oil was starting to reach the shore in Pensacola. We had a great time, and I'm so glad that we were able to get away for a week in the sun and sand!

Another day, another milestone!

2010-04-30T09:00:00.001-04:00

I decided to give Ace a cup without a lid today... and he did GREAT! As great as any 15 month old could, of course! I put a small amount of milk into a plastic cup, and he only spilled the tiniest bit. He will by no means be drinking out of a cup primarily, but I think it would be fine while he is in his highchair! Way to go, Ace! You're getting so big!

Is this thing on???

2010-04-29T11:06:00.003-04:00

So, it's been a while. I have had all kinds of good intentions of posting various things. Trust me, I have enough adorable pictures of the kids to fill up a million different posts. But for some reason, I have just been a little intimidated by the whole blog thing lately. Does that happen to anyone else?

I suppose it is due to the fact that I think my life is pretty cut and dry. I don't have a lot of witty things to say, or not much drama to report. So I start to think, what is the point? Does anyone really want to see more pictures of my kids or a unbelievably boring take on "favorite things" which is mostly products everyone has already tried.

So, I'm starting fresh. I have a little different outlook on this old blog. It's not that I was in it for the readership before. I just kind of got bogged down in the fact that no one wants to see the same thing every day. But now I'm viewing this as my scrapbook. I want to journal about my kids and document their lives through my perspective. And if no one reads or comments, it's ok. My plan is to print the blog out at the end of the year and this will be their photo albums/ baby books/ scrapbooks, etc.

And if you want to comment, that is great! =) If not, that is ok too!

So here we go with a new mindset! And to start off, here are the world's cutest little boys. It's my blog; I can make that statement!

I've got a monkey on my back.

2010-03-02T16:08:00.003-05:00

Beth Moore rocks my world

2010-02-09T09:37:00.002-05:00

I am so blessed to be in a weekly Bible study program called Community Bible Study, aka CBS. This is an international program, and I HIGHLY recommend finding this in your area and attending if you are able. A few weeks ago in class, we were discussing the fruits of the spirit. Our leader asked us to think about what fruit we needed to work on. One lady spoke about how she was always working on self control with her family. How she was generally a pretty patient person, but God had showed her that she needed to have more self control with her children and husband. This hit me right between the eyes. Another woman spoke about the same thing. She said that God had been showing her that being a wife and mother was her job and that she had to work harder on self control with her family. Wow... again.

Before this, I had always thought about self control as a physical thing. Like diet and exercise. And trust me, I could use a big dose of self control in that area too. But as those wonderful women showed me, self control goes farther than that.

How about I use a little self control in the mornings when my kids decide it is time to get up at 5am? Some mornings I huff out of the room making as much noise as possible because I think my husband should be up if I have to be.

Hello, Sarah. You are a mother to two small children. That is your job. Show some self control.

And what about showing some self control when you speak to your kids? Don't get irritated when Jackson has said "momma" about 168 times before it is even 7am. SELF CONTROL.

So needless to say, I've been working on the self control. And as per His usual, when God is working on something in me, he gives me a bazillion reminders. I read this on Beth Moore's blog this morning.

"My devotional time this morning was spent on the subject matter of anger. I thought to myself how life offers one opportunity after another to get hopping mad about something...or, more often, toward someone and what kind of price we pay. What kinds of words we say. Proverbs 16:32 (NET) says, "Better to be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior, and one who controls his temper is better than one who captures a city." Let's quit blaming our hormones and our husbands and our workplaces and just bring our anger problems before God. Let's tell Him what we're mad about, repent for our reaction to it, ask Him to tend to us, heal us, free us. And, if the situation or relationship continues to be irresistibly, understandably infuriating, may He teach us how to refrain from sin in our anger until we can be loosed from it altogether.
For those of us who don't have one of those monumental, overwhelming reasons to be angry and we're just temperamental, irritable, and summarily lacking in self-control, sometimes it's just the matter of making a choice. As my grandmother used to say, we can get glad in the same clothes we got mad in.
Or, then again, we could just change clothes and see if that would help. One way or the other, it's time to get over it."

See that part right there in red? Yeah, that was straight to me. Thanks, Beth. I needed it. I don't have any reason to be angry. I am just easily irritated. And as Beth said, I can make a choice to not be that way. And I choose to do that, one situation at a time.

Sarah's Simple Pleasures

2010-02-03T13:08:00.002-05:00

-The smell of hot pavement after an afternoon thunderstorm.
-Family dance parties
-When my hydrangea starts having blooms
-A clean house
-Cuddles from my sweet boys
-When Jackson tells me he loves me, for no reason at all
-The way Kyle smells
-Swimming
-Warm days at the park
-Spending an afternoon with my mom
-Pedicures
-Gardening, and being able to harvest
-Finding an unreal bargain
-Fresh, clean, sheets on the bed
-Open windows
-Summertime drives at dusk
-Waking up to birds chirping
-The smell of the beach & sunscreen
-Cooking something my family loves
-Fresh cut grass
-Someone commenting on how cute or well behaved my kids are
-Making silly plans for the future with Kyle

It cannot be...

2010-01-21T23:37:00.004-05:00

Ace,

Happy 1st Birthday!!! As I type, the memories of the night you were born flood my mind. That night, knowing how I loved your big brother, I knew for sure that I would love you. I knew you would be darling. I knew that I would think you were the cutest thing that ever graced this earth. I knew you would be precious to your Daddy and me.

But I just didn't know how much. You have far exceeded anything I could have ever imagined. You have enriched our lives so much. Your spunk and personality keep us laughing. "Laid Back" is not a phrase that many would associate with you. You are constantly into something, constantly moving, constantly exploring. Life is an adventure everyday with you! You bring such joy to us, and to everyone who is around you.

I love, love, love you. I am so happy to be your Momma.

At 12 months you are:
*Walking. You started taking your first steps at 11 months, and it is old hat now. I love to watch you wobble around. SO CUTE!
*Babbling up a storm. You are constantly "saying" something. You try your hardest to convey what you are thinking. The only real words that I think you say are "mama", "dada", and "bugga". "Bugga" being for Jackson.
*You don't use the word "no", but you shake your head from side to side when you don't want something.
*You love to read books, play with anything your brother is playing with, and explore anywhere in the house.
*You love music and dance all the time.
*You can have a temper at times.
*I love you even when you have a temper =)
*You, along with your brother and father are still the lights of my life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Goodbye 2009, Hello & Welcome 2010!

2009-12-27T19:05:00.010-05:00

Happy New Year, y'all! I don't know about you, but I am welcoming 2010 with open arms. I am so excited to see what God is going to do this year.

I saw this "annual review" on Kelly's blog and thought it was such a great way to reflect on 2009 and think about what I want to change in 2010.

FIVE THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR IN 2009:

1. 2009 brought along this little fella'! I love him more than life itself and couldn't imagine the world without him!
Bennett Ace is one of the biggest joys of my life. I'm blessed beyond compare to get to watch him grow and learn everyday! It blows my mind that he is about to turn a year old! And he's got a new trick...
He isn't an exclusive walker yet. But he is very, very close. It is so cute to watch him learn a new skill and see how proud he is of himself!

2.I was blessed to see this "big" boy become a brother this year. Talk about amazing!

Jackson Kyle is hands down, the most doting big brother that I have ever seen. Jackson had no problems adjusting from life as an only child. He just made it so easy for us! I should have figured, though! Being an adaptable, easy, sweet child is par for the course for him! Jackson is funny, quick as a whip, observant, and charming. Life is better because of him!
3. And the two little blessings above would not be possible without this man!Kyle, my soul mate, my partner, my constant, my own personal comedian. Kyle works so hard everyday to provide for our family. He carries on his shoulders everyday that he is responsible for our well being, and does so beautifully. He comes home from work and turns into super dad. He gets down and plays with the boys and helps me with all the evening routine stuff. Our boys are so blessed to have Kyle as a father and role model. And I am blessed beyond measure to have him as my husband!
4. I am so thankful for God's provision. Kyle is a landscaper and his main line of income is from home maintenance. With as many people who lost their jobs in this area, I would have imagined it would have had a bigger hit on our family. Yes, we lost customers, but God has provided. God has also given Kyle a huge talent for what he does, and I am so thankful for that as well!

5. I am thankful for our family and friends. They make life so much sweeter. I know I hit the jackpot when it comes to parent's and in law's. They love my children and spoil them rotten, just like grandparents should! Our parents bless us with help whenever we need it and I hope someday I can do that for my children. Our extended family is beyond amazing and we have the best group of friends that anyone could ask for!

FIVE THINGS I WANT TO IMPROVE IN 2010:

1. First and foremost, I want to have a consistent time with Jesus daily. I failed big time with this in 2009. I have tried to excuse myself because "I have two small kids" and "I'm busy". Blah, blah, blah. I find time everyday to check blogs, facebook, twitter, etc. I think I can find time to sit quietly before the throne. I need this so badly!
2. Coordinating with the above, I want to be aware of how much time I spend on my computer and cellphone. I know it is a lot of time. Time away from my husband, kids, and my responsibilities. I am going to be more strict on myself about all the times I just sit down for 5 minutes and check FB or blogs. All those little 5 minute breaks add up. My kids are growing much too quickly and I don't want to look back and think that I wasted my time on the computer while they needed me.
3. As cliche as it may be, I want to lose weight. I have a very long way to go, but I feel ready for it. I would like to lose about 60lbs. I know it is a lot, but I'm breaking it up into 20lb increments. I'm giving myself a realistic goal of 10 weeks for the first 20lbs and then I'll go from there. It is so much more than just wanting to lose weight to look good, it is to be healthy.
4. I want to be much more purposeful with my time. I recently wrote out a schedule for my days, and am hoping that this will be a helpful tool in keeping my goal.
5. I want to continue our goal in becoming financially free. We very loosely started Dave Ramsey's plan last year, but I would really like to kick it in full throttle in 2010. Kyle and I don't have a lot of debt (any longer), but I would really like to wipe it out and start on our nest egg!

5 WAYS I WANT TO GIVE AND HELP OTHERS THIS YEAR:

1. This could also go under the "improve upon" category, because we as a family have never been great about tithing. Just being honest, here. I love to talk like I trust the Lord to provide for us, but then I hold onto our money with a tight fist. Kyle and I have to make some changes in this area.
2. Kyle and I recently went back to teaching a nursery class. I want to continue with this throughout the new year. I feel that since we have kids that partake in the wonderful children's ministry, it is our responsibility to volunteer.
3. I want to be a help to others in my every day life. Wherever, whenever. Sometimes it is easier to just ignore when you see someone out that has a need. Please Lord, guide me and give me a passion for others.
4. I'm not sure how to go about this one, but I would like to get into some sort of ministry for parents who have babies in the NICU. Having spent time in the NICU with both of my boys, I know the heartache and helplessness of having a baby there. Like I said, I'm not sure if that means starting a ministry on my own, or joining one that is already in place, but I want to figure it out!
5. I want to be a better helpmate to my husband this year. I know he carries so much stress owning a business, and I want to do whatever I can to take a little of that burden from him. He is such a help to me on a daily basis, I want to do the same for him.

And there it is, folks! I think it will be neat to go back to this from time to time in 2010 and see how I'm doing with my progress. I don't know what this new year holds, but I do know WHO holds it. I pray blessings for you and your families! Let's make it a good one!

We saw the big man

2009-12-09T20:21:00.000-05:00

Sign me up, please!

2009-12-09T14:19:00.002-05:00

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Unbelievable!!! Oh, this would just make my day!!!

9 & 10 Months

2009-12-08T09:35:00.002-05:00

Our little Acey man is 10 months old! I'm so behind on posting, so I'm combining his 9 month post in here as well. Better late than never, right???

Here is what the big man has been up to:
-Into everything! He has officially found the tupperware cabinet. He also loves pulling everything out of our bathroom drawers.
-Of course crawling like a madman, but can cruise now while holding onto furniture.
-Can stand unassisted.
-Although I'm pretty sure he has the skills, has no desire to walk.
-Shows no fear. Loves to be thrown in the air, loves to catapult himself off of furniture, etc. This is VERY different from Mr. Cautious, AKA Jackson.
-Starting to show dislike of certain foods. He doesn't care for anything that he can't feed himself.
-Loves spaghetti (see above picture) =)
-Showing signs of giving up his bottle. He still takes a bottle 3x a day, but usually only drinks about 4-6 ounces at each feeding. Sometimes less.
-His personality just shines through more and more each day. Ace is funny, likes attention, very tender hearted, likes to entertain, and very social.
-Sometimes he love naps, sometimes he doesn't. Right now we are in the loving nap cycle.
-Ace only has 4 teeth, but is working on 2 more.
-In Ace's 9th and 10th months he has had his first double ear infection, first stomach bug, first case of Bronchiolitis, and first cold.
-Sleeps from about 6:30-6:30. If he doesn't take a good afternoon nap will go down for the night even earlier.
-Usually wakes up once during the night.

Ace,

We love you so much! You and your brother bring so much joy to our lives every single day. I can't believe we are approaching your 1st birthday. Where has this past year gone? You are supposed to be my tiny baby! I say it all the time, but time passes too quickly. I pray every day that the Lord helps me savor this time with you. I know I may sound crazy for this, but I kind of love that you still wake up once during the middle of the night. But I think that time is so special for us. The house is silent and just you and me snuggle up and rock. You bury your little fuzzy head beneath my chin and I just sit there and breath in your fleeting baby scent. Too soon this time will be gone. The biggest achievement in my life is being "Mama" to Jackson and Ace Van Nus. I love you both more than I could ever type out on this silly blog.

XOXO,
Mama

Today...

2009-11-21T21:53:00.003-05:00

Today nobody threw up on me.

Today has been a good day.

Today my hands are burnt and rough from clorox.

Today has been a good day.

Today I didn't wipe up any bodily fluids off of the floor.

Today has been a good day.

Today we had popcorn and gatorade for dinner.

Today has been a good day.

Today I watched Elmo and Diego with my kids.

Today has been a good day.

Today I dispensed zero meds.

Today has been a good day.

Today I have yet to take a shower.

Today has been a good day.

Today we opened the windows to let in fresh, clean air.

Today has been a good day.

Today my kids took long naps.

Today has been a good day.

Today my house smells like lysol.

Today has been a good day.

Today the germs seem to be at bay.

Today has been a good day.

We're preventing rednecks here, one hair cut at a time

2009-11-15T20:34:00.007-05:00

Somebody got their first haircut this weekend. He was a little hesitant about the situation, but I assured him he did NOT want to be known as mullet baby in the preschool nursery at church.

And here is an after shot. He did really well, as good to be expected from a 9 month old! We didn't get too much cut off of the top. I just told the stylist to take off all the party that was going on in the back. Unfortunately, when the mullet left, so did a tiny little bit of his baby look. But, I didn't even cry, y'all. You should be proud!

Stats & Miscelany

2009-11-09T22:22:00.008-05:00

In a very crazy attempt to save myself from 2 trips to the Dr office, I scheduled Jackson's 4yo checkup with Ace's 9month checkup. It went smoothly, but only because my very intelligent mother knew I might need an extra set of hands and volunteered. Have I mentioned I love my mom??? She is such a blessing to me and everyone she knows.

Anywho, the boys did very well and got the A-OK from the doc. The appointment wasn't just a well checkup for both boys, because we all haven't been so well. Jackson and I had strep throat, and Ace has a nasty cold and ear infection. Jackson and I are very much on the mend. This has been the mildest case of strep that I have ever had and it seems to be the same with Jack. Ace, although in great spirits has been feeling pretty lousy. Poor baby, I hate it when my kids don't feel well.

