Trusting Him

Festival at the Park

2010-07-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

June 8, 2010

A nearby park had a special event for the community, which featured a Dallas Symphony Orchestra concert. The concert was too late to stay for but the kids did enjoy the other activities available.

There was a great petting zoo (with a wide variety of animals: goats, pigs, chickens, turtles, ducks, bunnies,...). Both Ethan and Eliana love animals, so they had a blast!

The highlight perhaps was the bounce house! Neither one of them had jumped in one before and they both loved every second.

Piggy tails

2010-07-15T13:02:00.000-07:00

About a month or so ago, I realized Eliana's hair was probably long enough for pig tails. Here is my first attempt fixing her hair in pig tails. Even though it is a bit lopsided, I think she looked adorable!! Her hair was like this for approximately 10 minutes before she ripped out the rubberbands :). It was cute while it lasted!!

Spray ground

2010-07-15T12:15:00.001-07:00

A great thing about living in the city is the number of free things available for kids. Dallas has six or seven spray grounds across the city, which are free! A few weeks ago I took Ethan and Eliana. Contrary to their personalities, Ethan started running around screaming and having fun, while Eliana kind of just sat there for a while taking in her surroundings. It did not take her long to start running around with big brother, though. We have not gone back, but need to before Summer is over. It is going by fast!

I absolutely love this one...look at that face! Pure joy!

Summer fun

2010-07-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

Ethan and Eliana both love the pool this year! Last year Ethan would not step foot in the pool so we were glad when he got right in this year. Most of the time they just walk up and down the stairs and jump to me and then do it again! I love having a pool right outside our door!!

Here are the kiddos in their swimsuits (notice Ethan has on a CARS swimsuit...yep the obsession continues :)!!)

Oh, how we love the zoo

2010-07-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

Ethan & Eliana absolutely love the zoo. We were blessed to receive a zoo membership from Nana and we have definitely put it to good use. The Dallas Zoo is literally miles from our house, so we can go whenever we want. The zoo recently opened a new exhibit which doubled the number of giraffes and elephants. It is amazing and is my favorite, as well as the kids. Here are some pics of our many trips to the zoo in no particular order.

He's Three

2010-04-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

March 15, 2010

I can hardly believe my "baby" boy is 3!! That is only 2 years away from 5 and only 2 years away from going to school! The mere thought of it gets me all teary-eyed. Ethan is at a fun age and is learning more and more each day. He can recognize most letters, knows all of his colors, can count to 10, and is beginning to talk more in sentences each day. He imitates Mommy and Daddy and truly is a sponge. He loves his little sister and calls her "Nawner". He is a little mother hen and tells her what she can do and what she can't do. We try not to laugh, but it is quite funny at times. He still has such a gentle spirit and is such a sweet boy! We pray he always stays this way.

At Age 3 Ethan's Favorites:

Movie: CARS

Color: Red

Food: Toss up between brown beans (baked beans) & pancakes

Fruit: Grapes

Activities: Playing at the park, playing with the trains, going to church, coloring

Book(s): any CARS book or Thomas the Train books, Five Little Monkeys jumping on the Bed, Dr. Suess books

Song: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Dislikes: big crowds, getting in the dirt (although he likes to play with dirt), trying new things

I have been blessed to be his mother for the past three years and look forward to seeing what God has planned for my little boy! I have a feeling we are all going to be amazed!

Ethan's 3rd Birthday

2010-04-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

The day before his birthday, Daddy took Ethan to get a big boy hair cut! He truly looked like a big boy and so handsome! We celebrated Ethan's 3rd Birthday at Uncle Blake & Aunt Lindsey's house with a small family party. We had a CARS birthday party, since Ethan is all about CARS! For weeks before his birthday all he could talk about was having a "CARS Pancake" (I think he meant cake, but he does love pancakes) and then a few days before the party he wanted "Red Cake". The day before his birthday he just kept saying "Papaw, Red Cake"! (All he wanted was Papaw and Red Cake!) I found a Lightning McQueen cake pan and my friend's mom decorated a the cake for the special day. It looked incredible & Ethan loved his "Red CARS cake"!
Ethan got lots of new CARS stuff and had a blast with his cousins. This may be the last birthday for awhile that all of the cousins will be there, since cousins Abigael & Adaline were drug off to Colorado (Just kidding Jamie)!

Ethan's Red CARS Cake

The Birthday Boy

Ethan eating his cake like a drumstick :)

Perhaps, one of the cutest pics ever!!

Eliana liked the cake too

opening presents

Waiting patiently while Daddy opens one of his presents

Ethan's Day out with Thomas

2010-04-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

March 12, 2010

We kicked off Ethan's 3rd Birthday weekend, with a special "Day out with Thomas" event. There were activities set up for the kiddos (a station full of toy train sets, coloring, story time, a big sand pit, etc). Ethan loves going to Barnes N Noble to play with the trains, so he had a blast playing with the train sets. The highlight of the day was going on a 25 min. train ride on a train that looked like Thomas the Train. We tried to take a pic of Ethan with Thomas after the train ride, but they had this roped off area and you had to wait in a long line to get an up close picture. Ethan does not like big crowds and does not always like taking posed pictures so we did the best we could!

Ethan and Eliana both had a fun day. I think Ethan enjoyed the activities more than the train ride itself, but nevertheless he had fun!

Thomas the Tank Engine

Ethan & Mommy (this is the best we could get)

The family on the train
(Eliana wanted to get down and run around)

Ethan on the train

Ethan & Daddy

Ethan intensely playing with the trains

Eliana and Daddy coloring

Ethan looking at the trains

Snow day!!

2010-04-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

February 11, 2010

We have had crazy weather this year in Texas! It has snowed a number of times and on this particular day it snowed ALL day and we wound up with a foot of snow on the ground. I have a feeling people in Dallas will be talking about the snow of 2010 for a while (that is what we Texans do!) The kids loved the snow, even Ethan ventured out to walk in it, although he really did not want to touch the snow! Generally, the snow melts in a day but since it snowed so much and the temps stayed cold this snow lasted a few days! I forgot where I was for a little while ;-)!

Here are some overdue pics..sorry Nana!

(Eliana loving the snow)

(Ethan all smiles)

(our courtyard)

(the snow came down really heavy for a long time..it was beautiful)

Would I do the same?

2010-03-11T12:31:00.001-08:00

A touching story..thought I would share. Makes me wonder if I would do the same?!?

http://www.missionyear.org/blog/leroybarber/lifestyle-of-offering

Cheering on our Dallas Cowboys

2010-02-22T07:47:00.000-08:00

January 9, 2009

We had a Cowboys Party at our neighbor Joe's place to watch the Cowboys take on the Philadelphia Eagles. I dressed Ethan and Eliana in their Cowboy gear and we gleefully watched the Cowboys march to victory. Let me tell you that Joe is a diehard Cowboy's fan and there was definitely much screaming and jumping and excitement. Alas, the excitement of the win did not last long due to the fact the Boys lost their very next game! There's always next year...right?!?

The gift of friendship

2010-02-21T10:57:00.000-08:00

December 29, 2009

While in Colorado, we got to spend a couple of days with Desha and her family. I have been blessed with some amazing friends over the years and Desha is one of these! Despite geography, I have been able to see Desha at least once a year (sometimes more) since graduating from college.

We enjoyed our time together and our kids had a blast playing together. We were looking for something inexpensive (preferably free ;-)!!) for the us to take the kids to so we all would not go crazy! After much searching, we ended up deciding on a tour of a candy factory. I think the kids had fun...I mean how can you not enjoy getting free candy while you are waiting and then again after the tour is over!

Mainly, we talked lots, ate lots, and laughed lots. It went by way too fast but in the wise words of Dr. Seuss "Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened!"

Desha & I

Okay not the best pic of me but check out my prissy girl ;-)

Desha w/Eliana, Zoe, and Simon

Hammonds Factory (YUMMY!)

Zoe, Simon, and Ethan watching them make candy
Ethan enjoying some candy

The kids waiting for our group to be called

Thank God for Free Candy!!

Christmas Day

2010-02-20T11:36:00.001-08:00

December 25, 2009

Christmas morning has a new excitement for me as a mother as I watch my kids open thier stockings and play with their new toys. The joy I see on my children's faces I think is better than anything I experienced as a child. True to form, Ethan spent all morning and I mean ALL morning playing with his remote control car. For the longest time he just sat in one spot and watched the car go around and around and around. Eliana drug her baby doll and stroller up and down stairs and had a blast.