The stats are as follows:
Jackson- 35lbs 3'4". 50% for both weight and height
Ace- 25.14lbs 30.5". GREATER than 95% for both weight and height (off the charts, literally)

I love how everyone tells me "He'll slow down once he starts crawling" or "He'll slow down when he starts pulling up". He's been crawling for nearly 4 months, y'all. He's been pulling up for about the same amount of time. Oh well, I love it. He's our little football player. Believe it or not, Jackson was nearly that big at 9 months. I'll have to pull out his records to confirm, but he was a big boy too.

I failed to post some halloween/ birthday party pictures. Since Jackson's birthday is so close to Halloween, we just had a costume party. Our awesome family and friends were not tardy for the party. (couldn't resist). Look at all the great costumes!

They say it's your birthday!

2009-11-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

Where are you going little one, my little one?
Where are you going, my baby, my own?
Turn around and you're one
Turn around and you're four

Turn around you're a young man walking out of the door

Jackson,

Happy 4th birthday to my sweet, sweet boy. Your Daddy and I are just head over heels for you. You bring pure joy to our lives. Your sense of humor, intelligence, sweet spirit, and loving heart amaze us on a daily basis. I don't think I could ever explain to you just how blessed I feel to be your mother. You are growing into such a lovely little human being and I am so happy to have a front row seat to watch that happen.

I love you to the moon and beyond,

Momma

Hey Y'all, It's Halloween

2009-10-30T13:28:00.006-04:00

Paula Deen here, y'all. Or maybe it is just me, Sarah, dressed as Paula. Whatevs. We had a Halloween themed Bunco a couple of weeks ago, and this was my costume. I will also be attending a Halloween party tomorrow night dressed as the Lady. If I do say so myself, I think I make a pretty dadgum good Paula. I am linking up to Kelly's Halloween costume party. I haven't had the boys dressed up yet, but I will post some pictures of them soon!

Y'all didn't know Paula and Octomom were friends??? Well now you know. For some reason Octomom was sans kids in this picture. Probably makes the picture more true to life!
Happy Halloween, from my kitchen to yours!!!

Thanks pal!

2009-10-19T12:00:00.001-04:00

A new blog friend of mine gave me this sweet award! Thanks so much Jennie! Jennie's blog is my new favorite find. I love her sense of humor, and her writing style is divine.

So, in following with the rules of the award, here are 10 honest things about me:

1. At age 3, I stuck a bean so far up my nose my mother had to rush me to the dr. to have it retrieved. We were doing bean art in nursery that day. (Be forewarned, all you preschool teachers!)
2. I had an abnormal crush on Antonio Banderas when I was in middle school. This was the time of Hanson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and other various teen heartthrobs. And I had a crush on a middle aged Hispanic man. I think the crush stemmed from my obsession with the movie Evita. Yes, I've always been pretty strange.
3. I can usually associate any situation with a song, or a song lyric. I randomly bust out singing all.day.long.
4. I feel uncomfortable when I have possession of the remote control. But only when other people are around. If it is just me, it is going to be on Bravo, Food Network or TLC.
5. I have never visited the state of Texas, but for some reason I have always wanted to live there. Don't know where that comes from???
6. I was detained by the border patrol in Canada when I was in high school. We were on a mission trip in Michigan and we crossed the border to do a little shopping. Who knew that crossing international borders without ANY form of identification is not a good idea?
7. This toothbrush changed my life.
8. After a long love affair with the tv show Survivor, I think I'm hanging it up. This season is terrible! Whoever does their casting should be fired.
9. I went to the dermatologist the other day for some different issues and came out with my very first chemical peel. I'm getting old.
10. I have 2 tattoos. One I love, one I hate. The one I hate is on my foot and I plan on having it covered with something new in the near future.

I'm giving the award to:

*My sister in law, Sara
*And two old friends, Brittany and Cecilia

If you want to play along girls, here are the rules:

1. Say thanks and give a link to the one who gave you the award.
2. Share 10 honest things about yourself.
3. Present this award to 3 other fantastically brilliant blogs of content or design, or peeps that have encouraged you.
4. Tell those 3 people they've been awarded and make sure they're informed of these guidelines.

Thanks again, Jennie for the blogging material!

Welcome Back!

2009-10-18T19:47:00.002-04:00

Vacation was lovely, y'all. Everything a vacation should be. We played, ate, napped, sun bathed, swam, read, talked, and all that good stuff. But doesn't it always seem that when you come home life has piled up? You walk in the door and there it all is, just waiting for you. Truck problems, roof leaks, bills, and empty refrigerators don't care that you just got home from vacation. They need taking care of.

We also received some devastating news the day before we came home. Our sweet friends are going through a really tough time right now and I would appreciate if you could lift them up. The Father knows their needs and hurt right now. We're doing our best to be there for them in this time.

So, if I'm a little absent that is where I'm at. I'm catching up all the daily stuff around here and trying to spend some quiet time in my God's presence.

Vacation 2009

2009-10-13T08:46:00.021-04:00

Burt's 2009

2009-10-04T19:11:00.007-04:00

Sarah's Favorite Things- Kind of like Oprah, but really not at all Edition 2

2009-10-03T21:14:00.005-04:00

Our favorite thing for today is a place! Burt's Pumpkin Farm is one of my absolute parts of fall every year. Since Jackson was a wee little baby, we have been traveling to the north Georgia mountains to Burt's to pick out our pumpkin. To me, it is just a magical place. Here are pictures of our last 3 years at Burt's.

The inaugural trip. Jackson was about 11 months here. He didn't know what to think of all the bright orange things! This trip is permanently etched into my memory. Kyle and I had decided spur of the moment to head up to Burt's. It was a cool and crisp day and such a special time for our new little family. From that moment on, I knew that going to Burt's Farm would be a permanent tradition for us.
Here is Jackson's 2nd trip to Burt's. This is the year that our friends Andy and Leila joined in on the fun. They have now become part of the tradition. We all usually eat a big breakfast and then make the journey to the mountains. Jackson was almost 2 here, and I remember him running all over the place and saying "punkin"!
This was last year. I remember thinking that it would be our last year at Burt's as a family of 3. I was about 6 months pregnant with Ace. I'm so excited to introduce Ace to our family tradition!

Tomorrow morning, we will be traveling through the mountains, on a journey to find the biggest and best pumpkin. I don't even know if I can explain why this place is so special. Maybe it is because I love fall so much. Who knows. All I do know is that this place is not your typical pumpkin patch. They have hayrides, yummy homemade food, tractors, pumpkin puppet shows, and so much more. One thing that really struck me about Burt's is their love of Jesus. They have no qualms about talking about Him, and even incorporate him into their puppet show.

If you live in Georgia, please take my advice and make the trip to Burt's. You will not regret it!

And please come back soon to see the most recent pictures of our Burt's adventures!

Sarah's Favorite Things- Kind of like Oprah, but really not at all. Edition 1

2009-09-28T11:20:00.004-04:00

A lot of times, I run out of things to write about! My life is pretty cut and dry, as much as it can be with two small children. SO, I thought I would come up with a new installment for the blawg.

Introducing, "Sarah's Favorite Things- Kind of like Oprah, but really not at all". It will be kind of random, maybe some products, maybe some places, etc. Who knows! And please, if you have any favorite things, feel free to let me in on them. I'm a sucker for trying new products!

Without any further ado, here is my very first favorite thing!!!
Maybelline Lash Stiletto may be my new absolute favorite mascara! It really does give amazing length to your eyelashes. It is not the best volume builder, but I have a lot of eyelashes, they just aren't super long. If you're looking for volume, go elsewhere. I bought the waterproof version and it is very durable. It doesn't smudge, and at the end of the day I don't look like I have black eyes. It does come off easily when I wash my face with soap and water. LOVE THIS PRODUCT!

What is your favorite mascara???

Funnel Cakes are low cal, right?

2009-09-27T20:31:00.010-04:00

Ahhhh, weekends. I just love them. Our weekend was so full of family fun and very laid back! Friday night we headed out to our county's fair. We LOVE the fair in the Van Nus household. The people watching and food are the best! We partook in both. Jackson was getting into game mode in this shot.

This is the one and only ride that I was on that night. It kind of turned me off when the gentleman in charge of the ride had to literally give it a running start to get it going.

Here is Jackson's $10 dog that he "won". The dog is less than dollar store quality, but oh how he loves it!

Please excuse me for a moment, while my heart skips a beat. Love this man.

On Saturday, we spent the evening with family and friends watching the Georgia game. My beloved Dawgs are getting real good at cutting it close. But we had such a great time!!! Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures!!!

Sundays are my favorite day of the week. We got up this morning and had a great time of worship and then headed home for afternoon naps! Usually, I want my kids to take a long nap, but today I was just itching for them to wake up. The weather today was gorgeous! No rain (PTL), sunny, breezy and pleasantly warm! So after the kids woke up, we headed out to take a walk and play in the back yard. I was wanting to get some cute pictures of Ace in the grass, but he would have no part of it! He did not enjoy the feeling on his skin! So he sat on my legs and I got some pretty cute shots.

I could just eat him with a spoon. He was so happy to be outside after so many days trapped inside from the rain!

Ace and I sat and played while Jackson collected rocks all throughout the yard. This is one of his most loved passtimes right now!

And now, here we are! Sunday night with a new week waiting for us. I am so thankful for this precious time we have together. Hope y'all have a great week!

From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.
John 1:16

Show Us Your Life- Dessert Recipes

2009-09-25T00:00:00.001-04:00

Oh Kelly , you're speaking my love language. Unfortunately for me and my hips, I have a major sweet tooth. Not only do I have a sweet tooth, I really enjoy baking. Here are a couple of my favorite dessert recipes.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake:
2.5 C plain flour
.5 C self rising flour
1: 8oz block of cream cheese
3 C sugar
3 sticks of butter
6 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon flavoring

-sift together flours, set aside
-mix together cream cheese, sugar and butter
-add flour and eggs to cream cheese mixture, alternating
-mix in flavorings
-bake 1.5-2 hours in 300 degree oven, or until toothpick comes out clean

___________________________________________________

Pina Colada Cake

White cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can coconut milk (I usually can find this on the baking aisle, or with the mixed drink stuff)
Cool Whip
Flaked coconut

-prepare cake by box directions and bake
-as soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes over entire surface with fork
-mix together both milks
-pour over cake
-allow milks to soak into cake while the cake cools completely
-top with cool whip and flaked coconut
-refrigerate and serve cold

Happy Friday, y'all! Hope it is a sweet one!!!

8 Months

2009-09-24T22:07:00.005-04:00

Ace,

What feels like forever ago, I saw this one little word. One little word changed my life SO much. And now, you have been here with us for 8 whole months! Time is flying by too quickly, little boy. Here's what you are up to:

-Crawling, pulling up, into everything!
-Picking up every random little thing that is on the floor to put in your mouth. (I've been up to a lot of sweeping and mopping!)
-Teething! You are currently getting your 2nd top tooth.
-Refusing to take naps/ waking up in the middle of the night (Boo to this)
-Somehow managing to be the biggest charmer, despite the no nap situation
-Eating lots of table food. You pretty much eat a modified version of what we eat.
-You have learned that people think you are cute. You will stare someone down in the grocery store until they acknowledge you! And once they do, you give them the biggest grin.
-You are not too fond of being away from me. I think a little bit of separation anxiety is setting in.
So, here you are. One little word long ago, to such a sweet blessing in my arms today. I love you! Happy 8 months!

(Last photo is courtesy of Jackson! Quite the little photographer. Very artsy! Ha!)

The nerve.

2009-09-14T08:04:00.006-04:00

This is what I find every morning when I go get Ace out of bed. Ace pulls himself into standing position and yells at me until I come and get him.

And this is what Jackson is doing every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Ready to head out the door to get to school. He is eager to go every morning.
And this is one of Ace's favorite activities. Standing up, holding onto a box; pushing it so he can walk a little.

WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE? Could they please stop with all the growing? Jackson amazes me everyday with how much he is growing. He is so smart and talkative. His understanding of certain things just floors me. And Ace... Ace is turning from a baby to a toddler before my very eyes. He is crawling anywhere and everywhere. I have had to baby-proof the entire house. (And he still seems to find something he shouldn't have!)

Of course I am happy my boys are meeting all the appropriate milestones because it means they are here and healthy. But I can't seem to get a grasp on how fast it all goes by. I am so thankful that Jesus has entrusted me with their sweet little lives. This season of my life will be over so quickly. I know sometimes I get bogged down in the everyday stuff. The wiping of body parts, always being the human tissue, the times where all I say is "NO", the days that feel like all I get accomplished is cleaning the kitchen. But in between those mundane moments is the miraculous. The beautiful moments surround me. Like snuggles with my sweethearts, Jackson picking a flower out of the yard to give to me, and watching Ace develop a skill that he has worked so hard at. I love this life. But please, could time just slow down a little?

It's Diptastic!!! Apple Dip

2009-09-04T08:02:00.003-04:00

DO NOT let the name fool you. This recipe is not healthy. Although if you are from the same school of thought as my best friend, because you serve this dip with apples, it cancels all the bad stuff out!

This dip is an absolute family favorite around here. IT IS SO GOOD. We usually triple the recipe and eat on it for a few days. Enjoy! And thank you Boomama for hosting!

8 oz. cream cheese- room temperature
1/3 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
6 oz. Almond Brickle chips (like what is in a heath bar. You can find it in the grocery store close to the chocolate chips)

Mix the first 2 ingredients and let sit for 15 minutes. Mix in remaining ingredients and refrigerate. Serve with your favorite apples.

He's a maniac, maniac on the floor

2009-08-29T08:41:00.002-04:00

Ace can rock a pair of legwarmers!

Lucky # 7

2009-08-22T21:57:00.002-04:00

My little Acey man,

Happy 7 months, big guy! You are precious. Just look at that picture! This is the expression on your face 99% of the time. And if you're not smiling, I pretty much just have to call your name and I get it. What a sweet baby you are!

At 7 months you are:

*Eating all kinds of fun stuff. You eat all veggie and fruit purees. Outstanding favorites are applesauce & blueberries, green beans, sweet potatoes and carrots. I've started giving you some of the stuff we eat as well. You LURVE rice. That is a trait of from your Daddy, for sure.
*You crawl now! Your main mode of transportation is the army crawl, but you can get up on your hands and knees and do a bonafide crawl.
*You still take 2 naps a day. Bedtime is around 6:30 every night.
*You and your brother are best friends. It cracks me up to see you guys playing together.
*You are a very easy traveler now. This makes me SO happy. For the biggest majority of your infancy, you have hated the car. But now you're pretty much game for any trip.
*You love being outside. We can get quite a bit done out in the garage/yard with you in tow.
*You are getting your pincer grab down. You love sitting in your highchair and feeding yourself Gerber Puffs or Cheerios.
*You wave bye bye
*You will move up and down when we say "dance dance"
*Your favorite toys are anything you aren't supposed to have. I went to walmart and bought you your very own remote because you are constantly after ours. You will have nothing to do with it! I guess you know that your remote won't change the channels!

Oh Ace. I am blessed beyond belief to watch you grow and learn each day. We love you so much! (But you could slow down a little, ok?)

XOXOXO,
Momma

Wunnerful, Wunnerful, Wunnerful

2009-08-15T08:34:00.007-04:00

Lawrence Welk would be sooooo jealous. Oh wait, I'm guessing that most of my readership has no clue who Lawrence Welk is. And if you don't know who Lawrence Welk is, you probably really don't get the title to this post. Yikes. I suppose a little background is necessary.

Lawrence Welk is this dude.
He had a show in the 60's and 70's I believe. It was a variety show with singing, dancing, etc. He also pronounced "wonderful" as "wunnerful". Yeah, I wasn't born until 1983, so I should have no clue who this man is. But, as a little girl I would watch reruns on PBS with my Papaw. I LOVED IT. Which confirms what my husband thinks, I'm a very old person at heart. Ha! Lawrence Welk had a penchant for bubbles. They would come out dancing and the bubble machine would just be cranking out those bubbles! Here is why old Lawrence would be jealous:

Yes, that is my son, completely covered in bubbles. The more I look at these pictures, I'm pretty sure it is less like Lawrence Welk, and more like a night at Club La Vela. Not that I know anything about that, ahem.

Our friends, that just happen to live down the street, own a company that rents out these machines. Michael got a new machine and wanted to test it out. They were kind enough to let Jackson come play in all the bubbles. Jackson had such a great time! What kid wouldn't? You can check out Michael's website at www.snowmastersga.com.

So, Lawrence Welk, eat your heart out.

We've been hanging around...

2009-08-04T14:08:00.008-04:00

Sweet mercy, last week was crazy. Crazy, I tell you! Monday we had Ace's 6 month check up. His stat's are:
Weight- 21lbs 12oz (95%)
Length- 27.75 inches (75%)
Head- 18 inches (75%)

We've got a big boy on our hands. The doctor reassured me not to worry, that he was perfectly healthy and would more than likely slim down when he starts crawling. Which by the way, he is so close. 6.5 months and almost crawling. If he could figure out how to simultaneously move his arms and legs, he would be in business. I'm not rushing him along though. Once they start crawling, it is a whole new ballgame.

Back to our busy week... Tuesday I worked in the office. After not working a 9-5 for quite sometime, it really wipes me out now. I think back of working full time when Jackson was a baby and don't really know how I ever got anything done. Props to you working momma's. You are amazing.

And then Wednesday came! Our church changed up Vacation Bible School this year and held it very late. They also ran it from Wednesday to Sunday. It was different, but still the good old VBS. Jackson really isn't at the age where he can attend yet. But he was able to join a class since I was keeping a baby room. We had a great room, with the most laid back babies I've ever seen. Jackson loved VBS. He had the sweetest teachers who put so much time and effort into planning for the class. Jackson would tell me all about their activities and Bible lessons they had learned. He is still talking about Jonah and the whale.

When I picked him up on Saturday, his teachers told me that they asked him to pray before music class. His prayer was: "Dear Jesus, forgive us for our sins, and give us your mercy when we are bad boys and girls." SO PRECIOUS. Out of the mouths of babes, right? When his teachers told me this, I just started boohooing. I was so proud of him. I am so thankful for a church that cares about children. Jackson has learned so much about God, and is already starting to understand about a relationship with Jesus. Oh, may he always has such an easy faith and love for God!

So we have kept ourselves pretty busy! On Sunday, our nephew and niece, Joel and Abby came over to spend the night. The kids all had a great time. If you could measure fun by the mess in our playroom, I would think they had a blast!
Love this picture of the kids playing mario kart. Reminds me of my childhood playing mario brothers with my sister and cousins!

This week is not as busy as last, but still pretty full. I've got grand plans of making some salsa and putting it away in our freezer, and also canning some peach butter. And then Saturday, we're having a little get together to go shoot the hooch! If you're not from around here, that means tubing on the Chattahoochee River. Should be lots of fun!

What is a post without some cute pics of my boys??? Here is Jacks with his lunch one day. I found this tip on MckMama's blog and it has been such a wonderful tool to get Jackson to eat more healthily. I just fill up a muffin tin with different healthy treats and he eats away! I guess it is just novel to eat out of something different!
Ace has finally started noticing our cat, J.D. Here he is attempting to eat him. I assure you, no cats were harmed in the making of these photos. Well, not seriously harmed anyways.

And just for good measure, here is the website where I got my peach butter recipe. Mmmmm mmmm. Can't wait to have some of this stuff on a biscuit!

Life is a highway

2009-07-28T22:49:00.001-04:00

Rub A Dub Dub, 4 Cousins in a Tub.

2009-07-27T19:02:00.002-04:00

Some day, I'm pretty sure they will hate us for this.

The girl is good.

2009-07-23T21:09:00.006-04:00

I have a confession. I'm a photo junkie. I love having pictures of my kids. So, when I found out that Avery was going to be in town, I had to have her come and take our pictures. She used to be based out of GA, but has moved to Dallas, Texas. Thank goodness, she still travels back here to do some sessions. She is the best! She is so down to earth, and my whole family loves her. I think Jackson has a little crush, too! Check out her blog at www.photographybyavery.blogspot.com!

6 months & Happy Sarah

2009-07-22T10:56:00.013-04:00

6 months old. Please take a moment to reflect upon that. My baby boy is growing too quickly!!! If I could slow time down, I would. Every week he has a new trick. Here he is for the first time in the swing. He LOVED it. I think Ace is going to be my little wild man. If you look closely, you can see his 2 bottom teeth. My baby shouldn't be old enough for teeth! 6 months is such a magical age.

Brotherly Love.

Ace is very stable sitting up now. He loves his new view of the world!

My chubby little boy. Love it!

And yes, I am Happy Sarah. Today is not only Ace's 6 month birthday, it's my 26th birthday. Yup, I'm now on the down hill slope of my 20's. Closer to 30 than 20. Kyle made me a birthday cake, and just put "Happy Sarah". Ha! He said that the middle of the cake had a huge crack in it, so he was scared to put "birthday" in the middle. Classic Kyle. This was the first cake he's ever made, and I think it is just precious!

Kyle totally surprised me with something I've been wanting for a while! A new camera to take better pictures of my sweet babes! I'm still learning a lot about the camera, but even on the automatic setting, it takes amazing pictures! Thanks Kyle!

26 about my #1

2009-07-20T06:13:00.010-04:00

Happy Birthday, to my main squeeze, Kyle. I love you darling, and hope you have a great 26th birthday. To celebrate you, here are 26 random facts about the man himself.

1. Kyle is one out of 7 children. No, his family is not Catholic.
2. Kyle is the third child out of all 7. But from the outside looking in, I think he is a leader to all the kids.
3. He is fiercely protective of his brothers and sister.

4. He is pretty much fiercely protective of anyone he loves.
5. Kyle. Knows. Everyone. We have been in other states and he will run into someone he knows.
6. He may know everyone, but he is horrible with names.
7. Kyle loves tattoos. I think he has 8.
8. I love Kyle's tattoos. They are beautiful and all have great significance to him.
9. Kyle has my mom's name tattooed on his ribs.

10. Kyle refuses to put my name on his body, because he thinks it might jinx us.
11. 1 of his tattoos has our anniversary in it.
12. He has one tattoo completely dedicated to me.

13. Kyle told me the day we met, he knew he wanted to be with me for the rest of his life. We were 12 years old.
14. My husband is the most competitive person I know.
15. Kyle is a tried and true Georgia Bulldogs fan.

16. He keeps informing me that we are only so many days away from college football. I think it's around 40 now.
17. Kyle hates leftovers.
18. I think the man could eat a turkey sandwich every night for dinner and be happy for the rest of his life.
19. I've never in my life seen someone eat ice cream as slow as Kyle does.
20. Kyle started his landscaping business when he was 16 years old. I don't think he ever thought back then that it would turn into what it is now.
21. Kyle's favorite thing in the whole world to buy is movies.
22. He has saved all the movie stubs to every movie we've been to.
23. I'm pretty sure he is more sentimental than me.
24. He loves being a daddy.
25. This probably sounds trite, but he is pretty much good at anything he tries.
26. Kyle is still the man of my dreams.

I love you, babe. Now, hurry up and come home so we can have your birthday party!!!!!!!!!

Strep throat is just the way I want to celebrate the 4th!

2009-07-04T08:46:00.002-04:00

Hey y'all. Sick, Strep throat Sarah here. That's right! I was lucky enough to get strep throat this week. Yay!

I've decided that getting sick during the summer should be against the law. It is just pure torture. It's bad enough being sick, but when it is so nice outside it just makes it horrible! Oh well.

My throat started feeling "off" on Tuesday night. On Wednesday it started progressively getting worse. So first thing Thursday I headed to the doctor. She did the rapid strep test and within seconds it was showing positive for strep. I haven't had strep since I was a kid. She put me on penicillin, and told me that I would be contagious until I had been on the medicine for 24 hours.

I had already been keeping myself away from the kids. It was so hard not to love on them and kiss them for that long! I've got some serious catching up to do. Kyle was the best and played Mr. Mom around the house for the past few days. I haven't done anything. Thanks Kizyle--- you're the best!

Praise God, I'm finally on the mend. I might even attempt a few 4th activities today. Maybe some fireworks, I don't know. Nothing too crazy!

Hope y'all have a great 4th!

Everyone deserves a little random sometimes

2009-06-30T21:57:00.004-04:00

It's only Tuesday, but it has been a week! My little brain is tired and just way too crammed with thoughts right now to post any sort of coherent and intelligent post. (Not that I claim to be coherent or intelligent. It's just that tonight it would be waaaaaaay off.) So here is a handy dandy list format of what's going on.

*I'm a tad bit obsessed with couponing right now. CouponMom has totally made me a miser. I rarely buy any grocery item any longer if it is not on sale or has a coupon. It blows my mind how much money I was wasting before I started using the couponmom system. My original grocery bill tonight was $132.66. After coupons & store promotions, I paid $74.34! Grand total of savings of $58.32! And we are stocked up for an entire week. All 3 meals a day & snacks. Love it!

*Kyle has always teased me that my family has an unnatural love for pork products. The joke goes way back. I think he is right. After my grocery trip tonight, I made a list of everything in my freezers so we can use it all up. I had 7 packs of hotdogs, y'all. 7 packs. Not to mention the 8lb. spiral ham, 2 Hormel 81 hams, and pack of sausage. Pork, it's what's for dinner.

*Hubs and I have started working out together. My calf musles have never hated Kyle Van Nus more.

*Ace is oficially a momma's boy. He puckers out his bottom lip anytime someone takes him from me. I did a little bookkeeping today for my old boss, so the kids went over to my mom's. My mom said that Ace was in a terrible mood all day. Just fussy and crying, but didn't really seem like anything was wrong. He was an angel tonight after I picked him up. He just missed me! Hate that! (Yeah right.)

*And most importantly, please continue to pray for baby Alaina, and her parents, Scotlon and Stephanie. The update that I just saw was that Alaina is stable, but still being transferred to Eggleston to be in the absolute best care.

And what post would be complete without a picture of my little men.
Put me in coach, I'm ready to play. Ace was rocking that sweat band.

We found Jackson sleeping like this a few weeks ago. He is like his father and can fall asleep in the strangest positions. That bed rail has definitely held up it's end of the bargain!

Please pray for my friend

2009-06-28T22:21:00.003-04:00

Update that I just received on facebook:
Alaina’s blood pressure is bottoming out. She is receiving a blood transfusion in hopes of stabilizing her, but if this does not work, Alaina will be transported to Egleston this evening. Please, please pray.

A sweet friend of mine, Stephanie, delivered a baby on Saturday morning. Alaina is in the NICU. Please pray for healing and peace for her parents, Scotlon and Stephanie. Here is the update I got from Stephanie's best friend, Hailey.

Alaina was born Saturday morning via emergency c-section because after laboring for several hours, her heartbeat kept fading from the fetal monitors. After she was born, the doctor found that she had been living in a severely significant amount of meconium for about a week. The doctor was able to remove a large amount of the meconium, but the remainder of it is preventing her from breathing properly & has to be dissipated by her body. She is making small improvements, but she still has a long road of healing ahead of her. Fortunately, every report that we have received from her doctor today has been encouraging.

You can visit Stephanie's blog here. We love you Stephanie, Scotlon & Alaina! Praying for a SPEEDY & FULL recovery.

5 months

2009-06-24T19:21:00.009-04:00

How in the world can Ace be 5 months already??? He should still be my snuggly little newborn. But every single day, I'm getting a glimpse of a silly, wiggly, full fledged little boy. Ace is up to a lot these days! In this pic we were trying a little photo shoot. He is a mover and a shaker, so we didn't get that many great shots.
Bath time is still a favorite activity. He loves the water and kicks and splashes for a long time!
Yet again, I was trying to get some cute pictures and this is the result. Let me eat your camera, Mama!
Per his usual, Ace is a great eater. We stopped breastfeeding at 4 months, so he is getting formula plus baby food. So far, he has had: carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, avocado, peaches, blueberries, applesauce, pears, mangoes, apricots, bananas, and squash. He seems to love them all. He uses his mesh feeder to eat watermelon and cantaloupe.

Ace is trying all sorts of new things. He so badly wants to sit up. He is very, very close, but his little behind seems to be too round still.
Whoops! Thank goodness Daddy was right next to him to play catcher!
Ace is weighing in somewhere between 18-19 lbs. Still sleeping from 6:30ish to 6:30ish. He will through a curve ball every once and a while and wake up in the middle of the night. Last night he was up about every 2 hours. Hope that doesn't last! He is a pro at rolling over. True to our family tradition, he has about a million nicknames; which are: Acey, Acer, Aceyroni, Aceyronei and Cheese, Scooch, Scoochers, Scoochie, Poops, Poopsie. There are probably more that I can't remember! He has no teeth yet, but drools buckets and loves to chew on anything.

I'm so proud to be your Mama, Ace! You are so fun and I love getting to know you better every day. Happy 5 months, big man!

That just my baby Daddy

2009-06-22T09:32:00.005-04:00

Kyle,

The other day you asked me if there were any letters to you on my blog. Here you go, babe. Your very own letter.

Where should I start? Should I start with telling you that you make me happy on a daily basis? Because you do. I am happy to be your partner in crime. I'm happy that we have this life together. I'm happy to be your helpmate.

I guess it would be appropriate to address in this letter how thankful I am for you. Thank you for working so hard for us. You go out everyday and do backbreaking work to provide for our family. I hate sweating just a little bit, and you sweat buckets everyday for us. Thank you. I'm not just thankful for you because of how hard you work. I'm thankful for the companionship you provide me with. I can truly say that you are my best friend. We have a good time together.

You are also the best Daddy. I think my favorite thing to do is watch you be Daddy to Jackson and Ace. You love them so much. I know you are exhausted at the end of the day, but you come in and get down and play with our kids. You are also such a big help to me with Jackson and Ace. I really do think we have this divide and conquer thing down. Thanks for the countless times you have cleaned up the kitchen for me, and made bottles for me, and watched the kids for me, and so on and so on.

I really could go on, but I'll end it with this. I just love you. You are an amazing man and I am so blessed to be your wife.

XOXO,

S.

Cabin trips & Ledford Luauing!

2009-06-16T10:19:00.020-04:00

Last weekend we all headed up to the North Georgia mountains for some much needed family time. Our little family joined my mom and dad, and my sisters family at a cabin in Hiawassee. We went up on Friday afternoon and stayed until Sunday. Also, on Sunday my mom's side of the family, the Ledfords, had a reunion. It was such a fun time away, and so nice to catch up with everyone.

Ace was in diva mode.

Sweet boys by the creek.

All the Leford's.

My grandmother, Doris Ledford. I look up to her so much.

Sawyer on the horse. Love this picture.

My cousin Holli with Ace.

Action shot of John. The only grandson out of 9 grandchildren. And he's the baby.

Another action shot.

Sup, y'all?

2009-06-10T21:49:00.012-04:00

Hey guys, Acey here. I'm taking my mom's blog hostage, because obviously she is a slacker. It's been over 2 weeks since she was around these parts. COME ON LADY!

First off, I met this really cute kid. He had a great personality too. Every time I would talk to him, he would laugh his head off. Good times.

Welcome to my crib. Literally. Big bro was visiting on this particular morning.