Later in the day we all enjoyed Christmas Dinner together cooked by my mother-in-law. Of course, it was excellent and I hope to be half the cook Marilyn is one of these days! Ethan ate the typical 'man' food (turkey, mashed potatoes, and corn), while Eliana tried everything! It was discovered that Eliana loves black olives. She could not get enough of them. She must get that from her daddy!

As always, Christmas was over quickly and we were left with lots of pictures and memories. However, I guess Christmas really is never over if the true meaning of Christmas..the baby named Jesus who changed the world forever....is lived throughout the year!

Our attempt to get a pic of me with the kids ;-)

It's Christmas and I can cry if I want to..for some reason I love this pic!
Ethan & Eliana enjoying Christmas Dinner

Santa's lost reindeer
Another lost reindeer and an elf!

Ethan playing with his new car (Classic morning hair!!)
Ethan opening his stocking
What else is in here??
Eliana, Aunt Jamie, and Cousin Adaline

Christmas Eve

2010-02-20T11:12:00.000-08:00

December 24, 2009 (like you did not know when Christmas Eve took place)

We opened presents Christmas Eve. The kids had a blast, of course!! Among Ethan's favorites was a remote control Lightning McQueen, some new Thomas the Train tracks and Eliana loved her baby doll and doll stroller. Before opening presents we found a little church and went to their Christmas Eve service. It was interesting because I missed most of it because I kept having to walk outside with Eliana, but it was nice anyways.

Christmas Eve Service

Nana & Eliana (not sure why this is fuzzy!) Ethan, Eliana, and Abigael playing with the ornaments
Ethan and Eliana opening presents

Ethan studying his new car

Cousins

2010-02-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

Ethan & Eliana got to spend lots of time with their cousins over Christmas. Ethan and Abigael (who is only 5 months younger than Ethan) played so well, until a cute little tornado (AKA Eliana) would come behind and cause trouble ;-)!! Cousin Adaline was only 5 months old at the time, but we'll be running with the rest of the big kids next year! This extended time with family was such a blessing. We're not sure when the next opportunity like this will come along again so we treasured our time together. I got many cute moments on the camera...here are a few.

The aftermath of Ring around the Rosy ;-)

Eliana & Abigael

Abigael & Ethan pretending to sleep (my favorite pic of them)

Ethan & Abigael Watching a sing along video in their PJ's

Abigael, Eliana, & Ethan playing with the musical snowmen (they loved these things)

Ethan and Abigael playing with the magnetic letters

Sledding

2010-02-20T07:35:00.000-08:00

December 24, 2009

Mommy and Eliana sledding

Jamie and Shane along with Josh and I took our adventurous little girls sledding Christmas Eve. Ethan stayed home with Nana. We were 100% positive he would not like sledding. I think he did not mind..when we got back he was watching CARS..his ultimate favorite. Both Eliana and Abigael loved sledding. Eliana had no fear, although she did not like the cold snow flying up in her face. Who can blame her?

Getting ready to go sledding

Cousin Abigael

Daddy getting ready to take Eliana sledding for the very first time

Mommy and Eliana

Winter Wonderland

2010-02-20T07:16:00.000-08:00

December 23, 2009

Two days before Christmas, Colorado got hit with a huge snowstorm and we got our White Christmas after all! It was beautiful and I loved it! This was really the first time the kids were around any snow of significance. Eliana loved the snow and wanted to play in it any opportunity she got. Ethan did not want to have anything to do with it and avoided it like the plague. He did not even want to walk in it..poor guy! By the time we left Colorado he was comfortable enough to walk through the edges of the snow.

Get a Texas girl around that much snow and she goes camera crazy, needless to say I ended up taking a crazy amount of pictures! I'll just choose some of my favorites!

Before the big snowfall hit...there's Ethan walking around the patch of snow and Eliana going right into the middle of it ;-)!!

Mommy and Eliana

No mom, my hands aren't freezing!!

I love this pic!

Ethan & Eliana's first plane ride

2010-02-19T12:43:00.000-08:00

December 17, 2009

3:00 a.m. - Wake up kids who wonder what in the heck is going on
3:30 a.m. - Hit the road to head to DFW airport --kid's are wide awake and think they are on an adventure. Our neighbor, Keron, graciously went with us so he could drive our car back to our apartment.
4:00 a.m. - Arrive at DFW. Unpack and wait and wait for the lines to open up. So glad my husband said we needed to arrive early. The line got REALLY long while we were waiting.
5 something- Go through security line..get up the front of the line and realize we need a "mock" ticket for Eliana. Josh went back to line while I waited. Not for long though. Went through line. We had to take the kids shoes off, coats off, get all the bags and car seat through...quite the experience. Ethan did not know why he had to take off his shoes and why they took his milk so he had a mini meltdown. I felt sorry for the people behind us.
Finally get through line and find some breakfast, which made the kids happy.
6:30 - Board plane and have to wait for about an hour for everyone to board. Eliana got a bit antsy at times but did super great overall.
7 something - Take off. Ethan stared out the window for the longest time while we were taking off. Super cute. He looked at books and toys all trip and hardly made a peep. Eliana, on the other hand, did not have her own seat and got somewhat fidgety. She went from Josh's lap to my lap and from toy to toy throughout the trip. However, she did GREAT considering she was only 15 months old.
9 - Arrive at Denver and are super exhausted but so glad we are there.

Waco Christmas

2010-02-19T12:04:00.000-08:00

Decemeber 12, 2009

We had an early Christmas with my family before leaving for our trip to CO. Here are a couple of pics.

A rare picture of the cousins together...this was the best one out of the five I took. This was a funny moment because Dad, Lindsey, and I were all taking pictures and trying to get all the kids to look at the camera. I even think there were some bribery in there ;-)!

Ethan looking at his new book
Eliana in her Christmas dress with her baby doll

We are still alive and well...

2010-02-05T11:24:00.001-08:00

For those of you who faithfully read my blog...come on I know you are out there..I just wanted to drop a quick note saying we are alive and well! We have some computer problems on our main computer and have not been able to update our blog! I have tons of pictures from our Christmas Vacation in Colorado. The kids had a great time!

Ethan & Eliana are doing well. Ethan turns 3 next month (on the 15th)...yes you heard me right 3!!!! I can hardly believe it! He still LOVES CARS and wants a "CARS Pancake" for his birthday. I am not sure if he means CARS Cake or pancake. If any of you have seen him eat pancakes, you know he loves pancakes so he might indeed mean pancake! We are trying to get Ethan to talk in sentences more, instead of baby talk and he is getting better, but he is still our quiet boy. He is a sweetie and is content with playing by himself. He'll play with trains or cars all day if we (or Eliana ;-)!) would let him!

Our little whirlwind, AKA Eliana, is now 17 months old and is the exact opposite of Ethan. She is busy, verbal, and our little social butterfly. She goes down the aisles in the grocery store saying Hi to all that pass. She does not sit still for long and jumps from toy to toy! She seems much older than her 17 months. She does whatever most 2 year olds can do and she says just as much! She got interested in the "potty" in Colorado and will sometimes tell us when she needs to potty.

I'm staying busy with my two kiddos and would not trade it for anything. There are days when I wonder if it would be easier just to go to work, and yes it probably would but it would not be as rewarding! I adore my kids and even when they drive me crazy there is no other place I want to be!

I'll be sure to post pics soon!

Trip to Dallas Aquarium

2009-12-18T13:42:00.000-08:00

November 27, 2009

The day after Thanksgiving we took a trip to the Dallas Aquarium. We have heard good things about it from a lot of people. We were not disappointed. The kids had a blast and we did too!

It is hard to get two toddlers to look at the camera at the same time!

Ethan and Eliana looking at some bird (I think!)

Sharks were swimming in the sides and top of the tunnel..very cool!

Ethan looking at a giant sea turtle

Our Thanksgiving

2009-12-18T13:25:00.001-08:00

November 26th, 2009

I thought since it is almost Christmas that I would get some pictures from our Thanksgiving up! Isn't that just like me?!? We spent Thanksgiving at my Uncle Gary & Aunt Patty's house. Of course, there were lots of food and a Cowboys game (which they won thankfully!), and family (which is the most important thing!) The kids had fun playing in the leaves in Gary and Patty's huge backyard and Ethan had a blast playing with all of the matchbox cars they have collected since having two grandsons.

I had to include this pic taken that day

Ethan in mom's tennis shoes

Eliana eating her Thanksgiving dinner
Eliana playing in the leaves

Ethan and Papaw (Dad wasn't ready for this picture ;-)!)