Oh, this guy. He is funny.
These two old farts went on a little trip by themselves last weekend. Something about "Uncle Rob" was in town and they wanted to go visit him. I've heard that dude gives some pretty sweet gifts. I'll stay in his good graces for sure. The rent's left me at my Nana's & Papa's for the night. That is a nice set up. I pretty much rule the roost!

I've been working on my tan.

So is Jackson. He's quite the professional swimmer.

Look! The water blurred out my private parts! (Or if you say it like Jackson, my "favorite parts". Ha!)

Trying to get in to shape. Working the exercise equipment like crazy.

I mean seriously, have you seen my thighs???

Peace out,

A dub.

Our little "Big Man"

2009-05-22T11:13:00.005-04:00

Ace at 4 months:
- You can roll over from your belly to your back. But I've yet to see you go from your back to your belly.
- You loooove to reach for your toys and look so pleased with yourself when you grab them and put them in your mouth.
- You have full on belly laughs now. Sometimes you will just look at me and laugh. I know, I'm funny looking.
- You are super ticklish. Your tickle spots are under your neck, belly, and armpits.
- I'm pretty sure you think that your big brother hung the moon. You light up when he is around you.
- You sleep through the night most nights. Your bedtime is around 6:30. So early! And most of the time it is a struggle to keep you awake that long. You usually sleep until about 6:15 the next morning.
- You have 2 routine naps. The first about 9:30 and the second around 2:00. As much as you came into the world hating to sleep, you seem to enjoy it now.
- At your doctors appt. today, you weighed 18lbs 6oz. (95th percentile). You were 25.75" long (90th percentile). The doctor seems to think that you will be average size when you get older.
- You look just like your Daddy. The only thing that you got from me are your dimples.
- You're just about the sweetest thing that this earth has ever seen. You are easy to please, generally very happy, and such a wonderful addition to our life. We love you, Mr. Bennett Ace!

To my first born

2009-05-21T10:00:00.001-04:00

Loving Two

I walk around holding your 3 year old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship. Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: How could I ever love another child as I love you?

Then he is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you've never shared me before. I hear you telling me in your own way, "Please love only me." And I hear myself telling you in mine, "I cant", knowing in fact, that I never can again. You cry. I cry with you.

I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again. But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and almost feeling guilty. I'm afraid to let you see me enjoying him-- as though I'm betraying you.

But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection. More days pass, and we are setting into a new routine. The memory of days just the two of us is fading fast. But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just us two. There are new times, only now, we are three.

I watch the look between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other. I watch how he adores you-- as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of his new accomplishments. And I begin to realize that I haven't taken something from you, I've given something to you.

I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you. I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you-- only differently. And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you will never share my love. There's enough of that for both of you-- you each have your own supply. I love you-- both. And I thank you both for blessing my life.
My Jack,

I love you, my precious little boy. You amaze me every day with your tender heart, keen sense of humor, brilliant mind, and beautiful soul. I cannot say that the past few months have been easy on either of us. There have been a lot of times when I haven't been able to play, or hold you, or give you the attention you need. But I hope you remember all the times we have spent together. Lots of times spent with Candy Land, baking cookies, train races, little afternoon trips with just us two, and snuggling. Thank you for making this huge transition as smooth as possible. You are a trooper. I love you to the ends of the earth and back. Thank you for making me a Mama.

Love forever,

Mama

Wordless Wednesday (Well... minimal words)

2009-05-20T14:16:00.002-04:00

"These dadgum feet are going to be the death of me." -Ace Van Nus

I wish I knew what they were talking about. Probably plotting against me.

2009-05-19T20:38:00.007-04:00

Funk Soul Brother

2009-05-17T04:55:00.002-04:00

It's 4:30 on a Sunday morning and I'm awake.

Just take a moment to gather that all in....

Ace woke up around 3:30 and I've just not been able to settle my mind down enough to go back to sleep, so here I am blogger. You better believe I've already got the coffee brewing.

Tonight my husband and I will dedicate our baby son to the Lord. We did this very same thing 3 years ago with Jackson. But it feels so different now. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but something just feels changed.

It's not the sentiment of it. When we dedicated our oldest, I meant every bit of it. I knew back then that I wanted to raise Jackson in a Christ centered home. I knew that I wanted his heart to be prepared for Jesus. I knew back then just like I know now that I loved my child more than life itself.

Maybe what I didn't know was just how hard it was. If I want my children to know Jesus, I have to let Jesus shine through me. And to be honest with you, sometimes I just don't feel like it. I want to be grumpy. I'm selfish a lot. That's definitely not a trait of Jesus. Sometimes I loose my temper when it just isn't necessary. I could go on and on about the sin and faults in my life.

Maybe I also didn't know back then how blessed I am. My heart has just been broken over so many families that I read about on different blogs. Sweet families who have had to say goodbye to babies until Heaven, women who are struggling with infertility, miscarriages, sickness. Tears fill my eyes as I think of a precious family at our church who are desperately grieving the loss of a baby. My children are here and they are healthy. I praise Jesus for this, but I can't help but question and hurt for those who can't say the same.

Jesus, all I can know for sure is that You are found everywhere. You are with those who are grieving, You are with those who a fighting sickness, You are with those who are struggling. I praise You Lord for being with me when I am anything but deserving. Precious Jesus, wrap your arms around those who are hurting right now. Blanket them with your love and comfort. Father, I thank You for the blessings of my children. I pray that you make me the mother that they need. Create in me a passion for you that is evident to my little boys. Allow me to show them Jesus by being the hands and feet of Jesus to others. Put a longing in their hearts for You. Thank You for my children. Please never let me take one single moment for granted. In Your sweet name, Amen.

The heart of my home

2009-05-01T14:16:00.017-04:00

Kelly's Korner, one of my absolute favorite blogs, is hosting a tour of homes. I love looking at other people's homes, and thought I would join in on the fun. This week is kitchen week. My kitchen is definitely the heart of our home. I spend so much time in our kitchen, either preparing, eating, or cleaning up from mealtime. That rotation is probably the majority of my day. Ahhhh, the life of a mom.

As you can see from my kitchen, there are a few things that I'm not afraid of. That would be: Color, things that are so ugly they are cute, roosters, retro, and mismatched stuff. I would say the main theme of my kitchen is colorful-retro-mismatched. Ha- love it. I could probably describe myself with that same combination of words.

This is our first home, and when we purchased it 5 years ago, I didn't love the kitchen. But back then, we thought we would be in this house a max of 5 years or so. Ha! With the housing market the way it is, we are now in this house for the long haul. Or at least several more years. So, with that being said, there are going to be ongoing upgrades to get the kitchen to where I want it. We are going to remove the tile flooring and have our concrete stained, and also have our cabinets painted & antiqued. Eventually I would like to have stainless steel appliances, but that won't be until the current appliances I have die.

So... without further ado... here's my kitchen.

Oh wait, that's Jackson's kitchen. Here' mine:The long view. Just a galley kitchen. Unfortunately, no room for an island.

My bakers rack. I collect McCoy pottery, which is the yellow stuff on top. This also houses my 70's cannister set, my antique Pyrex bowl, my antique scale, and at the very bottom are some bibs for the baby and my cookbooks.
I found this little pitcher at a yard sale for a dollar. It is McCoy and very old. Worth waaaay more than a dollar!
Love my gas stove. So much better than electric.
My dishes are Fiestaware. I love all the gorgeous colors. I also have a small collection of Jadeite.
This is what I call "so ugly that it's cute". This is another $1 yard sale find. Owls are very in right now!
This wine rack is right above my sink. We bought this from Pottery Barn right after we bought the house to cover up the huge open space. We're not wine drinkers, but I thought it was pretty.
I much prefer a clean refrigerator with nothing on it. But, with kids it's kind of impossible to keep it cleared off.

Our kitchen table. Lots of meals eaten together here. Love it!

This is a painting of my Papaw's barn. Seriously, it looks just like that. (Mountains and everything.) This is very special to me.

Jackson's finger painting that I framed. He made this for me for Mother's Day when he was just a year old. Can't wait until Ace is old enough to frame some of his artwork!

AND... lastly, our family calendar. This keeps me together. It hangs on the long wall going into our laundry room. I couldn't remember anything without this.

Hope y'all enjoyed my tour. Thanks, Kelly for hosting!!!

2 Months

2009-03-22T21:47:00.003-04:00

Ace, at 2 months you are:

*Sleeping so well at night! You go to bed around 9pm and then you don't get up until around 2am. Sometimes you will even wait until 4-5am to wake me up! Thank you, sweet baby. Momma really appreciates this! And when you do wake up to eat, you quickly go back to sleep. You are up in the morning around 8 am, and you're ready to go!
*You do not sleep so well during the day. I can usually get you to take a nap around 2-3 in the afternoon. Other than that, it is just a little cat nap here or there. And you want to be held a ton. It is a little stressful sometimes, because I have lots to do around the house and with your big brother. But I know this too shall pass, and I need to take in all your sweet, chubby, "babyness" while I can.
*You think it is so funny when I squeeze your cheeks. I can always get a smile that way.
*Your big brother is head over heals in love with you. You light up when he talks to you. I can already see your friendship and love for each other blossoming. What a blessing!
*You love to eat. You start smacking when we sit down in the rocker that you usually nurse in.
*You HATE to have a wet or dirty diaper. I cannot blame you.
*We just love you to pieces. Our little family of four has really seemed to just settle in so easily. What a precious little man you are!

To my sons

2009-03-16T13:17:00.004-04:00

Before you were conceived I wanted you
Before you were born I loved you
Before you were here an hour I would die for you
This is the miracle of life.
-Maureen Hawkins

(Jackson at 3 months)

(Ace at 2 months)

WFMW: Breastfeeding Tips!!!

2009-03-10T22:01:00.004-04:00

Since I have a newborn, half of my day is spent with a little boy attached to me. Breastfeeding is what I do, thus it is what I write. I had such a hard time with breastfeeding my firstborn, but with a lot of great advice and hard work, my new baby and I are successfully breastfeeding! Here are a few tips that have really helped me out the past few weeks!

SARAH'S BREASTFEEDING 101

-My sister clued me in on this little tip! Eat oatmeal, simple as that. I eat a bowl of old fashioned oats every morning. I can tell that my milk supply is down a little when I don't eat the oatmeal. Apparently the oat grain is known as a galactagogue, which promotes lactation.
-This one is a little more difficult, but I try to pump after my son has finished eating. Of course this doesn't happen every time because, hello, I have a newborn to deal with. Pumping isn't the most convenient thing to do. But usually Ace falls asleep right after his first feeding and will allow me to lay him down. I also pump after my husband gets home while he watches the kids. Of course this helps with production because you are emptying the breast, which stimulates more milk to be made.
-I have been taking herbal supplements that have helped my milk production tremendously. 3 times a day I take 3 tablets each of Milk Thistle & Fenugreek. It is a lot of pills, but I just take them at meal times. Again, I can tell a difference in my supply when I don't take the supplements. The lactation consultant advised me to take these and I have had no adverse effects at all. But of course, talk to your doctor before you take them.
-Chill out. For real, chill out. I had such a hard time breastfeeding my first son because I was so freaked out about everything. I eventually gave up and bottle fed him after about 4 weeks. I've learned with Ace that most issues with breastfeeding can be worked out. Talk to a lactation consultant, your doctor or midwife, or just a woman who has been successful with breastfeeding. Ace was in the NICU and was primarily bottle/ tube fed for the first 5 days of his life. Of course, he was used to a bottle by the time we got him home. But thank goodness, we stuck with it and now he is a champ at breastfeeding. I try not to sweat the small stuff when it comes to feeding my baby. Ace still gets about 2-3 formula bottles or expressed milk bottles a day. A lot of the women who are very stringent about breastfeeding would say this is a huge no-no. As long as my baby is healthy and happy, I'm doing my job.
-Stop being so danged modest! With my first born, I would never try to feed him in front of others in effort to not show my boobs to the steady stream of visitors we had for the first few weeks of his life. With Ace, I've just had to make myself get over it. If my baby is hungry, I'm the one who can feed him. If people don't want to see the girls, they can go to another room. Of course I try to be as modest as I can be, but I won't let it get in the way of feeding my little man.
-Drink water, water, and more water. And eat. You can't expect to make food if you're not taking it in!

I hope these few tips help out with anyone who is venturing into the wonderful world of breastfeeding. It has NOT been easy. But it is so worth it! Check out other WFMW tips at www.wearethatfamily.com!

Oh yeah, I have this thing called a blog.

2009-03-08T14:37:00.019-04:00

Ye Old Blog needs a little dusting off. Any readers left out there? Not that there were that many to start with, but anywho.

So... what's new with y'all?

Me? Oh I've just birthed a new human into this world. Not much.

For real guys, life has happened and this blog has been knocked way down on the priority list. I've missed my little interweb community though. And I'm going to try to get back in a little at a time. I think I can handle one to two short little posts a week. So, to start off, I'm going to try to get y'all up to speed on what has been going on around our home. Please note that the following are in chronological order.

-I was laid off from my little part time job in October. Although it was a scary time, it has worked out really beautifully for my family. Being home is exactly where I'm supposed to be right now.

-Jackson turned 3 in November. 3 stinking years old. Where has my baby gone? 3 is proving to be an interesting age. Jackson is fun, smart, sensitive, playful, kind, and helpful. His cognitive/ motor skills are simply amazing. But 3 is quite the sassy age as well! I sometimes think Jackson is 3 going on 13. But he is such a joy. Here he is at his school birthday party. Precious!
-December was a great month. We had such a wonderful Christmas. It was so fun and laid back. Exactly what this girl needed. We took it all in, knowing it would be our last Christmas as a family of three.
-Our New Year's celebration was relatively laid back. We went out to eat at the Kani House with some of our dear friends and then came back home for dessert and fireworks. My pregnant self was in bed by 10pm. But fun was had by all. Here is Jack all bundled up to watch the firework show.-Of course, January held a pretty big event for us. Our sweet Bennett "Ace" was born on January 22. The condensed birth story is as follows:

I went in for my week 39 appointment suspecting that my water was leaking. My midwife checked me and told me I was 4cm dilated, but no, my water was not leaking. She stripped my membranes, telling me that labor was soon. She thought I would be back at the hospital within hours to have the baby. My mom and I went to the mall to walk and try get some contractions started. No dice. I can't tell you how disappointed I was when I went to bed that night. I know it wasn't going to happen, but I just felt like I was going to be pregnant forever! The next morning I woke up and decided to go walk some more with Kyle. While we were at the mall, I just started feeling lousy. I was freezing cold, and just had zero energy. We came home and I tried to get some rest. I took my temperature and had a very low grade fever. I called the midwives office and they told me to come in and they would get me checked out. I saw a different midwife an d she decided that yes, my water was acutally leaking and that I needed to get to the hospital ASAP so they could start IV antibiotics and get my labor started. Even though I felt horrible, I was so glad that our baby was on his way. The entire labor I had a high fever and my bloodpressure was dangerously low. I recently read on another blog that you have to walk very close to death to bring a new baby into this world, and I think that is so true. Even though there were issues during labor, it was relatively easy. I had my epidural at around 7 centimeters, and pushed for about 45 minutes and Mr. Bennett "Ace" Van Nus arrived on January 22 at 1:29 in the morning. He was beautiful and a very healthy 8lbs 15.5oz.

Ace was put on antibiotics shortly after birth to try to prevent infection, since I was feverish when he was born. Unfortunately, he did get an infection that caused him to be in the NICU for several days. His breathing was very rapid and shallow, so they wanted to watch him very closely.They determined his infection stemmed from my water leaking for a long period of time before he was born. But finally, after 5 days, we were able to bring our little man home. God was so faithful to us during this time, and poured His grace and love out on us. I truly do feel we are divinely favored.