Eliana wearing Cliff's ball cap with my cousin Amy in the background

14 months

2009-11-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

Eliana is now 14 months old and is quite the busy girl! She keeps us on our toes for sure and is certain she can do anything her big brother can do. This can be scary at times, especially when we are at the playground! She has no fear and would go head first down the slides if we let her. Her cute little smile and bright blue eyes wins over everyone and her curly hair is adorable (albeit a bit unruly!). We went to Waco this past weekend and my dad could not get over her hair. He says I had the exact same hair when I was that age. She is a smart little girl. Her vocabulary is growing leaps and bounds.

Here are some pics of her and her big brother at nearby White Rock Lake. We like to go out there and go for walks and play.

I love this one!

CARES Festival

2009-11-13T06:27:00.000-08:00

Four years ago, a couple of weeks after moving to Dallas, Josh and I attended the Cares Fall Festival. We came to Dallas just the two of us and now four years later we are a family of four. Time has gone by quickly and I am have this strange feeling it is not going to slow down anytime soon. We have been blessed and even when God seemed silent He has had His hand on us. I am thankful for where I am today and would not trade it for anything.

A rare family photo

Eliana wanted to play too
He finally just went and placed it through the hole!

Yum Cheetos!

Halloween

2009-11-12T23:07:00.001-08:00

We had a fun filled Halloween. We attended our church's Harvest Festival in the morning and then took the kids from our apartment complex trick or treating. Ethan and Eliana were not into the trick or treat thing too much. Ethan did not want to put his candy down once he had a handful and Eliana is just too young to understand. They both had a fun day and enjoyed the massive amount of candy they got to eat!

Our room decorated for the kids Ethan and his balloon belt
The Upper E kids

Ethan showing Mommy his loot

Eliana enjoying a rice krispie treat

Mommy and her two kiddos at the Harvest Festival

Ethan fishing at the Harvest Fest

Eliana playing at the Harvest Festival

More pumpkins

2009-11-12T16:16:00.000-08:00

Towards the end of October we went to a Pumpkin patch about 30 miles away with a college friend and her daughter, Marijana. Marijana is a week older than Eliana and they always have fun together. It was a muddy mess and cooler than we thought when we got there, but the kids had fun taking pictures by the wooden cut outs and with all the pumpkins. Ethan wanted to carry his new book around so you see Ethan and his book in every picture. I thought only my son would carry his book around the pumpkin patch. Here are a few pics.

Eliana and Marijana with the pumpkins

A great shot of Ethan laughing

Eliana and Marijana

Ethan took a break to read (I love this pic)

Classic Ethan shot (tongue out)

Pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins

2009-10-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

October 19, 2009

This past Monday we went to the Dallas Arboretum to see the pumpkin patch they put on each year. Lindsey (my sister-in-law), Russell and Sydney (my nephew and niece), Mandy and Brett (Lindsey's sister and nephew), Nelda (Lindsey and Mandy's momma), and Vicki (Mandy's mother-in-law) drove to Dallas from Waco to join us for the day. We had such a great time and it was great to be able to spend time with my sister-in-law and nephew and niece. Ethan was not too happy when at the beginning, but warmed up as time went on and had a blast! Eliana had a great time too and was all over the place. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day.

Ethan and Russell (one of the few I got of Ethan with some pumpkins)

Eliana trying to sit on the same pumpkin as Brett

Ethan in one of the little houses

HSU Homecoming

2009-10-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

10 Years (really 10 years!)...Gosh it is hard to believe. It seems like forever ago and like yesterday in so many ways. This past weekend we ventured out to Abilene for my college Homecoming and to spend time with our good friends, Christy and Lon. Christy is like a sister to me and I love the time I get to spend with her. We both agreed it would have been perfect if Desha was able to join us, but alas she lives in Colorado and the trip was a bit too far! We had a great weekend and I was able to visit with some friends I had not seen in a long time. On Saturday morning I went to the AIO breakfast and was able to see some of my sorority sisters. It was such a good thing to see them and meet their husbands and children. AIO was such an integral part of my college experience and many of these women were like family to me. The few Alumni that were there came over to Christy's that night and we spent hours talking and reminiscing about old times. Our husbands thought we were crazy and couldn't help but laugh at us. Thanks guys! Overall, it was a great weekend and the kids had a blast. Ethan and Eliana loved Christy and Lon and their cat Joe. Ethan either wanted to be petting Joe or looking through the window at Joe the majority of the time we were at the house. This weekend meant so much to me and I am SO thankful for this time with good girlfriends.

Kirsten (and Noah), Joyce, Me (& Eliana), Christy, and Jennifer

The Alumni with the current AIO members
Eliana and Noah (my friend Kirsten's son)

Ethan and Eliana on the HSU campus

Eliana and Daddy on a stop on the trip to Abilene (love this picture!!)

Yee Haw..Ya'll!

2009-10-23T07:40:00.000-07:00

October 10, 2009

After living in Dallas for four years we finally went to the State Fair. The State Fair is such a big deal around here, especially where we live because literally it is only minutes away from us. Ethan and Eliana had a blast seeing all the rides in the Midway and seeing everything the fair has to offer. We took them to a petting zoo where they had a zebra, baby giraffe, Texas longhorn, buffalo, and many more animals. Ethan was a bit overwhelmed by all the people in there, but Josh said Eliana loved the animals! We went to the car show for Ethan (he loved it), saw a parade, went to a little backyard circus show, and Josh and I ate really bad food. It is not Texas without finding the most fattening food and making it worse by making it fried (i.e.fried Cheesecake, fried snickers, fried oreos, fried butter (yes..butter!), and on and on. We tried the fried cheesecake and fried Snickers and let me tell you they were good! Oh and I wanted a turkey leg..the thing was ginormous! We saw Big Tex and the big Ferris wheel..the two things I remember about the State Fair. The kids loved the huge Ferris wheel. I can't wait to take them on it someday!

There were tons of people

I was having to hold Eliana up so our heads were not exactly on the right place;-)!
Yummy..turkey leg!

Mommy and Ethan and Big Tex

Big Tex

Ethan and Eliana in front of all the John Deere tractors

A far off picture of Ethan and Eliana in front of the big Ferris Wheel

13 months old

2009-10-23T06:44:00.000-07:00

October 2, 2009

My sweet Eliana is now 13 months old and is growing and changing so fast. She is down to one nap now, drinks out of a cup (she would not do sippy cups so she drinks out of a straw cup), says new words and phrases all the time. Her language development is amazing to me. She can already put words together to tell us what she wants (she will say "want this"). She still has quite the spunky personality and will throw a temper tantrum (which includes her screaming at the top of her lungs) when she does not get her way! Eliana loves her big brother Ethan, playing outdoors, animals (real and stuffed ;-)!), and music. Oh, and she loves her food! Josh and I wonder where it all goes. She can eat so much and always seems hungry. She does this little dance where she shifts from one foot to another when we go into the kitchen and she knows food is on the way. It is hilarious! Lately she has gotten to where she will carry a bucket or a basket around and pile toys in there. It is cute. One day she was carrying it like a purse...Josh wondered if it was hardwired in little girls DNA to like stuff like that ;-)!

Here are some pics of Eliana at 13 months. I tried to take some pictures of her with a bow in her hair, but she does not like bows (she is her momma's girl) so she kept pulling it out.

Here she is taking out the bow!

Medieval Times

2009-10-22T18:22:00.000-07:00

September 25th, 2009

For Josh's 32nd Birthday (which is on the 28th of Sept), we went to Medieval Times. We had a great time and were impressed by the choreography. It was fun to see how the crowd really got into the whole story and cheered for their knight. It was also hilarious to watch the kids in the crowd and see how enthralled they were by it all. We will have to take Ethan and Eliana one day. Here are some pictures of our night.

Josh being silly

Our knight was the yellow and red knight

Cowboys Gear

2009-10-22T17:34:00.000-07:00

September 20, 2009

We set up an outdoor projector and screen for our residents to watch the Cowboys take on the NY Giants. I dressed up Ethan and Eliana in their matching Cowboys outfits. At this point in the season, I believe everyone felt there was still hope. There is always next season, right? I wanted to share the pics of my cute kiddos in their Cowboys gear, especially for you Nana ;-)!

I could not get a good picture of the two of them together!

Fun at the zoo

2009-10-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

September 6, 2009

On Sunday Jamie, Shane, and Abigael came back down to Waco and we all headed to the Cameron Park Zoo. Even though I grew up in the Waco area, it was my first time going to the zoo. It was such a great zoo and the kids had a blast. I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the details they had for the kids to make it a fun experience for them. Ethan and Abigael particularly liked the chimes they could jump on and make music (see pic below). Here are a few pics of the day.

A family pic at the zoo

Abigael, Ethan, and Eliana (love this pic)

Ethan's war wounds

(he was running so fast he fell and got all scraped up)

Ethan and Abigael making music

Ethan and Abigael by waterfall

Ethan with the fish

Eliana intently looking at the animals

Eliana's First Birthday!

2009-10-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

September 5, 2009

Eliana celebrated her 1st Birthday at the beginning of September in Waco at Uncle Blake and Aunt Lindsey's house. The majority of our family was there, including Nana who flew from Colorado for the special day! Eliana had a great Birthday with lots of gifts and lots of cake! She loved the cake so much that when I was cleaning off the icing she was trying to lick the towel I was using to get more. True to Eliana fashion she was not timid about eating her cake and was wearing quite a bit of it before it was over. I still can not believe my little girl's first birthday has come and gone, but I am enjoying watching her as she continues to grow and change. Here are just a few pictures from the day.

The Birthday girl on the move

She loved the balloons

Big brother Ethan and the cousins

Yummy!!

This stuff is good!

Mommy with her two precious children

Eliana's little cake

The cupcake cake

Happy Birthday Eliana!

2009-09-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

Today is Eliana's 1st Birthday! A year sure does go by fast. There are so many memories of this past year of how Eliana has changed our lives. She is full of energy and is our little social butterfly, waving at people in the grocery stores and flashing everyone that sweet smile of hers. Big brother Ethan and her are great friends, even though he was unsure of her at the beginning. He goes in to wake her up for naps and wants to get in the crib with her. They will immediately begin jumping and laughing. Eliana wants every toy Ethan has and will tackle him to get it, which is quite funny until he gets upset. Eliana is always on the move and Josh and I have to constantly tell her "no" due to her putting things in her mouth or opening cabinets etc. We never really had to do this with Ethan. We laugh about how different she is from her brother. She is a daddy's girl already and Josh just beams at his little girl. We love her so much and can't wait to see what the next year holds.

Here are some pics of her on her birthday. Her birthday party is in Waco this coming weekend.

She had a piece of Mommy's birthday cake..she liked it!

A preview of her Senior pictures ;-)
I took at least 6 or 7 pics of the two of them --
I could not get them both to look at the camera

Our sweet girl

That smile is going to melt hearts one of these days

weekly pics of my sweet girl

2009-09-02T19:03:00.001-07:00

Here is sweet Eliana at 51 weeks and 50 weeks. The weeks got off at some point. I will have to go back through all my blogs and figure out where. I am a bit sad that the weekly pics are over..that means my little girl is officially a toddler now, no longer my baby.

51 weeks old

The bows never stay in long, so I get the pictures while I can;-)

50 weeks old

Rainy day fun

2009-08-21T12:14:00.000-07:00

Around the beginning of August, Dallas had some much needed rain. We had a number of downpours. One morning while Eliana was napping I took Ethan outside to play in the rain. We played for almost an hour and he got drenched. He had a blast! Being a parent and seeing things the way that your kids see them is an eye-opening experience. They are so fascinated with this world and there is such an excitement about everyday things. Wouldn't this world be filled with more joy if we all took the time to play like we did when we were children?

As a kid I loved playing in the rain. My next door neighbor and I would play for hours in the ditch behind my house that would fill up with water when it rained and we would ride our bike through the puddles. We had so much fun. I still love the rain and have been known to play in the rain a time or two as an adult, too!

I got some great pictures of Ethan being a kid and having fun! I hope he can have this kind of fun for years and years to come!

More weekly pics

2009-08-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures of my sweet girl. Around the end of July, she began standing all by herself for longer periods of time. She took a couple of steps on August 2nd and then took about 7-8 steps August 7th. She has not done that since, but will take a couple of steps here or there. I am hoping she is walking by her first birthday party...we'll see. I can not believe we are to this phase. It seems like yesterday she was barely able to hold up her head, now look at her!

Here she is at 49 & 50 weeks. I think I may be a week off in my pictures.

50 weeks old

My happy girl
Look at those teeth!

49 weeks old
The heat and humidity cause her to have fly away hair

Just chillin' at the park

Love the expression in this one!
Look at me Mom..I am standing all by myself!!

2009-08-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

Eliana and her bunny

She sleeps with this bunny every night and will carry it all around the house and she definitely gets upset if Big Brother Ethan takes it away from her.

48 weeks old

47 weeks old

Weekly pics

2009-08-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

These pics show a little of Eliana's personality. Yes, she is licking a fence in one and carrying a stick in her mouth in another. She is a spunky little thing!

46 weeks old

Yes, she is licking the fence ;-)
Look at that cute face

45 weeks old

She will carry things in her mouth while she crawls

It is hilarious
My happy girl

Our trip to San Antonio

2009-08-18T12:05:00.000-07:00

On July 16th our new niece, Adaline Scarlett O'hara, joined the family. We took a trip to San Antonio this past week to meet Adaline and to celebrate Abigael's 2nd birthday! We had such a good time with Jamie and Shane and the girls and Ethan and Abigael had a blast together! Adaline is adorable. She is tiny...I can not believe it was not that long ago that Eliana was that little! Abigael loves her little sister and has adjusted so well to having a baby in the house.

Adaline so cute sleeping Ethan and Abigael
Ethan and Abigael coloring
(Ethan was obsessed with coloring while we were there)
Adaline and her uncle Josh

Adaline looking sweet

Mommy and her girl at the Riverwalk

Mommy and Ethan and Eliana at the Riverwalk

Daddy and the kids at the Riverwalk

Ethan's big boy hair cut

2009-08-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

I FINALLY took Ethan to get his first real big boy haircut this past Tuesday (August 11th). Ethan did get a "haircut" from his Papaw, who did not consult me ;-), back in April, however that did not count. I took Ethan to a place here in Dallas called Snip-Its that is designed for kids. He did fine throughout most of the cut, due to having a lollipop in one hand and a truck in the other. I did keep some of his hair and got a little certificate, which Josh thinks is hilarious. Ethan even got to get a prize at the end. He looks so handsome and so much older with his short hair. He loves it and was all smiles after it was over!

Before

Checking it out Watching television I have had enough!!

Getting his prize
After

Look how handsome and happy

I'm back

2009-08-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

Our 40 day fast from Internet and television was good. We talked, played games, spent undistracted time with Ethan and Eliana, read books, spent time with neighbors, spent time with the Lord, and got more involved in church. I realized during these forty days that I spend way too much time on useless distractions and that shutting off the noise of life is a necessity at times. I also learned having a conversation (even on the phone) is so much more intimate than sending an email. I missed being able to know the day to day happenings of my friends and family, but enjoyed my own little family so much more. I hope these past forty days have helped me gain a fresh perspective on what is truly important in life, mainly my relationship with the Lord and my relationships with close family and friends.

A lot happened during the past 40 days! Eliana stood by herself and took her first steps, Ethan used the potty for the first time , Ethan got his first big boy hair cut, our new niece (Adaline Scarlett O'hara) was born, Eliana moved into Ethan's room, and Eliana got two more new teeth. I will be sure to blog about it all!

Taking a break

2009-07-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

Josh and I are taking a break from the internet for the next 40 days. We want to use the time we would normally spend on the internet to draw closer to God and to discern His will for our lives. Please pray for us during this time. We have some decisions and hope we have a clearer answer at the end of these 40 days. I will make sure to post all cute pictures of my cute kids whenever these 40 days are up!

Our trip to the zoo

2009-07-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

Today we took Ethan and Eliana to the Dallas Zoo. It was the first time at the zoo for both of them! It was dollar day at the zoo (yep, Admission was only $1), so it was quite a deal. Ethan loved all the animals, in particular the penguins and gorillas (I think because he could get right up close to them!) I got lots of pictures of Ethan pointing at the animals saying "this". That is what he says when he gets excited or likes something. I am not sure he knew what to think about it all. At one point he was playing peek a boo with the animals..it was very cute! Eliana has not been feeling too well so she was not as excited about our zoo trip, but did enjoy some of the animals. She slept for a lot of the trip. It definitely was HOT today for us and the animals! The majority of the animals stayed in the shade and were not moving around too much. I don't blame them! We still had a great time and I look forward to going again!

Ethan with the African Bongo (?)

Ethan and Eliana's ride
Ethan and the gorilla
(it got right up the window and looked at Ethan!)

Ethan watching the penguins

Ethan playing in a water fountain

My she is growing up!