-February... was I around in February? It really does just seem like a huge fog. We were all adjusting to our new life and to the lack of sleep. February pretty much consisted of: breastfeeding, some doctor's appointments, laundry, breastfeeding, burping, afternoon naps... you get the point. Here's some sweet pictures from that crazy month!

(end photo taken by Heartstrings Photography. So gorgeous!!!)

-March has been wonderful so far. I hope I don't jinx myself by saying this, but we finally seem to be falling into our new pattern of life. Ace is sleeping very long stretches at night. He eats on a schedule. And he is taking a great morning and afternoon nap every day. Generally, he is a very happy baby. Jackson is an AMAZING big brother. He helps me with anything he can, and he adores his little brother. I have seen no real signs of jealousy at all.

So, stick with me here. I have some new pictures to upload from my camera, so you should be seeing them very soon. I hope you are all doing well!!!

Turtle, it's what's for dinner.

2008-09-29T10:11:00.010-04:00

While I was driving home on Friday afternoon, Kyle called my cell phone. He frantically asked me where the camera was. He needed the camera! Where is the camera?!!? Please don't say the camera is in your purse!!

Guess what? The camera was in my purse.

When I received the call, Kyle was sitting in his truck on the side of the road that runs just outside of our neighborhood. He had seen something about to cross the road and being the inquisitive man that he is, he had to get a better look. Turns out, it was this lovely creature that he found.

Obviously, I got to the scene with my camera, thus the picture. It is a giant snapping turtle. Here is Kyle touching the thing with a shovel.
I was about to run back to the car after I saw that thing snap at him. It was pretty quick too, as far as turtles go. Kyle was debating what to do with the thing. He didn't want it to get ran over on the road, but really, what do you do with a snapping turtle?

Something tells me this little love wouldn't be a good pet for Jackson. (Do you see that tail? It looks like an alligator.)

Thank goodness, the rightful owner of the turtle lives in a house that is about 30 yards away from where Kyle found it. He saw the flash from my camera and knew that we must have found his turtle! The man was seriously overjoyed.
Here is Rightful Owner, with his 25 pound turtle. And the best part of this entire story is this: He was fattening the turtle up so he could use it in a STEW. Yum yum. He even invited Kyle and me over to enjoy some delicious turtle stew. Unfortunately, we had plans.

It's captivating stuff, really

2008-09-26T09:36:00.014-04:00

BooMama is hosting a Before & After thingy at her blog. I wanted to join in but, to be honest with you I wasn't feeling up to doing anything major! So I decided to tackle my unbelievably messy bathroom cabinets. Y'all, I had enough mostly empty bottles of lotion to grease down a whale. I combined some, and threw out a lot. I also got rid of a ton of old makeup. I think I had about 7 bottles of crusty foundation that I trashed. I'm sort of ashamed to show these pictures to the world, but here it is!

THE BEFORE'S

THE AFTER'S

Thanks so much to BooMama for the inspiration. Now if I could only transform the old office/spare bedroom/storage space/catchall room into the nursery!

2008-09-22T11:19:00.007-04:00

Praise Jesus for rocking chairs, beautiful views, cabins in the mountains, re-reading old favorite books, convertible Mustangs, Shrimp and Grits (mmmmmmmmmm), inside jokes with your husband (yo love salsa!!!), mini wedding cakes, and 5 wonderful years of marriage. We had an amazing weekend!

Run, don't walk to your local grocery store and get the ingredients for these Shrimp & Grits. These were on the menu at our wedding, and I was a little intimidated to make them myself, but they turned out so wonderfully. It really is a pretty fool proof recipe.

And I never looked back

2008-09-17T13:42:00.010-04:00

Edited to add: Our wedding anniversary is actually September 20. But, we will be in a cabin far, far away from any internet connection. Even if there is an internet connection, I'm not taking my laptop. So, here it is. A day early, but the sentiment holds true every day of my life.

Five years ago today, I woke up to a gorgeous early fall morning. It was a perfect day! Sunny, cool, and breezy.

Five years ago today, I sneaked over to the house that would soon be mine and my husbands for a hug and quick talk with my fiance. He gave me a beautiful diamond necklace to wear that afternoon.

Five years ago today, I went with my best friend for a leisurely afternoon at the beauty salon. We had our hair done and I headed home.

Five years ago today, I put on my makeup in the tiny little bathroom at my parent's house. I made sure that it was perfect with lots of waterproof mascara.

Five years ago today, I got in the car with my momma & daddy. My nervous daddy drove me to where my wedding was to take place and didn't say a word the whole time. He just kept his steady 50 mph down I-85. As I was screaming on the inside for him to HURRY UP!

Five years ago today, I sipped champagne and ate strawberries with my bridesmaids. We got dressed and headed out for pictures.

Five years ago today, my mother zipped up my gown for me. She adjusted everything until it was just right. She stood back and looked at me and somehow managed to hold back tears. She knew that if she cried, I would just fall apart!

Five years ago today, I hugged my grandmother and silently prayed for a long a beautiful marriage like she had with my grandfather.

Five years ago today, I waited in a small bedroom with my sister and peaked out the window to see people filing into the beautiful tree lined ceremony area.

Five years ago today, I clutched my daddy's arm and walked down to the man who was waiting to become my husband.

Five years ago today, I married my best friend.

Kyle,

You are the fixer of all broken things, the maker of the best pot of coffee & grilled cheese sandwiches, the calm in the storm, the laugh through tears, the Daddy to my babies, the strong and gentle leader for our family, the logical one, my sanity. I love you with everything that is within me. You bless me and our family on a daily basis. Thank you.

I love you,

S.

We are expecting....

2008-09-10T18:09:00.002-04:00

Yesterday Kyle and I went to our 20 week ultrasound. Our appointment was scheduled for 1:20 in the afternoon and that was the latest 1:20 that I've ever experienced! To say that I was anxious is an understatement! I not only wanted to find out the sex of the baby, but I wanted to see that the baby was healthy and progressing along just as it should.

We arrived at the doctor's office at 1:15 (which was all the way out in Tucker. A good 45 minutes from our house) and I wasn't taken back until about 1:43. Y'all my bladder was about to burst! The precious ultrasound technician could immediately see on the machine that I needed to "relieve" my bladder and let me go on to the bathroom. So after that was taken care of she started doing all the routine ultrasound stuff. The baby's heart was beautiful and we could see the 4 chambers, brain looked great, spine was all there, both femur bones, etc. Praise the Lord! I was filled with such wonder and awe just laying there looking in on a great mystery. My sweet baby is not a mystery to God, and I feel like I was snooping around on His handiwork. I have said it before, but I just don't understand how someone can see something like that and not believe in God. It was a beautiful and precious moment that I will never forget.

Finally we got around to the gender part. Brenda, our ultrasound technician kept turning around and smiling at Kyle. She asked us what our first child was. I was staring at the screen trying so hard to figure out why she was smiling and giggling. AND then it was quite obvious... we are expecting a little BOY! A little boy who has already figured out that he has a penis and he likes to play with it. I'm not even kidding you. I have the pictures to prove it. But for posterity's sake, I will refrain from posting them! Let's just say that it was very easy to tell that he is definitely a boy!

I'm thrilled. A little girl would of course have been just as lovely, but I am so glad that Jackson is getting a little brother. Daddy is just as tickled and proud as he can be. Our only hurdle now is figuring out a name! We have a middle name picked out, but we are torn between a few different options for the first name.

Thanks so much for all of your sweet comments and prayers that were lifted up on our behalf. Y'all are really the best!

Pregnancy brain...

2008-09-03T15:40:00.003-04:00

Edited to add the acutual awards. I must have been in lala land yesterday!

I totally forgot the reason why I even started the last post. I'm calling pregnancy brain on that one. Anyhoo... I received 2 awards and I need to pass them on. I am honored to get the "Kind Blogger" and "Friendship" awards.
About a year or so ago I had really just started reading blogs, and knew a few ladies from church who kept up with them. I had gone to Carol's blog through someone's else's link and really enjoyed reading. Then one night at choir I saw her, and kept thinking to myself, how in the world do I know that woman? It was about to drive me crazy until it dawned on me that I had visited her blog! I finally decided that I just had to talk to her and tell her that I had found her blog. Y'all, she is like a blogging super star. She had an article printed in the P31 magazine and everything! Her writing is so heart felt and humorous and always glorifies God. She really is just as sweet in person. Thanks so much for the award, Carol! Go and visit her over at Sheep to the Right! Now, I would like to pass these awards to...........

*My sweet sister, Megan. Seriously, the person who is ultimately responsible for bringing me to Christ. She was such an amazing role model as we were growing up. Love you!
*A friend that I have known forever, and one of my bridesmaids, Stephanie.
*This lady just found out that she is expecting her first baby, and she was my boss for one summer. (An amazing boss, by the way!) Donna.
*I met Lauren during one of the most stressful times of my life! Dr. Aiken's Anatomy and Physiology I & II would not have been the same without her. She is a registered nurse now and has worked so hard to get through school!
*And finally, Robyn who is also expecting her first little baby! She is only a few weeks behind me. I met Robyn at NGCSU and she is going to be the best mama ever!

So thanks again, Carol! I really am honored to get those awards from you!

Getting down to bidness

2008-09-03T15:07:00.004-04:00

September is here! Oh my word, I just can't believe it. August was a very full month with lots of new stuff for us. All of these new things just made the month fly by.

Our first new experience in the month of August was putting Jackson in a big boy bed. We hyped this up to him for quite some time and let him pick out his new decor. Of course you know what the child picked. Thomas the Train. Big surprise, huh? I laugh at myself now, because before I had kids I always said I would never let my children be covered in character stuff. Well, God does have a sense of humor and gave me a little boy who is completely obsessed with one character in particular. I just figure now that if it makes my baby happy, then, why not? I don't have any pictures of Jackson's new big boy bed, but here is the picture courtesy of the Target website.
Jackson has done really well in the new bed and he seems to enjoy his newfound freedom. We did use the "Nanny 911" method. Which is the first time they get out of bed you lovingly put them back in. 2nd time they get out you put them back in and just simply tell them "back to bed". The 3rd time you just plop them back in without saying a word. It really did work well for Jackson. He is getting up quite a bit earlier now and coming into our room, but that's ok. We just turn the tv on for him and snooze away.

Our 2nd big new experience is potty training. I know I've mentioned on here a few times about trying to get Jackson to go to the potty, but he really never seemed ready. I was about out of his last box of diapers, and I decided for him that it was time! He was definitely developmentally ready, just a bit lazy with the whole thing (typical man). So, we headed off to Target (sensing a theme here?) and got him a big goody bag together. Going #1 was a non issue. He had that pretty much down in one day. Going #2 was a little challenging, but this past week he has gotten that under control. Praise the Lord! I wouldn't say that he is 100% potty trained, but more like 95%. So I really am excited! I'm glad we'll have a small break from diapers until the new baby arrives!

Lastly, Jackson started preschool yesterday! He is in the older 2's class at Hebron which goes on Tuesday's and Thursdays. He woke up yesterday morning with a very low grade fever, but I decided to send him on anyway. I'm totally inexperienced in this arena. I debated for 2 hours about what to do and finally decided that he was certainly well enough to go. He didn't have a fever when I dropped him off, and didn't have one when I picked him up. So I think I made the right decision. He had a great time, and was super excited about snack time and playing on the playground. But the poor guy was completely tuckered out when he came home. We ate a quick lunch and he took about a 3 hour nap. Today he feels fine, with no fever at all. Here he is in his first day of school outfit. So preppy and cute! Love it!In other news, I'm almost halfway through my pregnancy. I am 19 weeks and counting! I'm feeling great, and feeling quite a bit of movement from the baby. (He/she is actually kicking away right now. Do we have a future blogger on our hands?) We go next Tuesday for the big ultrasound. And YES, I am finding out the sex. I'm way too much of a planner to not find out! I even tried to bump up my appointment to this week because I'm so impatient. Too bad they were all booked. Please pray that the ultrasound shows a healthy little one. Boy or girl really is a non-issue. As long as everything is normal and healthy, I will be so happy with either. If my instincts are correct, it is a boy. But I was also totally convinced that Jackson would be a girl. Who knows!

I hope y'all have a great week. And I'll post as soon as I can on Tuesday to update on what the sex is!

Abba said it best. "Money, money, money, must be sunny in a rich man's world."

2008-08-14T11:02:00.005-04:00

The past few weeks have been rough. ROUGH. We have had a series of unfortunate events with the machines in our life. My car broke down requiring an expensive repair, Kyle's main lawn mower completely died needing a whole new engine. It was in such bad shape that after much thought and deliberation we decided not to even have it repaired and buy an entirely new one. And the kind of mowers that Kyle uses are not cheap. Commercial grade = $$$. I won't go into all of the details about our misfortunes, because really, it is just depressing. I started to type it all out, and I thought I needed to start over because people would need a Xanex by the time they got to the end. Let's just say to sum it all up that we have been stretched and financially strained after all of these mishaps.

But oh my word, how our God has taken care of us. I can't even type this with out tears filling my eyes. For those of you don't know, Kyle's main line of income is landscape maintenance. We are so thankful for all of our maintenance customers, because really we wouldn't survive month to month without them. He rarely does any installations at all. It's not that he can't do them, it is just that maintenance is a much more steady income. There is more profit in installations, but a lot of times they are few and far between. Every once in a while someone will call Kyle for a bid on an installation. For some reason this past month lots of people have been requesting quotes on major landscape installation projects. Just this week, 2 different bids were accepted and scheduled for the end of this month. There are also a couple of very promising jobs that look like will be scheduled very soon. I'm not writing about this to boast. Kyle is very talented at what he does, and he tries to be very competitive about pricing, but THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM OR ME. If you don't get anything else from this post, get that. It does have everything to do with God.

Did God make my car and Kyle's mower break down? No. Things like that just happen; it is a part of life. But God has used this situation to teach some very important lessons. He is faithful. He cares about us. He wants Kyle and I to love each other through the hard stuff. He wants us to trust Him. He wants us to realize that it is all His anyways.

Kyle called me this morning with more amazing news. One of our maintenance customers just wanted to pay us for about 6 months in advance so he doesn't have to worry about writing a check every month. This has never happened before. The total amount he is paying us will almost fully pay for my car to be repaired. This is no coincidence. God provided this for us and I will not let the opportunity pass without praising Him.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for your provision. Thank you for caring about my family. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your lessons. I don't deserve any of this. But You give freely.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31

Oh, just you watch out.

2008-08-12T10:36:00.003-04:00

Kyle and I headed out to dinner the other night and I was so sorry that I didn't have my camera. I mean, prime blogging material was right there in the parking lot of Chili's. We got out of the truck and the first thing I noticed on the back of an SUV was those little stick figures that are supposed to depict your family. You know, the ones. Momma stick in a cute little dress, Daddy stick in his business suit, kid sticks with the cheerleading uniform on or football in hand. Here's an example if I'm not being too clear.

Well this SUV that we encountered displayed them all. Momma, Daddy, 2 kids, and even a dog. But there was a not so subtle difference with this stick family. DADDY WAS MARKED OUT. A huge "X" was literally drawn through his entire body. I wish that I had my camera because it really was too funny. I pointed it out to Kyle and told him that he just better watch out and be on his best behavior, or... X.

Alert! Alert!

2008-07-17T13:38:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned in the last post, we had some family photos done last night. The photographer came to our house and just started snapping away! We headed to Little Mulberry Park for some outdoor pictures and she was just great. Kyle and I kept joking that we had a babysitter for the afternoon. While she was taking pictures of Jackson they would just traipse all over that playground and he had a new best friend. She was quick too! She already posted a little sneak peak on her blog. Go check them out at her blog. I would post one here, but stupid me forgot to ask for permission. I'll get on that though, because I think the one of all 3 of us would be an amazing header for the old blog!

Unfortunately, Avery is moving to Texas at the end of this month. But she is going to be coming back in our area occasionally to book sessions. I know for sure we will be booking again!

Fun times

2008-07-15T10:24:00.007-04:00

Hot husband teaching adorable son how to bowl. MELTS MY HEART!!! We took Jackson bowling for the first time last week and we had a blast. Look, he even got his own little pair of bowling shoes. He actually had a higher score than me in the first game. I really stink at bowling, but it is so much fun! If y'all live anywhere close to Dacula, you need to go to the brand new bowling alley. It was so clean and nice. I've never been to a bowling alley where I actually felt safe using the restrooms. Good times, good times!

Jackson and I packed up for the weekend and headed to visit with family in North Carolina. My mom graciously went with us too. We all hopped in the car on Friday morning and had such a fun time. Jackson had another first while we were there. First ride on a LIVE horse.

My aunt Robyn led him around on her son's horse. He was a little iffy about actually being on the horse, but he loved petting them and looking at them. There were 2 mules in my grandmother's pasture, and Jackson just kept begging to go over there and see them. We had to tell him that the "horsies are taking a nap", to keep him from darting across the road to go see them.

It wasn't all fun and games while we were in NC. Mamaw always has something going on. SO, we picked blueberries, picked green beans, picked cucumbers, etc. I can't say that I did all of that. I stayed back and watched Jackson some of the time while Mama and Mamaw slaved away. Mamaw was lying down taking a little afternoon rest while Mama and I went and picked blueberries on Friday afternoon. Y'all, picking blueberries is not fun. You have to dig into those bushes, and move them all around, and stretch, and bend, and you get the point. We brought our cool whip bowl back full of blueberries, and I was pretty proud of myself. After Mamaw woke up she asked us why we hadn't picked more! Too funny. She really is a workaholic at the youthful age of 87.

We did get some relaxation while we were there too. Lots of front porch sitting went on.
As far as my memory goes back, I can remember loving this front porch. I would sit in my Papaw's lap and laze the afternoon away. We had family gatherings on this porch. My best friend Mandy and I were swinging too high and broke the swing. (We promptly got a stern talking to by Mamaw who told us that we needed to go on a diet. Then she offered us some home made pound cake with strawberries.) I would climb the rails on the porch and pretend that I was in a Broadway musical. Lots and lots of good memories. And this weekend I watched my little one play away as I sat on the swing. That is what they call full circle, y'all.
It was nice to get home, but it was great to get up there for the weekend. It was one of those "good for the soul" kind of trips.

This week is going to be even more busy, so I really needed that little weekend! We're having family pictures done on Wednesday. Do any of y'all stress over this like I do? We're having the pictures made at our house, which is even more stressful because everything has to be clean! You can check out the photographer here. She takes the most gorgeous pictures and I can't wait! We're also heading down to Florida for a long weekend. So.... should be fun! I'll be back next week with an update and some pictures!

2008-07-08T13:26:00.007-04:00

Slowly, slowly, slowly I'm starting to feel more like a human and less like a sloth. I'm heading towards my 12th week of pregnancy and everyday I feel more energized. For a few weeks there, it was pretty rough. It was all I could do to get home from work and get dinner together and have Jackson in bed. I don't remember being that tired when I was pregnant with Jackson, but I guess being pregnant when you already have another child is a whole different ballgame.

Summer has been full and lovely, though. We've had lots of great time outside and lots of time with loved ones. Here's what I found Jackson doing one night when I was watering the garden: I know, we're in a drought. But I don't think he had it on too long. That spicket is pretty loose, so he managed to turn it on himself. I think it was on just long enough to drench himself good and for me to run in and get the camera. Every kid should have this experience, right? Sweet summertime.

Jackson has also become kind of obsessed with youtube. You remember this from a few years ago?

Here's Jackson's version

Please excuse my excruciatingly annoying voice in the video. Try to focus on the cute little boy who is dancing. Do I really sound like that? Wow. Jackson is so animated when he sings the song, but gets a little shy in front of the camera. It is hilarious, though. I promise you that.

Our 4th of July was great. A day full of swimming, laying out in the sun, lots of good food, and fireworks. What can get better than that? Here's the little man with a sparkler:
That just screams danger, right? A 2 year old with a lighted object in his hand. But we all walked away unharmed. Here we are at the fireworks, trying desperately to get a family picture. This is the best out of all of the attempts:Kyle's talking, Jackson's not looking at the camera, and I... well for starters, it's obvious that is way past my bedtime of 8:00pm. But we did our best.

What else, what else??? Oh, WE AREN'T HAVING TWINS. I know I had informed some of you that this might be the case. The midwife thought at our first ultrasound that she possibly saw two babies. But our 2nd ultrasound determined that it is just one little peanut in there. I never really felt like it was twins anyways. If it was, I think I would have gone into a mild state of shock. But the one little one is doing great with a strong little heart and seems to be forming beautifully!

I can't think of much else that needs updating right now. We've been pretty predictable lately. Work, eat, sleep, play, etc. I am going back to part time hours. That is a blessing, for sure! I hope you are all doing lovely!

I'm trying, but I've got nothing

2008-06-04T14:32:00.005-04:00

1st trimester pregnancy brain has set in. I've been trying to come up with some clever post, but it is really just taking too much thought and I feel like if I have to think that hard to come up with something, I really have nothing good to write about. So, here is a list of what my life has been like in the past couple of weeks.

1. Sleep. No matter how hard I try, my eyes won't stay open beyond 9 pm. Last night Kyle was so sweet and brought me a yummy coffee home. With caffeine. I've been trying to stay away from the stuff, but last night I thought, what the heck? I'll have my coffee and stay up a little later with Kyle and watch a movie or something. I was zonked out on the couch approximately 10 minutes after drinking the coffee.
2. Jackson has really been a hoot lately. He's been going through this stage where he is a little confused on why Mommy and Daddy are sometimes called by Kyle and Sarah. He's been especially hung up on the whole Daddy & Kyle thing. A lot of times he chooses to use Kyle instead of Daddy. I try to correct him, but it seems like it just makes him want to use Kyle even more. Last night Jackson was perched at the dinner table between Kyle and me and I asked him who he wanted to take him to swimming lessons. He looked me dead in the eye, pointed his little thumb towards Kyle, and said "This guy". We could not stop laughing about that one all night.
3. As I mentioned, Jackson is in swimming lessons. He is really enjoying them and loves going every night. He is not scared of the water at all, so I thought that made swimming lessons even more necessary.
4. I'm hungry. A lot. This was not the case when I was pregnant with Jackson. I don't know what my deal is, but my stomach is seriously growling through out the day. My mom suggested that I do the smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day thing. Today is my first day trying that and it really seems to help. I also feel a little more energized. Hallelujah!
5. JACKSON WENT PEE PEE ON THE POTTY LAST NIGHT. Hallelujah x 2! Keep your fingers crossed for me that we're starting a trend here.
6. My first doctor's appointment is next week. Kaiser is set up that your first appointment is with a midwife and after that you can choose a doctor or stick with the midwife. Jackson's doctor was the best. Seriously, I am pretty sad that our insurance won't cover him now. But since this insurance is what we've got now, I suppose I'm going to have to get over it. Any readers have experience with a midwife? I'm seriously thinking about going that route.
7. I keep thinking of super yummy stuff to eat. I know, I'm a little early in this pregnancy to be having cravings but so many different things sound good. I guess it is just because I'm trying to be very conscientious about my diet, anything fattening sounds great. Some of the cravings are: Varsity chili dogs and onion rings, Paula's cheese biscuits with strawberry butter, pancakes, cheese steaks, etc. Too bad I never crave healthy things. AND I FORGOT, COCONUT CREAM PIE! Mmmmmmmm.

Anyways, enough with the randomness. That is my life as of now. I'll let you know when I am a little more creative.

Fidelity and the Suburbs

2008-05-30T22:53:00.002-04:00

I met some girlfriends tonight to see the highly anticipated Sex and the City. I know, I know. Sex and the City was an entire series, and now a movie founded on principles and values that for the most part I don't align myself with.

But I had to see it.

You see, at some point in my life, I identified with the characters. I watched these women and longed to be in the big city, fabulous, dressed in all the most wonderful labels, high heels on, and independent. And please, don't let me forget, money out the wazoo and any man wrapped around my pinky finger.

Sitting in the theater tonight, I realized something. I have changed. I no longer identify with these women. They seemed foreign to me, and not that long ago the ladies seemed like family. Dare I say, I felt like I could have been the 5th gal sipping Cosmos and talking about my latest conquest.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy the movie. But that is it, it was just a movie.

I walked out of the theater in my Target clothes and got into my Saturn and drove to my modest suburban home. While I was driving home I had the windows down and the oldies cranked up. My thoughts were on if we should have donuts or biscuits for breakfast the next morning. I walked into my home on my swollen pregnant feet, and kissed a man who had worked all day in the hot sun. But this sweet man came home and watched a spunky 2 year old so I could go out with friends.

I don't know about you my friends, but I don't think life can get any more fabulous than this.

Not so much premenstrual

2008-05-27T15:29:00.003-04:00

Life has been a whirlwind the past week. In my last post I explained my insatiable appetite for all things chocolate and attributed it to being a little "PMSy" as Kyle likes to call it.

Not so much.

I'm pregnant! I guess that was my issue with the chocolate last week. I'm in the very early stages, about 5 weeks along. (A due date sometime in late January.) I really couldn't be any more over the moon than I am right now. Kyle feels the same way. And even Jackson knows that there is a baby in my belly.

I covet your prayers for this pregnancy and the sweet little one that is growing inside of me. Please pray for my health and the baby's development. So far, I feel great. Just exhausted at the end of the day. I'll be making my first doctor's appointment sometime this week after I get some insurance stuff settled. I'll keep you all informed!

Psalm 139: 1-14

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,"
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my heart knows it very well.

Just so you know

2008-05-19T13:45:00.003-04:00

DOES NOT equal 100 calories.

But when you're a little, no, A LOT premenstrual, the 300 calories of chocolate goodness is soooo worth it.

Oh what a wonderful morning

2008-05-07T09:09:00.003-04:00

You know, those hard wood floors were really a great investment. They have added beauty and loveliness to our home. I adore them. They made our living room look 10x bigger than it actually is. And my allergies have been so much better after the carpet was gone.

But this morning I love them even more. It was so much nicer to clean up the 4 piles of cat puke off of the hardwood floors, instead of carpet.

Here's hoping that my day is better than the first part of my morning.

What is my problem???

2008-05-02T15:03:00.002-04:00

I think I'm hormonally imbalanced. For some reason I can't quit laughing this afternoon. Seriously, I keep thinking of old memories with old friends and I am giggling out loud. I hope I don't have a brain tumor like that guy in Grey's Anatomy last night. Gosh, that would stink. Or maybe I'm still hyped up from my vacation last week. Which, by the way was amazing. I'll have some pictures uploaded of that soon. We had such a great time.

Here are the memories that are running through my head, in no particular order:

1. Eh.... wait. I can't tell that one on here. It's a little inappropriate and would be very hard to explain where anyone else would find it funny.
2. The same friend who I'm thinking about in #1 emceed a beauty pageant at a local nursing home one year. I don't guess this in itself is funny, but if you only knew him you would die laughing. He is more than a little freaked out by old people. I don't know how in the world he got hooked up with that gig. I think he did a duet with the reigning Miss Medical Arts. PRICELESS.
3. I punched my sister in the eye one time after a huge fight. I know, not funny again, but it is cracking me up right now. At the time she was also my boss. She worked as the paid intern for our high school ministry at church and I was a lowly intern. I worked with all of my friends and even the guy who is mentioned in the above memories. My sister walked into work the next day with a black eye. My friends had already been informed of the previous nights shenanigans. We were laughing hysterically all day long at my poor sister. Luckily, she forgave me. I think she will even laugh about it now. Love you Megan.
4. A very long time ago a big group of my friends and myself used to go porta-potty tipping. To be honest with you, I was never directly involved with the tipping. I just watched from the bed of a truck. Well, I guess I would be considered a co conspirator since I drove the truck a couple of times for the tippers. I don't know why this was so amusing to us, but it provided entertainment for many a dull summer night.

Ok, I've gotten some of the laughs out now. I apologize for boring you with these random memories, but oh my goodness they make me giggle when I think about them. Oh to be young and foolish again.

My morning devotional

2008-04-16T10:42:00.003-04:00

This morning my mom called @ 5:30 to let me know that she would not be meeting me at the gym for our normal work out. I was not upset about this at all. Yeah, I could have gotten up and gone by myself. But I decided to sleep in. I woke up at 6:57 and promptly realized that it was going to be a rush around kind of morning. I need to be in the shower by 6:45 to be on time.

I have a touch of the O.C.D. I enjoy accomplishing certain tasks in the morning. My routine usually goes something like this:
*Work out (didn't get this one done. I was ok with that.)
*Come home and have my morning devotional/ prayer time
*Shower
*Put on makeup
*Go and get Jackson up
*Watch a little tv with him
*Get him dressed/ fed
*Feed myself
*Dry hair
*Put on some clothes
*Out the door to drop off Jackson with his Grandmama or Nana

Waking up late threw a big fat wrench into my routine. It happens at least once or twice a week and when it does I rush around like a chicken with it's head cut off. I get ill and short with my family. I feel empty because I haven't filled up with Jesus. Or food. So needless to say, grouchiness ensues.

I had finished putting on my make up and rushed through the house to Jackson's room to get him out of bed. I walked in and there my little man was standing in his crib. He had that precious ear to ear smile on his face. This is also a part of my morning routine; walking into the room of a little boy who greets each new day with a smile. I opened his curtains and adjusted the blinds to let some light into the dark room. I picked up my little boy and he was singing something. The theme song to Bob the Builder, I think. As I started to walk out of the room, I noticed that the sun was coming up and you could see it perfectly through his window. I stopped, turned around, and carried Jackson to the window so he and I could take a quick peek at it together.

And God met us there.

We talked about the sun and how God made it and how He commands it to rise every morning. We talked about how beautiful it was. Jackson said that it was "oreeenge". We said thank you Jesus for the sun. We also thanked Jesus for a new day. Quietly in my heart, I thanked God for the Son who washed me of all my sins and hatefulness. And thanked Him for still loving me even when I am harried and have pushed Him off to sleep in a few extra minutes. You see, Jesus wants us all day. Not just in the little time slot I have alloted him at 6:30 in the morning. And He is willing to meet us anytime.

Thank you Jesus for meeting with me today. I don't deserve your presence or your love. But you give it abundantly. I love you.

I think his father put him up to it.

2008-04-15T15:31:00.003-04:00

Last week was glorious. We had several days that hit the wonderful temperature of 75+ degrees. I'm not usually a shorts kind of gal, but since our air conditioning kicked the bucket last September and we had yet to replace it I had to bite the bullet and put a pair on. (By the way, it is amazing to be married to a man who knows really skilled people. As soon as we started getting hot weather my hunk of a man called one of his contacts and close friends to come over and fix the AC. THANK YOU Randy Peacock for replacing our AC Unit for us. You are wonderful. I'm sure you never read this blog but in case you do, I LOVE YOU AND YOUR AIR CONDITIONING CRAFTINESS!)

Anyhoo. Back to the whole short story. Pun intended my friends.