2009-07-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

Two more weeks have passed and my little girl is becoming less babyish each day. She wants and tries to get everything her big brother has and often succeeds ;-)! She likes to grab Ethan by his shirt and pull him down..it is quite funny! Josh and I laugh and say we can picture Eliana punching some kid on the playground someday for being mean to her brother! She is cruising along the furniture but does not want to take those first steps. I do think she will be walking by the time she is one, which is only two short months away!

44 weeks old

(she was not happy, but is still beautiful!)

43 weeks old

Ah...Summer!

2009-06-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

I love Summer! I love the longer days, swimming, fresh corn on the cob and tomatoes, watermelon, and the relaxed feeling of the season. Of course, there are things I definitely could do without. Mainly, the heat, humidity, and the bugs! Yes, I live in Texas and these three things go hand and hand during a Texas Summer. The heat and humidity have already gotten unbearable here in Texas. I am afraid to see what July and August bring! Each Summer when the heat is unbearable Josh will ask when we are moving to Colorado. We love being close to family (at least part of them) and will be sad to move if that day comes. I thought I would share some pics of two of the most adorable children ever (yes that would be Ethan and Eliana) enjoying Summer!

Eliana's first taste of watermelon

Another week is gone

2009-06-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

The weeks seem to fly by but the days seem so long (at least some of them do). I can hardly believe my little girl is 42 weeks old (10 weeks away from being 1..do you know how fast 10 weeks go??) . She is as busy as ever and wants to walk so bad. She is pulling up on everything and has stood by herself for just a second a couple of times. I know I have mentioned this more than once but she is so different than Ethan at this age. I am sure personality differences attribute to part of this but I believe I am different as a mom this time around too. I am more laid back and am more willing to let Eliana learn for herself. I was so cautious with Ethan and there almost immediately when he started to cry. I wonder if most mothers are this way with their children. It would make sense. It will be interesting to see how this affects Eliana as she gets older.

My son

2009-06-12T10:40:00.000-07:00

More than one person has commented about the personality difference between Ethan and Eliana. They are definitely different and Josh and I could tell this almost from the beginning. Eliana is our social one who seems to not be afraid of much of anything and Ethan is our shy, cautious one. He is not crazy about big groups and it takes awhile for him to warm up to people and to be his silly self. Ethan is such a sweet boy and has a kind, gentle heart. This I can already see and I pray it is a quality he will always have throughout his life. Recently, I have gotten some good pictures of Ethan and thought I would share.

At the park

Ethan eating Barbeque

Winking

Wearing a deflated soccer ball as a hat

Don't I look cool in Mommy's shades?!?

Our trip to the spray park

2009-06-12T05:36:00.000-07:00

While Desha and the kids were here we went to the spray park. We got there and there were kids everywhere! I suppose that is to be expected on the first weekend school is out! Ethan was a bit overwhelmed by all the kids and eventually headed over to the playground. Ethan loves parks. Everytime we pass one in the car he points and says, "This". That is what he says when he wants something (it does not matter what it is). The other three kids loved the spray park. Eliana would put her face in front of the water and let it spray her directly in the face. She was absolutely hilarious.

Desha with Eliana and Simon

Eliana and Simon

Desha came to visit!

2009-06-11T20:43:00.001-07:00

My best friend and college roommate, Desha, and her two kids, Zoe (who is almost 4) and Simon (who is 16 mos. old) came to Texas for a visit this past week. Ethan, Zoe, and Simon shared a room together during their stay. We stayed busy the entire week getting together with college friends, going to Abilene to see our other best friend, swimming, going to the sprayground, etc. It was an exhausting week, but so worth every second. I hated to see the week end, but I am grateful for the time we had together. It was such a blessing to be able to spend this time with friends who know me better than almost anyone (except of course my husband). We laughed, reminisced about old times, and got to know each other's children. Here are just a few pictures from the week.

Hardin-Simmons just lets anybody get out of there with a degree

Christy and Desha being silly with all the kiddos

Christy and Ethan
Ethan and Zoe at one of the many parks we went to

Ethan and Eliana playing at a local mall right before Ethan's melt down
Desha with the kids at our pool
Eliana and Simon

Summer is here!

2009-06-11T19:28:00.001-07:00

The pool at our apartment complex opened near the end of May and we took the kids. Ethan loved swimming last year and I was sure he would love it this year, but that was not the case. He got in but cried to get out almost immediately. He would not get back in but did sit on the steps after awhile. Eliana, on the other hand, loved the pool. It was her first time and she loved the water. She was content to sit in her floatie and loved it when Josh and I would throw her up in the air and then catch her. I am sure we will spend a lot of time in the pool this Summer. I hope Ethan will warm up to the idea of swimming after a few times. Here are some pictures from our day.

Getting in the water for the first time

Congratulations Chass and Rene

2009-06-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of May we headed down to Waco for the weekend to watch my stepsister, Chassati, get married. She and Rene were married on Saturday, May 2nd, in an outdoor wedding in Salado, Texas. The wedding was held on the grounds of a bed and breakfast there. It was an absolutely beautiful location. Some day I would like to go there with Josh. Chassati was a beautiful bride, as I knew she would be, and I wish Rene and her the best. Here are some pictures from the day. I wish I would have taken more. I did not even get one with my dad and the kids. Oh, well.

Chass and Rene

Papaw and Eliana

Our attempt at a family photo

Ethan dancing with Dadoo at the reception

(he spilled water on his shirt)

Mommy and her sweet girl

The weeks keep flying by!

2009-06-11T14:18:00.001-07:00

I know I am WAY behind on posting Eliana's weekly pictures, but never fear I am going to catch you guys up. She is growing fast and looks more like a little girl at times than a baby. She is pulling up on everything and said her first word yesterday (dada!..Ethan's first word as well). She wants everything her brother has and would rather have what we are eating than baby food. She is such a joy and is our little daredevil. She likes to play this game with her daddy where she dives off the couch head first and he catches her. She will do this again and again. We have been to the pool and the splash park and she has no fear. Pictures to follow! She is now 9 months old and weighs 22lbs and is 30 inches long.

41 weeks old

40 weeks old

39 weeks old

More weekly pics

2009-06-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

38 weeks old

37 weeks old

36 weeks old

Watch out..she's on the move!

2009-05-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

Within the past couple of weeks Eliana has begun to crawl. She is into everything and I mean everything! She especially likes to go after the toys Ethan is playing with, much to his frustration. He does not know rather he should share with his sister or take them away from her. Josh and I just sit back and watch the drama unfold, until one (usually Ethan..Eliana thinks it is a game) or both become overly frustrated. We can picture the fights over toys a year from now and it is not going to pretty. I have a feeling Eliana is going to overtake big brother Ethan most of the time ;-)! Eliana is still our social butterfly and is quick to flash one of her winning smiles to those around. She is a laid back baby and people always wonder if "she is always this good". The answer is yes for the most part ;-). It is hard to believe she is eight months old. She will be walking and talking before too long.

35 weeks old

34 weeks old

33 weeks old

I got tagged

2009-04-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

Katy tagged me so here I go!

8 Things I Am Looking Forward To:
1. Chassati's wedding in two weeks
2. Eliana's first birthday
3. Desha coming to visit in June
4. The birth of my new niece
5. Our trip to Colorado in December
6. Eliana learning to walk and talk
7. All the new things Ethan will learn in the coming months
8. a date with my husband

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:
1. clean house better
2. run without wanting to die ;-)
3. be a good cook
4. take amazing pictures
5. be successful at my Pampered Chef business
6. make incredible scrapbooks
7. eat healthier
8. sing well

8 Shows I am Currently Watching:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Biggest Loser
3. Desperate Housewives
4. Ugly Betty
5. The Office
6. Friday Night Lights
Can't think of any others

I tag:
Marilyn
Chass
Rachel

Bluebonnets

2009-04-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

One of the things I missed the most during the years I did not live in Texas were the bluebonnets in the Spring. My sister-in-law, Lindsey, would always send me a bluebonnet in the mail while I was away. This year the bluebonnets are beautiful. I tried to get a picture of Ethan and Eliana together but it was not happening, nor could I get Ethan to look at the camera ;-). I got some great pictures nevertheless.

Cousins

2009-04-16T19:12:00.000-07:00

Ethan and Eliana love spending time with their cousins. We spent Easter weekend at Blake and Lindsey's house so Ethan got to play lots with them. I got some cute pictures of Russell and Syndey and wanted to share them. I love my nephew and niece and I am so glad my kids get to spend so much time with them.