So I put on the shorts after I got home from work. I was about to start cooking dinner but I went into the living room first for a little play time with Jackson. I sat down on the floor and watched him play with his trains for a minute. I was sitting criss cross applesauce and Jackson decided that he wanted me to read a book to him. He came and sat down on my crossed legs and immediately started giggling. Uncontrollably. He then turned to me and said, "Mama's legs are tickly." I was like what? What is he talking about.

He was definitely talking about my leg hair. Yup, my leg hair was so long that it tickled my child. Wowza.

And you know what I did? I shaved. A whole 2 days later.

My poor husband.

2008-04-07T15:21:00.001-04:00

Please join me in prayer today for this family.

Philippians4: 4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

My husband.

2008-04-04T14:11:00.004-04:00

This picture is of my husband and his 6 siblings. You can click on the picture to get a better look. My man is the 2nd from the end on the right. You can tell he has a problem with being shy, right? The one next to him is the equally shy and reserved Zachary. (Zachary works for Kyle sometimes). Please pray that someday they can break out of their shells. Thank you.
The poor guy really is pitiful.

An open letter to the Sprout Network

2008-04-04T13:29:00.002-04:00

Dear Sprout Network,

First off, let me tell just how delightful I find your station. I am aware that you are owned and operated by PBS. I know I can trust you to broadcast quality, educational programs for my child to enjoy. Although I try to not let my child watch too much television during the day, we have especially enjoyed watching the Goodnight Show with the always lovely Nina and her sidekick Star. I love how my little boy learns a new sign language sign every night. His personal favorite is "construction".

My distress with your network stems from one small problem. No, make that LARGE problem. I would assume that you are aware of the fact that children thrive off of routine and schedules. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING IN CHANGING YOUR NIGHT TIME LINE UP???????????? Since my son was about 1 year old our routine has consisted of: dinner, bath time, brush teeth, Goodnight Show, read a book, snuggle, bed time. Let me be a little bit more specific, the shows that we have watched on the Goodnight show have been The Bernstein Bears and Thomas & Friends. After those 2 shows are over I take my little man and get him all snuggled into his bed. And might I add, he has rarely given me an ounce of trouble with bed time. Because HE THRIVES OFF OF HIS SCHEDULE. Ahem.

As we turned on the television this past Tuesday, I noticed there was a change in the line up. I didn't really think much of it. It was April Fool's day and I thought it was cute that your network decided to enjoy the silliness. Whatever. I assumed that everything would be back to normal. My child didn't understand the "silliness". He asked to watch Thomas but I was able to distract him. Much to my chagrin the next night was still messed up. NOT COOL SPROUT. NOT COOL. What are you thinking? You have replaced my son's 2 favorite shows with Calliou. Really? I would go out on a limb and say that Calliou is about the worst children's show ever. EVER. But I had to sit there and suffer through it, hoping with all my heart that Jackson would watch it and forget about his other shows. HE DIDN'T FORGET. The poor child just kept asking me over and over if Thomas was coming on. No baby, Sprout has screwed with us.

Of course, bed time has been way more difficult this week thanks to your horrible decision to "mix things up". I still haven't figured out a new night time schedule. I don't think my son or I can tolerate Calliou. So thanks Sprout. Thanks a whole ton.

Sincerely,
A really ticked off viewer

I love me some Oprah, but...

2008-04-02T15:53:00.003-04:00

I apologize for taking a serious turn here with this post. But I couldn't ignore this video. My mother in law sent me an email with this link in it today, and I was totally blown away. Please link over and watch the video.

So beautiful, so true

2008-03-27T11:25:00.002-04:00

This post really sums up the way I feel A LOT of the time. And I think a lot of people can relate. I don't have anything else that I can say today that will come anywhere close to the caliber of Melanie's post.

2 very small matters

2008-03-25T21:00:00.005-04:00

What in the world is up with Paula Abdul's gloves on A.I. tonight? Really? I mean reaaaaaaaallllly, Paula?

and

I'm a little tired of the horrible acting going on over at The Biggest Loser. Please stop making these poor people who are just trying to lose some weight try to act out a "natural" commercial for Orville Reddenbacher's 100 calorie pack popcorn. I'm sure it is lovely popcorn and all, even though I have never personally tried it. I take my popcorn with butter dripping off of it and a liberal dusting of salt. There's nothing 100 calorie about that.

I'm just sayin'.

Well you see, I've been busy

2008-03-19T13:09:00.019-04:00

Warning: This post is going to have a larger number of pictures than normal. I am not responsible for your computer blowing up from trying to load them all. I'm just trying to get my point across (and give photo evidence) that I've been busy and not lazy.

First of all, we have been in full blown wedding season here at the Van Nus household. Kyle is one of 7 kids. And 2 of those 7 thought it would be crazy and fun to get married within a couple of weeks of each other. It has been crazy. Fun... eh... I'm not so sure.

I kid, I kid. It has been fun but a teensy bit stressful. You see, Kyle was asked to be the best man in both weddings, Jackson was asked to be ring bearer in both weddings, and I have been asked to be a bridesmaid in one of the weddings. With all of the activities that go into a wedding it has taken some strategic planning and coordinating to get ourselves at the right place at the right time. We have been at a wedding activity every weekend since the first week of February. This weekend is the grand finale, with the last of the two weddings.

I really can't tell you how much it means to us to be a part of these people's most precious day. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful family.

Here is the precious Sara. Yes.... there are now 2 Sarah Van Nus' in the world. (Even though we disagree on the proper spelling of Sarah. Just remember, my spelling is the Biblical way and basically that is like God approved it.) She was the most beautiful bride and I don't think I've ever seen a bride that was as calm and collected as she was right before the wedding. I don't have a picture of Brian and Sara together yet. Which is just as well, because Brian would have just mucked it up. Again... kidding. Love you, Brian!

Here's Jackson and his sweet cousin Abby. They were perfect and walked down the aisle with just a tiny bit of coaxing. SO cute!
Here is another sweet shot of Jackson in his tux. I loved the red and white. It reminded me of the Wedding Singer.

Here are the two crazy kids that are tying the knot this weekend. Erik and Michelle are just too cute. I thought Erik would be the eternal bachelor, but when Michelle came around that changed quickly. I think this picture is perfect. You can just see that they are so in love. I'll post some pictures of their special day as soon as I get some.

In between weddings, we have been lucky to get to visit with my side of the family as well. My mom, sister, and I spent some time together having a garage sale. You know the saying, "A family that garage sale's together, stays together". Or something like that. Anyways, my sister Megan packed up her 2 kids, along with all of her garage sale junk, and headed on up to Dacula.

Here is our sweet nephew, Eli. Do you see that mischievous look in his eye? I swear this child is part monkey. He'll climb anything!

And this little fat man is Sawyer. (Eli's little brother.) I promise you, I could just slurp him up with a straw. This kid is just 3 months old and weighs over 15 lbs. We call him "Sawdawg".

Here's Jackson sitting in the middle of our mess. We spent all day Thursday getting all of our stuff put out and priced. Thursday was a glorious day with not a cloud in the sky. Our garage sale was to take place on Friday and Saturday. Friday rolled around and it poured all morning. Then Saturday rolled around and it snowed. Yes... snowed. We about froze our tails off, but we all walked away with a pretty good profit and a lot less junk.

Since our weekends have been pretty packed, I knew that Jackson and I would have to get a little quality time in together during the week.

So we headed off to our favorite spot, Little Mulberry Park. Here's Jack on the seesaw.

Here he is feeding the geese at the pond. Did you know that geese are terribly territorial? It was so fun to watch Jackson watch them.

And of course a trip to the park would not be complete without swinging. Jackson was getting a littler perturbed with me taking his pictures. He kept telling me, "No picture, Mama. Faster, faster!"

And here's the big man enjoying an ice cream at Grandmama's house.

We've also been working on potty training with him. He did really well the first day. And it's kind of been down hill from there. I'm not pushing it. I just let him wear his underwear and pee on the potty when he wants to. Of course the underwear are Thomas the train.

Here's a big smile for the camera. He love's his fire engine hat. He runs around the house screaming, "weewoo weewoo weewoo". (That's his fire engine noise).

So, there's your proof. I've not been a lazy blogger. I've just been very very busy.

Well, maybe just a wee little bit lazy.

Thursday 13

2008-02-07T22:54:00.001-05:00

I've been seeing a lot of meme's lately about people's 6 most quirky characteristics. Oh, I am nothing if I'm not quirky. I see all of your 6 quirky characteristics, and I raise you 7. Here's my Thursday 13:

1. Every time I get out of the shower, I must use eye makeup remover. It doesn't matter if I haven't used mascara in days. I must. If I don't use it every single time I feel like I've got a ton of gunk in my eyes and that I have horrible dark circles.
2. I told my 6th grade counselor that my birth parents died in a horrible accident and that I had been adopted by Mexicans. No kidding. I guess I had a flair for the dramatic. That poor lady had either heard it all or was just a complete idiot because she didn't even blink an eye.
3. I am a little obsessed with the number 37. I'm kind of like Jim Carey in "The number 23". I see it everywhere I go. Kyle says that I'm deliberately looking for it and that is why it seems to appear to me more often.
4. When I was in high school I had convinced myself that I could dance. I thought I was gooooooood. I really thought I had some soul. I used to dance for my mom and sister and they would just laugh and egg me on. Now I know that they were entertained by me because I sucked. I often think about those years full of high school dances and wonder how much people were making fun of me.
5. My all time favorite meal is fried cabbage, fried fat back, raw onions, and corn bread. If I was on death row this is what I would request. I only eat it about 2 times a year (my mom usually cooks it once and then I will do a poor imitation).
6. Kyle knows if he wants to get under my skin, all he needs to do is to insult Paula Deen. I'll take an insult but leave my Paula alone!
7. I love talk radio. You won't find a ton of cd's in my car or an ipod with the most up to date music. When I'm in the car it is on 750am. I love me some Clarke Howard and Neal Boortz. Yup, and I'm only 24.
8. I had 3 accidents that were all my fault within the first year I had my license. I have no clue what my parents were thinking in letting me ever get in a car again after the first one!
9. I can't remember life before reality junk tv. And I don't want to.
10. I have a recurring dream that I am walking up a flight of stairs and I fall at the very last step and knock out all of my teeth. I've heard several interpretations. One is that I have a fear of growing old and the other is I feel as if I can't control the words that come out of my mouth. It's probably the latter because I've already established that I'm a 60 year old in a 24 year old's body with the whole talk radio thing.
11. Growing up my hero was Scarlett O'Hara. What a nasty person to look up to, right? But if I'm being totally honest... I still love her and I'll throw a little hissy like her from time to time.
12. It drives me crazy that the number in our address rhymes with our street name. It almost deterred me from buying the house. I am cringing a little right now thinking about it.
13. I have this disorder called Synesthesia. Sounds horrible, right? All it means is that I associate numbers with colors. Numbers also have gender associations in my mind. For example: The number 2 is always red and always a female. Apparently there are some wires mixed up in my head that puts numbers with colors. As a child I would even give them little personalities. The number 6 is usually an orangey-yellowy color and a male. 6 is strong and popular. Kind of like the hunk of all the numbers. I know I'm certifiable!

I can think clearly now, the snot is gone...

2008-02-06T16:01:00.000-05:00

I've been sick. Not horribly ill, but just very very stuffy. It has made me all groggy headed and just a tad bit lethargic. But, praise Jesus, I can breathe again! So, all in all that is why I've been a little absent. I have been trying to be better about posting on my blog, and trust me, I tried while I was sick, but there was just nothing interesting coming from this ol' girl. But I am back! I'm sure all 3 of you readers are just bursting with excitement!

Wordless Wednesday - The Georgia Aquarium

2008-01-29T20:48:00.000-05:00

Things that run through your head at 1am

2008-01-28T15:30:00.000-05:00

"What is that beeping noise?"
"Why would the fire alarm battery go dead @ 1am?"
"Why does a fire alarm beep when it is dying? Isn't it 2008? Can't it email me or something?"
"I wonder if it will go away on it's own?"
"It's not going away. Why does this not wake up my husband?"
"How the heck am I going to reach the friggin alarm?"
"Why does it beep louder and more frequently when I try to disconnect the battery?"
"How in the world can Kyle sleep through this?"
"Is he really asleep? I'm sure he is pretending to be asleep so he doesn't have to deal with it."
"Please God, please oh please oh please don't let this wake Jackson up."
"I was sleeping so good. My bed was so warm."
"What the crap do I have to do to get this thing to disconnect with out going off again?"
"I'm done. Kyle needs to take care of this."
"Will this make good blog material? Or does it just sound better to me because I am delirious from waking up to the most annoying sound ever?"
"I guess it is a good thing that it is an annoying sound. I mean, at least I know it will wake me up if there is a fire."
"Oh no, what if Kyle just disconnected it and didn't put in a new battery. What if there is a fire?"
"Oh yeah, I handed him the new battery and he handed me the old one. He is a good man, even though he faked being asleep."
"At least now I have a good excuse to not get up in 4 hours to go work out."
"It was worth it all."

The End

You.Must.Try.This.Recipe.

2008-01-24T20:28:00.000-05:00

I made this last night and it was fabulous. It has all of the makings for a perfect meal in my book. Which include: it tasted good, I had 99% of the ingredients on hand, it was a very quick fix, it tasted good, my picky husband liked it, my not so picky (but tends to not like meat) son liked it, and it tasted good. Try it. I promise you won't be disappointed. And if you are one of those Bush types who refuses to eat broccoli, just substitute with your favorite vegetable. I'm sure anything would work.

WFMW

2008-01-23T14:04:00.001-05:00

I hate the smell of my kitchen after I fry something. The awful smell usually ends up wafting into the living room and it seems like it sticks around for a long time. I read this tip in an old cookbook and thought that it surely couldn't work, but after I tried it, I am completely convinced that it does! Here's what you do: After frying whatever, just place a medium sized Tupperware bowl full of white vinegar out on your counter top. Somehow it magically erases the stinky smell! After the smell is gone, just dump out the vinegar, or use it in your homemade cleaning solutions. Works for me!!!

Words We Wuv

2008-01-22T21:58:00.000-05:00

I mentioned in a few posts ago the term "Jacksonese". He really does have his own little language. I have become almost fully conversational in this unique language. Here's a brief overview:

Thonas: Thomas the Tank Engine
I need hep: I need help
Greenmama: Grandmama
Pus-e-de-mama: Push Mama. (He thinks this is hilarious)
Psychic: Isaac (His very favorite uncle)
Beddy: Belly
Crain: Train
Crack: Track
DD: DVD
Waaaahtch Caas: Watch Cars (He has recently fallen for this movie. Yet another obsession.)
Dandad: Grandaddy
Pooter: Computer
DayDee: J.D. (our cat)
Take a sour: Take a shower
Gonin: Going (Our very special lullaby)
Jaaahson do it: Jackson do it
Ly-ly: Cousin Eli
Sawa: Cousin Sawyer
I sed top/ Top it Mama!: I said stop/ stop it Mama
I sed no: I said no (I guess he's heard me say this one a few times and has picked it up)
Tahcate Miuuuk: Chocolate Milk

I tell you what, this kid is something.

Because he told me to...

2008-01-12T15:29:00.001-05:00

I was just sitting here, minding my own business and Jackson came in dragging his Daddy's tennis shoes. Then he told me, "get da tamera". (In Jacksonese his C's are mixed with his T's.)We have created a monster. He knows he is so cute that we should be taking pictures of him. Then he told me, "go put dis on your blog." Alright, maybe he didn't tell me to do that, but here is the picture anyway.

Happy Christmas!

2007-12-26T21:31:00.001-05:00

Well, another Christmas come and gone. I can't believe it. Even though it flew by, I'll count it as a success.