Ethan and Sydney

Ethan and Russell
Sydney

Russell

Easter

2009-04-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

We spent Easter with my family in Waco. Eliana looked adorable in her little Easter dress and Ethan had fun playing with his cousins. Ethan hunted Easter eggs for the first time. He really did not care much about hunting eggs. He wanted to play instead.

Eliana wearing bunny ears

Easter egg hunt
Eliana in her Easter dress

Ethan putting eggs in his Easter basket

Eliana wanted the Easter eggs too

Ethan opening the first egg he found ;-)

Ethan and his Papaw

2009-04-15T16:31:00.000-07:00

We spent the majority of the past week in Waco for my grandmother's funeral and Easter. Ethan got to spend lots of time with his Papaw. Ethan absolutely idolizes his Papaw. One day while we were in Waco we had the chance to spend the afternoon at Papaw and Dadoo's land in Jonesboro. Ethan went non-stop from the time we got there to the time we left. He had a blast from throwing rocks, feeding the catfish, riding in the range rider (I think that is what it is called), and getting to help drive the backhoe with Papaw. He did not want to leave when it was time to go, but within minutes he was sound asleep covered in dirt and very happy. It was a perfect day for my little boy!

Ethan throwing rocks

Ethan and Papaw on the backhoe

Going for a ride
Ethan putting on Papaw's hat
Ethan wearing Papaw's hat

Pretty in Pink

2009-04-15T16:02:00.000-07:00

Eliana and I attended Chass' bridal shower two Saturdays ago. Eliana had fun playing with three other little girls who were at the shower. One of them, Marlee, is the daughter of a good friend of mine from high school. It was neat to see our daughters together. The little girls were the hit of the shower, besides Chass of course!

Everything goes into the mouth these days

My sweet daughter looking so pretty!
Eliana and Marlee

Eliana and Emma (I love Eliana's face in this one)

Emma, Eliana, and Marlee

Catching up...

2009-04-15T11:17:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been busy ones (more posts to follow) and I have not had a chance to post Eliana's weekly pics. Here they are for those of you who look forward to seeing how my baby girl grows from week to week ;-)! I can tell you one thing for certain. These weeks are going by so fast.

32 weeks old

31 weeks old

30 weeks old

Gooaal!!

2009-03-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

Not only did Ethan get a basketball goal for his birthday, but a soccer goal as well! His Grandma gave it to him. We decided to wait until we were back from Waco before we let him open it so we would be able to put the goal up afterwards. He was so cute when he saw the box. He kept looking and pointing saying "ball". He definitely knows his soccer. Hmm..I wonder why? Now the race is on...basketball or soccer? Just kidding. Actually, he can kick the soccer ball quite well and has loved soccer since he was a baby.

Opening his gift with Daddy

I like this!!

Pointing at the ball on the box

Kicking the ball

He made it!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

2009-03-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

Eliana posing for her 29 week photos in her adorable Saint Patrick's Day dress compliments of Grandma! She is growing leaps and bounds and looks more like an 8 month old rather than a 6 month old. Some of her 6-9 month clothes are already too tight. Yikes.

Ethan sporting his John Deere green in honor of St. Patrick's Day! Yes, he needs a hair cut!

Yay for Saint Patrick's Day!

Ethan already being silly in pictures taken with his little sister

Everything goes to the mouth these days!

Eliana at 28 weeks. Is there anything cuter than that smile? I think not!!

And how about those beautiful blue eyes?

My sweet boy is 2!

2009-03-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

Ethan turned two on Sunday. We celebrated his big day with a family birthday party at Uncle Blake and Aunt Lindsey's house. It was a construction theme for the party. Ethan is currently obsessed with construction vehicles of any kind. We put a little construction truck on the cake and it was all we could do to make Ethan wait to grab the truck. He sat so patiently while we sang Happy Birthday all the time reaching towards the truck. It was a great party and Ethan got lots of great gifts. He had fun with his cousins and played hard. One of the cutest moments of the day was him and Russell driving around in the pink Barbie jeep. It was a sight to see the two boys in the pink jeep.

Eliana had fun as well and got her first taste of icing, which she loved!

Birthday Balloons

The Cake!
Ethan having fun

What a beautiful present!!

I want some too!

What's in here?
Cousin Abigael
Trying to get the cousins to hug
When can I get the truck??
Cousin Russell and Ethan cruising in the Barbie jeep! They are going to love this pic one day.
Mommy getting a hug from the birthday boy!

Memorable moments

2009-03-10T12:22:00.000-07:00

I love watching my kids grow and experience new things for the first time. It is such an amazing thing to see them enjoy life and appreciate the little things. As an adult I feel like I take the simple things in life for granted. Not Ethan and Eliana. They are amazed with the things we simply look over: water, birds, airplanes, music, and so on. The first couple of years of life are such an exciting time and I have the honor to be front and center as my children are going through these years. Here are some pictures of Eliana enjoying the little things in life for the first time.

First time eating sweet potatoes ;-)

First time on slide with mommy..doesn't she look thrilled? ;-)

One of her first times on the swing...she loves the swing

First time taking a bath in the big bathtub with Big brother! They are going to love this picture one of these days ;-). Oh, yes the water is green because I add food coloring to Ethan's baths for fun and to teach him his colors! Don't worry I was right there by the tub!

First time jumping in her Jumperoo

Early birthday present

2009-03-09T20:57:00.000-07:00

Ethan received an early birthday present from Mommy and Daddy today. He got his first basketball goal. I think he enjoyed seeing Mommy and Daddy shoot baskets more than anything else. Josh got a kick (no pun intended) out of Ethan kicking the ball rather than shooting the ball. There is still plenty of time to sway him over to the great sport of basketball ;-). Here are some pictures of Ethan and his basketball goal.

Look at me!

2009-03-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

Eliana is officially 6 months old (26 weeks) now!! I can't believe in another six months she will be celebrating her 1st birthday! Eliana is sitting up all by herself and has not one but two teeth coming in!! She has not been too cranky with teething, which is such a blessing. She definitely likes chewing on things. I am not sure that has so much to do with her teething more than she just likes to put things in her mouth. She has a bunny she sleeps with every night and she holds on to that thing and chews on it and sometimes still has it clutched in her hand when she wakes up in the morning. It is cute.

Our little girl seems to be growing leaps and bounds and will be on the move before we know what hit us. She looks at Ethan longingly when he is running and playing. I know she wants to take off after him. It won't be too many more months, though.

Here are pictures of Eliana at 25 weeks old. I love this little outfit. It was cousin Sydney's outfit. I remember seeing pictures of Sydney at this age in this outfit and thinking how cute she looked.

Trip to playground and a favorite friend

2009-02-19T11:13:00.000-08:00

Ethan and I took a trip to one of his favorite playgrounds yesterday. He loves to play! When we pull up in the parking lot he starts screaming and clapping his hands out of excitement and takes off at a run when I get him out of the car. He absolutely loves to swing and will spend most of his time at the swings. He also likes walking up and down the stairs and following after the kids there. Whenever it is time to go, no matter how much time we spent at the park, Ethan is sad to go and just cries and cries. I love these times at the playground as Ethan runs and simply enjoys being a kid! We grow up way too fast and I have to admit these trips make me forget about the worries of adulthood and become a kid again as well.

Look closely in the background of the picture. This little girl was climbing up a ladder on the playground and became exasperated trying to get up so she just laid her head down. It was hilarious!

The pictures below are of Ethan and a kid in the community who we have known since almost the beginning of our time as a CARES team. Ethan absolutely LOVES Nazier and is his shadow when we have events. I do not have to worry about Ethan if Nazier is there. I would say Nazier is Ethan's favorite person outside of family, of course. Yesterday we had a Homework Night for the kids and I looked over and Ethan was sharing a chair with Nazier and Nazier had put his necklaces on Ethan. I wish I would have gotten a better picture of Ethan with the necklaces on because he looked adorable.

Valentine's Day Visit

2009-02-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

On Valentine's Day we headed to Keller to see Aunt Patty and Uncle Gary. They had not seen Eliana yet and Aunt Patty was dying to see our precious little girl. We had a great time visiting and Ethan took to Uncle Gary fairly quickly. Within minutes he was posing for pictures with him. This is a big deal as Ethan is slow to warm up at times. Ethan had a blast playing with all the cars at their house and Eliana loved all the hugs and kisses. Thank you Aunt Patty and Uncle Gary for a good day and we promise to come again sometime soon.

Time is flying

2009-02-18T12:04:00.000-08:00

Eliana is now 24 weeks old! She seems to be growing leaps and bounds and time just seems to be flying! She is still such a happy baby. She loves her big brother so much and he is sure to get a laugh. Their car seats are beside each other in the car and I catch them holding hands and laughing back there all the time. It is the cutest thing.

Eliana has developed a bit of stranger anxiety within the past week. She wants Mommy and Daddy around and prefers us to hold her. She is still sleeping fairly well. Some nights she only wakes up once but there are other nights she wakes up twice. We are ready for the day where she sleeps through the night, but I really can not complain. She is extremely strong and I know it won't be too long before she is sitting by herself. She is close now but has not quite got it yet. This frustrates her to no end as she wants to get up and go.

23 weeks old

This week we started her on rice cereal. She did fairly well for the first time eating rice cereal. She likes the spoon and will pull it to her mouth which helps in getting her to eat the cereal. She does not like the taste of the cereal too much. We are planning on starting Oatmeal soon, which she will probably like much better.

22 weeks old

She rolled over for the first time at the end of this week. She rolled over from her stomach to her back, but has yet to roll from her back to her stomach.

Brotherly love

2009-02-03T11:37:00.000-08:00

Ethan has been showing much more interest in Eliana this past week. Whenever she wakes up from a nap he will run into our room (where she sleeps) and start talking to her. He then wants to get into the crib with her and after I get her out he will run up to the couch and reach out his arms because he wants to hold her. It is the cutest thing! He will even pose for pictures with her now. Eliana loves the attention from her brother. He is one of her favorite people ;-).

Here are some recent pictures of my adorable kids.

2009-01-29T04:39:00.000-08:00

Eliana is now 21 weeks old. She is growing so fast and seems so big for her age. She does not look like a four month old. She seems older for some reason. She is extremely strong and can almost sit up by herself. She loses her balance and will tip over right now. She has not rolled over yet but I think that is because she has not had a lot of tummy time. I am trying to do better about giving her tummy time. She has started taking a bottle. We give her about two a day. She still does not like them all too much but seems to be more full after the bottles. Eliana is waking up more at night these days and we are not quite sure why. She will wake up two to three times per night. This mommy is tired but I am hoping it is just a phase.

Eliana seems to grow more beautiful every day. She is just a pretty girl. I know I am a bit biased but she really is beautiful! She has beautiful blue eyes and a precious smile. She has a great personality and her laugh is contagious. I do not think there is a sound more beautiful than one of my kid's laughing! It does wonders for the soul.

Here are her weekly pictures.

Here are some pictures at 20 weeks.

Advanced for her age...

2009-01-14T09:36:00.000-08:00

We went to the doctor on Monday for Eliana's four month check up. She got the routine check up plus three shots. Not fun for Mommy or Eliana. She looked shock after the inital prick and then started screaming. It breaks my heart to watch one of my kids get shots. At her appointment Eliana weighed 16 lbs and was 26 1/2 inches long (she is in the 98 percentile for height). Gosh my little girl is growing up. The doctor asked about her sleeping schedule and I said she was going to bed around 8:30 and waking up generally about once a night. The doctor said she was acting more like a six month old than a four month old and she said Eliana is advanced for her age! Of course, she is advanced for her age..she is my daughter after all ;-)! I mentioned that Eliana seems to be drooling a lot more these days and Dr. Milci (our doc) said this generally means the first tooth will arrive in a month or two. We are free to start solids whenever we like. I think we are going to wait until Eliana reaches the five month mark and start solids then. I sure hope she likes solids like her big brother did when we first started them. We continue to notice the differences between Eliana and Ethan at this age. She is much more animated (Ethan was laid back and a quiet observer) and is a talker. She loves stuffed animals and blankets and Ethan could care less.

Here is Eliana at 19 weeks:

Ethan is growing all the time and stringing more words together, although they may not be completely understandable to the outside observer. He says: "what you doing" and "where you going" a lot. He still loves to be outside and loves books. He got some paperback books about construction trucks and rescue vehicles (fire trucks, police cars..that kind of thing) and is obsessed with them. He carries them around the house and outside and always wants me to read them to him. His 2nd birthday is right around the corner (March 15th). We are probably going to have a puppy dog theme (or soccer)with a small family birthday in Waco. Birthdays are exciting in our family and we plan to always make a big deal out of them! After all, it is the day God chose to bring us into the world..that is a pretty big deal!!

Here are some recent pictures of Ethan:

Adventures in Baking

2009-01-13T11:04:00.000-08:00

Anyone that knows me well knows that I am no Martha Stewart! I do like to cook and sometimes I enjoy baking. Baking sometimes stresses me out though (because invariably something always goes wrong) so I have to be in the mood. Well, the other day we had some friends coming over so I decided to bake a cake. I used a recipe my mother-in-law had sent me. It was my first time to try this particular recipe. After forty minutes or so I smelled something burning..when I opened the oven I noticed the cake had overflowed and was falling through the middle of the bundt pan and down to the middle of my oven. The cake at the bottom of the oven was burning and the entire apartment became smokey. The cake was not finished so I had to continue baking it..Josh meanwhile got the majority of the fallen cake! It was hilarious because things like this seem to happen when I enter the kitchen! The cake actually turned out to be quite delicious and something I will bake again.

If you like chocolate cake then this recipe is definitely something you should try:

1 pkg devils food cake
1 3 oz pkg of instant chocolate pudding mix
2 C. sour cream
1 C. melted butter
5 eggs
1 t. almond extract
2 C. semisweet chocolate chips

350 degrees
Grease 10" Bundt pan. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and almond extract. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Blend in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

~Note put foil on rack or bake on a cookie sheet in case of spillage

Happy Anniversary to me!

2009-01-10T10:36:00.000-08:00

Today is Josh and my 5 year anniversary!! It has been a great five years. We have had our ups and downs and joys and struggles along the way but I can honestly say our love is more mature than it was five years ago. It really does not feel like five years, but it feels like we have been together forever at the same time. I feel so blessed to be married to Josh. He is a great husband and a wonderful father. He is giving, kind, sensitive, caring, and a hopeless romantic.

I can remember this day five years ago extremely well. I was a nervous wreck, but so excited. I had not slept much, if any, the night before. I got my hair and makeup done and went to the Miller Chapel to put on my wedding dress where my bridesmaids (Desha, Christy, Chass, Jamie, and Jayme) were waiting for me. Josh and I had decided to see each other before the wedding. It was just the two of us and our photographer in the room when we saw each other for the first time. It was one of the sweetest moments of the entire day. The intensity of that moment can not be put into words. We were overwhelmed by God's goodness to us. We both cried! During those brief moments,Josh gave me a string of pearls to wear with my dress. We also prayed together and over the bread and grape juice we were using for communion during the ceremony. Then...we headed out to take some more pictures when the unthinkable happened and Josh spilled a tiny bit of grape juice on my wedding dress. He was SO upset and I was remarkably calm. My florist/wedding planner Paul (who reminded me of Franc on Father of the Bride) swooshed in to save the day. Did you know Sprite takes out grape juice? It does!!

The wedding was beautiful. We began the ceremony with worship songs led by my Mission Year teammates Hope and Steve. My grandfather who was an incredible man of God married us. It turned out to be the last wedding he ever performed because he was killed in a tragic car accident the next month. My photographer took some great pictures of Bro. Parmer that day that Donna was able to order. I was so thankful Josh and I chose him to marry us. After lighting the unity candle we shared communion together, which was another incredible moment. We had our reception close by at the Herrington House. Some of my favorite pictures came from the reception. We had a great time visiting with friends and family during the reception. We did shove the cake in each other's face and I am pretty sure I started it ;-)! After the reception was over we changed clothes and ran outside where we were bombarded with birdseed thanks mostly to Desha and Steve, Christy, and Julie. We had birdseed everywhere. (A year later we were able to repay the favor when Christy and Lon got married! We filled up water pitchers full of bird seed!) My dad had gotten us a limo to take to Dallas where we were going to stay the night before headed out to our honeymoon in Lake Tahoe. It was a WONDERFUL Day! There is not much I would have changed about that day..mostly ticky tacky stuff. At the end of the day, Josh and I were married and all that stuff did not matter anyways.

Now five years later we are a family of four! Josh and I love being parents to Ethan and Eliana and look forward to see what the next five years holds for us.

Josh and I on our wedding day, January 10, 2004

Such a good daddy...

2009-01-08T07:14:00.000-08:00

Eliana is now 18 weeks old. Here are her weekly pictures. My plan is to put all these pictures in an album for the first years so we can see how much she changes from week to week.