It all started off with Christmas Eve with my parents. My mom had the greatest idea to go out to dinner instead of trying to cook a big mess of stuff for just 5 people. We went to the local Japanese steakhouse and it was oh so yummy. It was wonderful having a change when turkey and ham is king this time of year. We went back to their house after dinner and drank coffee while we opened presents.

We had such a great night and Jackson was so excited about his presents! Momma and Daddy got him a train table and he just loved it, of course! Then we went home and got the little man in bed and started furiously cleaning and cooking for the next morning. I got all of the presents set out and got Jackson's stocking ready for Santa Claus to fill it! Then after all the had to stuff was done, Kyle and I snuggled in on the couch to watch a movie. It was so nice to just sit there and be still before the busyness that would ensue the next morning.Christmas morning rolled around and we were hosting Christmas breakfast at our house! It was so much fun getting everything together and I was so happy to have both of our sweet families over to our house for some yummy food. Kyle and I got up about 6 am and finished up all of the preparations. We had Paula Deen's baked french toast, Breakfast Cassarole, Marybeth Whalen's sausage balls, fruit salad, and Marybeth Whalen's wassail. Jackson finally woke up about 7:30 and we watched him open his presents.

Shortly after he opened everything, our family started arriving. Sorry I don't have any pictures from our breakfast, I guess I was too occupied with everything else to take pictures. After everyone left around 11:00 we cleaned up a bit and had family nap time! (Well, Jackson and I took a nap. Kyle worked on downloading new music to his Ipod, thanks to Itunes cards that he received.) That afternoon we went to visit Brian at the fire station and then headed over to the Van Nus Christmas dinner. It was delicious as usual and we had such a great time watching the kids run around and play while we all caught up.

I tell you what, our God is good. It has been a very rough past couple of weeks here in our house. Kyle lost his largest account because they could just simply not afford him anymore. I never thought that this horrible housing market would hurt Kyle's business, but it seems to be slowly trickling down to him. The account he lost was for a subdivision and they have a ton of houses up for sale, which means there are fewer people paying their dues, and they just didn't have the money any more to keep Kyle on. So, needless to say, finding this out just a week or so before Christmas hurt. Winter is always tight for a landscaper, but this has made it unbelievably tight. Of course all of this means that I need to go back to work full time. And with my job, that is not too secure either, since I work for a company that is totally in the throws of this lousy housing market. But, our God has been completely faithful to us and has shown us that He is in control of this situation. We have laid it at His feet and are trusting solely in Him to pull us through and to show us what to do. All in all, He has brought Kyle and I so close through this situation. I am so thankful for all of our blessings that God has poured out on our lives and I know He will get us through this situation. God has shown me this Christmas even more than ever that it isn't about a tree that is completely surrounded by presents, and a home that is beautifully decorated, and a kitchen that is bursting with Martha Stewart like goodies. It is about a baby that was born in a manger that should have been born in a palace. It is about that baby, who came to this world for me.

God bless you all,
Sarah

2007-12-26T21:19:00.000-05:00

Please God, please have someone stop me from eating all of the apple dip. You would think with it being a dip for apples that you would want something healthy, to go along with the... well, you know, healthiness of the apples. Not here in the Van Nus household. Oh no. A dip for apples should completely make the healthiness of the apples null and void. Here's the reciepe:

8 oz. cream cheese- room temperature
1/3 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
6 oz. Brickle chips (like what is in a heath bar. You can find it in the grocery store close to the chocolate chips)

Mix the first 2 ingredients and let sit for 15 minutes. Mix in remaining ingredients and refrigerate. Serve with your favorite apples.

This is really one of my favorite holiday snacks. It is so good. My brother in law said that it was life changing! I would post a picture of it, but Kyle's uncle said it looked like it had been digested and then regurgitated. The Van Nus' are really known for their tact, you know? But who cares what it looks like. It is amazing.

Soups on!!!

2007-12-07T10:44:00.000-05:00

One of my very favorite blogs is having a soup fest today. And well, I just couldn't resist. One of the only things that I love about winter is soup. (This is probably the one thing my husband hates the most about winter. Sucks for him, because after all, I am the one who cooks.)

So here are 2 of my favorite soup recipes. I'll do my best to include everything, but I'm sure y'all understand that recipes tend to change a little bit every time you make them.

Broccoli Cheese Soup:
1 Tbsp of Butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package broccoli florets
2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (2% Velveeta works splendidly)

Heat large pot over medium heat and melt butter. Add onion and garlic, and saute until tender.
Add broth and broccoli. Bring mixture to boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook about 10 minutes. (You want the broccoli way more tender than you would have it if you were just steaming it.)

Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk/ flour to broccoli. Cook 5 minutes so it can get thick, stir constantly. Stir in pepper. Turn heat to low and add cheese, stirring until cheese is melted.

Place one-third of the soup in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return pureed soup mixture to pan.

Trust me... you'll love this one!

And finally... my Mama's Soup Beans (This is really just kind of a put in the pot whatever sounds good kind of recipe):

1 lb. Bag of Pinto Beans
Ham Bone w/ some ham left on it (if you don't have a leftover ham bone you can use any type of ham product that you have on hand. It is for flavoring mostly, but chunks of ham is really delicious in it.)
Onion
Salt
Pepper
Water

Ok, y'all. This one is so easy. You rinse your pinto beans in water removing any bad beans. Place beans in a large pot and fill up with water. I put a big tablespoon of salt in the pot as well then put on a lid. Cook on high heat until the water is boiling. Let boil for about 10-15 minutes. Drain water off of beans and fill the pot back up with water, just covering the beans with one or two inches. Place the ham in the water with the beans. Take your onion and cut off the top and peel. Drop the entire onion in the pot. (Again, this is just for flavoring.) Add a little bit more salt. (Depends upon your taste.) Let simmer over medium low heat for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, but not mushy. Take out the ham bone. Serve with cornbread. If you like raw onion, it is delicious with this.

Hope you guys enjoy!!!

I'm addicted...

2007-11-28T11:20:00.000-05:00

Ok... confession time. I'm addicted to blogs. I've become so addicted that I feel very inadequate about my little humble blog. I read so many witty and funny blogs that I have really put off writing anything in my own. There really are some good ones out there that I could spend hours on hours of reading. (Wait, I did that last night). Here are some of my favorites:

BooMama :This lady is soooo funny. I feel that I know her, and it makes me a little sad that I don't. She shares in my love of Paula Deen and to me that is best friend material.

Pioneer Woman: Uhhh, when I grow up I want to be her. She has 2 blogs. One which details her everyday life on a sprawling ranch out in the middle of nowhere, and the other where she shares her recipes that are simple and delicious. And she plates a lot of her dishes on gorgeous FireKing Jadeite! My mother would be so jealous if she saw her collection!

Cheaper by the half dozen: This lady has 6 kids. Nuff' said. She is raising her kids and still manages to write a book about the true Joy of Christmas, which was heart warming and very inspirational. I purchased her e-book from her site, and I highly recommend it!

These are just a couple that I am totally in love with. If I could ever figure it out I would put up one of those nifty blog roll things and you could see all of the blogs that I'm addicted to! Thats on the list of to do's to make my blog not so lame.

Thankful

2007-11-12T10:03:00.000-05:00

For the past week or so, I've felt very challenged to make a list of the reasons why I love Kyle. I don't know why. I think God is just challenging me to be very cognizant of the blessings in my life and praise Him for all of them. I challenge you to do the same. You don't have to blog them or anything, but just take the time to write out a list of the reasons why you love your spouse or significant other. I think in the grind of life it is very easy to magnify the flaws of your spouse and forget the gifts and strengths. Here's my quick list. Please know that this is just a fraction of why I love Kyle. Trust me, I could go on and on! P.S. I'm going to put up Halloween/ Jackson birthday pics very soon! Promise!

A few reasons why I love Kyle Van Nus

He will refer people that he trusts to anyone. This may not sound like a huge reason to love somebody, but I do believe that this shows his true nature. Kyle wants to help the people out that he trusts and loves. Kyle, who is a business owner himself, knows that referrals in any service industry are huge.
He loves to talk to people. Sometimes, this is the thing that makes me the maddest at him. But, God has been revealing to me that this is his gift. People love talking to Kyle because they know that he will listen and then have a thoughtful conversation with them. Kyle is one of those rare people who isn’t just waiting for their turn to talk. He listens… then talks.
He loves his mama. Girls, the best way to find a good guy is by finding one who loves and respects their mama! Kyle usually talks with his mom once a day on the phone, and every time he gets off the phone you know you’re going to hear, “I love you”. He respects his mother. Before Kyle and I married, he would take his mom out about once a month for dinner. Just because.
He would do anything to help somebody. Again, this can make me livid at times. Even though I think it is crazy and dangerous, he will stop and help a stranger with car troubles. I’m reminded about the verse in the Bible about “what you do for the least of these, you have done for me”. Kyle doesn’t limit his help to strangers. His willingness to serve extends to all of his friends and family. He has become quite the professional mover. I’m quite thankful for this, because in turn our family and friends have been more than willing to help us when we have moved.
He’s handsome. I know it is a shallow reason to love him, but it definitely doesn’t hinder me from loving him! He’s got killer dimples and sweet brown eyes.
He can put just about anything together. He says it is just because he is good at reading and following directions, but I tend to disagree. When I try to put something together, I always read the instructions. But most of the time it doesn’t matter because I just don’t have the knack for putting things together. I get frustrated and impatient. Kyle can come right behind me and assemble whatever it is in a fraction of the time that I can do it. (And do it correctly!)
He loves our child. Seeing my son develop a strong and lifelong bond with his father melts my heart on a daily basis. I know that Kyle would lay down his life in an instant for our child, as would I. I don’t think I’ve ever truly understood Christ’s love and sacrifice for me until I had a child. And I know that Kyle feels the same.
Kyle has set very attainable goals for his business and for our family. He sat down at the beginning of this year and wrote out a list of goals that he wanted to reach by the end of the year. He’s done quite well with all of them and I think a lot have been reached already. I love that he is always thinking about moving forward and making himself better each day.
He cracks me up. Every day. If you know him, you know this is true.
I feel 110% safe and secure when he is around. When we are out to eat somewhere, he always likes to sit where he has a full view of the door. I used to be very confused by this, but I know it is because he wants to have an eye on everyone who is in and out. Just to be aware of his surroundings. This is just one example of how he keeps us safe. I could go on about this one for a long time.
Here’s the most important reason why I love him: He loves me. Crazy me! Me, with all of my flaws and insecurities. All my weird quirks. He even loves me when I don’t make it very easy for him.

Free Fallin!!!

2007-10-15T22:06:00.001-04:00

Seriously guys, I love fall. I love everything about it. I love it so much that I decided to make a list of my top fav's:

1. Pumpkin Spice Latte's from Starbucks. I know that it is outrageous to pay 5 dollars for a medium sized cup of coffee, but common', it is sooooo good.

2. Opening up all the windows in the house and letting that cool air in. It's been a late fall around here, and I just did that last week. The house felt so fresh and I loved it.

3. As much as I love a good pair of flip flops, I love just as much finding a really cute pair of shoes for fall/ winter. I went to Payless a couple of weeks ago and found 2 adorable pair of flats that are perfect colors for fall! And even better, they were buy one get one 1/2 off! Can't beat that! (P.S. did y'all know that Payless sells American Eagle shoes now? I'm all about name brand for cheap!)

4. Pretty Red Maple leaves! Our climate doesn't always allow us to experience the changing of leaves, so the years that we do get pretty leaves I am so thankful! God really has blessed us with such an amazing creation!

5.Thanksgiving. Love, love, love it! I really think that Thanksgiving gets skipped every year. But Thanksgiving is such a special time for family and good food!

6. Jackson's birthday is in the fall! This just adds to the fun of this season! I'm in the process of planning a Thomas themed party for our little guy. Can't wait for that!

7. It's kind of needless to say that I love Halloween. It's so much fun to pick out costumes for Jackson and to get goodies together for all the kids in our neighborhood. (Even though we are never here to give them out personally because our church has the fall festival on the same night. grrrr.)

8. Yankee Candle Co. fall scented candles. (This isn't just secluded to fall, my house smells of fall all year long thanks to these candles!)

I've got to cut this list off at some point because I could just keep going and going. But let me share my favorite fall activity before I'm done...

8. BURT'S PUMPKIN FARM. Period. This has been the 2nd year that we have gone to Burt's to pick out a pumpkin. I know that this is going to be a cherished tradition for our family for years to come. Burt's really is special. You get to take a beautiful drive up through the mountains and then low and behold, out of nowhere there is a huge pumpkin farm! It is just a magical place. We went last weekend with Andy and Leila and had such a great time. I got up extra early and made a breakfast casserole and homemade donuts. We needed some fuel for pumpkin picking! After eating, we headed off to the farm. Jackson was just the cutest and has decided that he has a crush on Leila. He flirted with her all day long! When we got to the farm and got out of the truck it was so crisp and cool. We headed straight for the pumpkins. I only got a few pictures of Jackson head on because he was running frantically touching all the pumpkins screaming, "Punkin!" Nevertheless, I got some great shots that will be cherished for years. After looking at the pumpkins we went to the hayride. They take you all around the farm and you get to see the fields where pumpkins are still growing and they have a cute little show with talking pumpkins. After that we went and finally picked out a great pumpkin. It was not an easy decision because there are so many great ones! Ours is pretty big again this year, but we downsized. Last year was a little over kill. But anyways, I seriously recommend this place. Check it out at http://www.burtsfarm.com/ .

I hope y'all have enjoyed my list. Please take a moment to thank God for such an amazing time of year and realize all of His blessings!

Here's Jackson and Uncle Andy! Thanks for going with us guys! We loved having y'all be a part of our tradition!

Here's Jackson looking at all the "punkins"!
Here we are on the hayride!

The Croupe is just about as disgusting as it sounds

2007-09-25T19:39:00.000-04:00

Yup, you heard it right. Jackson has Croupe. It started Thursday night and I thought he was just getting a cold. Then it just kind of lingered all weekend and on Sunday he developed a cough. Kyle took him to the doctor on Monday and she told us that it was Croupe! Seriously, I have only heard my grandmother talk about babies getting "The Croupe". I didn't know that it was still around. Please keep our sweet little man in your prayers for a speedy recovery and some peace from those rough coughs.

So on to other updates. Let me again stress how badly I stink at blogging. I think about updating serveral times a week but I just never get around to it. I think the last time I blogged I said that we were about to go to North Carolina to see my grandmother. Here are some sweet pictures of Mamaw and Jackson swinging:

The middle one is my favorite. Jackson sat on the swing with Mamaw for about 20 minutes and almost feel asleep. We had such a great visit with her. It was fun going up and surprising her for the afternoon. When we got to her house Mamaw was up in her garden pulling up bean vines. The woman is 86 years old and works harder than anyone I know that is half her age. Just about 2 weeks ago she had a pace maker put in, so she's had to take it easy. I'm sure she's hating the down time!

As far as Jackson news, he is talking up a storm now. It is truly amazing how he went from saying just a couple of words to talking in pretty complete sentences. It really has made life so much easier. He lets me know what he wants to eat and drink, what he wants to do. And he also has a huge vocabulary regarding Thomas the Tank Engine. He know all of the engines names. He knows the names of the engines that I don't even know. And trust me, I've seen my share of Thomas shows and dvd's. We bought him a Thomas coloring book with stickers in it. Here is the result:

We had a great family outing at the fair. We had a great time eating all of the junk food and riding the ferris wheel. Jackson also loved the petting zoo.

I love the picture right above. I think it shows how much Jackson favors Kyle. This was taken on the ferris wheel which cost us $12 to ride. The fair is ridiculously exspensive, but we had a great time.