Josh is such a good dad to Ethan and Eliana. I love watching him with both of them. He has a way with them and they are both crazy about him. He can make both of them laugh hysterically and is such a good discipliner in a way that I am not. I tend to be a softie with Ethan and in turn he does not always mind me ;-). Ethan loves when daddy comes home from work and drops everything to run up to him to be picked up. I am so grateful I have a husband who is so involved with our children. He is eager to help when needed and adores our children as much as I do.

Four Months Old

2009-01-02T21:38:00.000-08:00

Today Eliana turned four months old!! WOW..I can't believe my little girl is already four months old. She will probably start solids next month and will be rolling over before you know it along with a million other firsts. I know I have said it a million times but time really does go by so fast...too fast. It is bittersweet. I love watching her grow but I want to hold on to these moments and never let them go at the same time. I feel the same way about my precious little boy too. He is growing just as fast and will be two in 2 1/2 months!!

Here is a few pics of Eliana at four months old:

17 weeks old

2009-01-02T21:12:00.001-08:00

Eliana is feeling better now after our week long Christmas trip visiting the family. She has a slight lingering cough but is almost completely recovered. This past Tuesday she turned 17 weeks old. She is sleeping better in her crib but still has a hard time with napping at times. She is quite talkative and extremely interested in the world around her. She still likes putting anything and everything in her mouth (her hands, our hands, blankets, stuffed animals, toys etc.) and is quite the little drooler ;-). Ethan becomes more intriqued with her as she gets older and interacts more and more with us. It is cute to watch!

Christmas - Part II

2009-01-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

After leaving San Antonio we headed to Waco to have Christmas with my side of the family. We stayed with Blake and Lindsey and the kids while we were there. Again, Ethan had a blast playing with his cousins. Eliana was still sick while we were in Waco and Josh started to feel bad as well. We had fun nevertheless and enjoyed our time with them. We normally stay at my parents house when we go to Waco and our time with Blake and Lindsey is rushed so it was nice to have this extended time with them. We had our Christmas on Saturday the 27th. Again, Ethan and Eliana came away with quite the haul. Eliana got her first baby doll this Christmas! Thank you Aunt Lindsey.

The day before we left Waco we noticed Ethan beginning to feel bad. Sure enough on our way home Ethan began coughing and looked absolutely miserable. We called the doctor and scheduled an appointment for both of the kids. We did not even go home but we went straight to the doctor. We are still recovering from our Christmases and both Ethan and Eliana are getting better. Eliana is almost completely recovered but Ethan still feels a bit under the weather. We were sick last Christmas too. Hopefully, next year we will all be healthy. Despite sickness, we had a wonderful Christmas with both sides of the family. It was nice for Ethan and Eliana to have extended time with all of their cousins and it was nice to be able to spend quality time with Blake and Lindsey and Jamie and Shane. We were extremely blessed by our family this year and are very thankful!

Eliana and her baby doll

Russell with his nerf gun
Daddy and Eliana resting

Chass and Ethan

Ethan getting a kiss from Papaw

Ethan being silly

Dadoo with Eliana and Sydney

Christmas - Part I

2009-01-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

We spent a few days, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, in San Antonio with Jamie (my sister-in-law) and her family. Jamie and Shane have a daughter who is five months younger than Ethan. Ethan had a blast with Abigael during our stay. They played at the park a couple of times and Ethan had fun playing with all of Abigael's toys. She has a shopping cart that Ethan spent the majority of the time pushing around the house.

A couple of days before we got to San Antonio Eliana started getting sick. I had hoped it was a temporary cold and would be over before we got to San Antonio but that was not the case. She felt horrible the majority of our stay and slept a lot. This was her first cold and it was heartbreaking to see her feel so bad. She was still as sweet as ever even though she felt awful.

Mommy and Eliana Christmas Eve

Eliana looking cute in her Christmas dress (16 weeks)
Ethan looking handsome in his Christmas outfit

Ethan and Abigael taking a bubble bath

Christmas Day we opened presents and talked to Josh's mom on Skype. Both Josh and I and Shane and Jamie bought her a web cam (great minds think alike) so she could see the grandkids on Christmas. Ethan and Abigael got quite the haul this year and had fun playing with all of their new toys. Eliana missed the majority of the opening of the presents because she was napping. She did stay awake long enough to open a blanket Josh's mom had made for her. The blanket went directly in the mouth where most things go these days ;-).

Ethan with Christmas bows in hair

Eliana chewing on blanket that Grandma made

Ethan playing with Batman car which he loves!!

Ethan looking cute

Ethan and Abigael eating Christmas Dinner at the kid's table

Eliana and Abigael on Christmas Day

Eliana with First Christmas Hat on

Girls Day Out

2008-12-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

This past Monday Eliana and I met my good friend Christy in Ft. Worth for a day of shopping, Mostly, it was a day of talking and catching up with a tiny bit of shopping. Eliana had a great time with the ladies and did so well. I am sure this will be the first of many mother/daughter shopping days. Christy was very patient as we took a tour of bathrooms at the mall so I could nurse.

It is so wonderful to have a friend like Christy who I can share everything with and who I can completely be myself around. We have been friends for over a decade now and she is like a sister to me. I know hers is a friendship I will have for a lifetime.

All dressed in our Christmas colors

Mommy and Eliana

Christy and Eliana
Mommy and Eliana

Getting bigger and bigger...

2008-12-20T00:05:00.001-08:00

Eliana is now fifteen weeks old and is still such a happy baby. She is laid back, content, and is ready and willing to give a smile at any time. Josh and I have noticed lately how different she is from Ethan at this age. She is definitely more talkative and is more interested in stuffed animals and any toy she can put into her mouth. Lately she is been having a difficult time sleeping and is still sleeping in her swing at night. We have bought a crib for her and are hoping this will help her sleep better. Keep your fingers crossed and the prayers lifted up!

Oops...I missed the photos at fourteen weeks old. Here she is looking as cute as ever!

Go Broncos!!

2008-12-08T13:47:00.000-08:00

Ethan and Eliana's Daddy, Grandma, and Aunt Jamie love the Broncos! In honor of the Denver Broncos, I dressed Ethan and Eliana up for game day in their Bronco gear. They looked adorable, of course ;-)! I tried to get a picture of the two of them together but it wasn't happening and getting a picture of an active toddler is such a chore these days. Gone are the days where he would see the camera and pose for me! Eliana on the other hand is full of smiles when Mommy gets her camera out! Here are my kiddos in their blue and orange. Of course, Mommy thinks blue and silver look better!

These are a few of my favorite things...

2008-12-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

Did you start singing? LOL! I love this time of year and most everything about the season. My friend Katy has been blogging about her favorite things this time of year and I thought I would follow suit. I think one of my ultimate favorite things about this time of year is Christmas music. I love Christmas music!! I have many favorites but I love these: O Holy Night, Silver Bells, Silent Night, Snoopy vs. The Red Baron, and O Come All Ye Faithful. I also love Mannheim Steam Roller. My second favorite thing is the Christmas lights and decorations. As a kid, I loved the days when we would hop in the car and go look at Christmas lights. My dad would crank up Snoopy's Christmas and off we would go. The good houses would get a honk! I still love hopping in the car and finding the best houses. Sometimes I honk but most of the time I just ooh and aah and clap! If you haven't looked at Christmas lights with me it is quite funny! I LOVE them! They don't get the same reaction as a beautiful mountain landscape but they do get a big reaction. Of course, I love the food - Who doesn't?!? I love all the sweets and the things that make my hips expand ;-0! I love fudge, divinity, Special K Bars, lefse, Christmas cookies, on and on! I love Christmas wrapping paper too! Crazy I know but I always want to buy more and more! I get so excited when the Container store puts up their gift wrapping display. The wrapping paper costs an arm and a leg but it is fun to look at and splurge on at least one roll! I suppose ultimately I love how there just seems to be a certain feel to the air. People are more giving and happier during this time of year. Well, most of the time! I love the Christmas Wish on KLTY and hearing the ways people give to others. Most of the stories make me cry. I love all the different ways you can give: Operation Christmas Child, Toys for Tots, Angel Tree etc. The season is full of hope. I suppose this is what makes it so special. I hope this Christmas and the Christmases to come we can teach Ethan and Eliana that Christmas is more than what you get but ultimately about what you can give to others.

Spaghetti O's Where?

2008-12-03T18:59:00.000-08:00

In Ethan's Hair! That's right..today Ethan was helping to feed himself Spaghetti O's and afterwards I noticed something in his hair. After closer examination I saw that he had Spaghetti O's all in his hair. How he got them in his hair I do not know. I could not help but laugh!

I know he needs a hair cut, but I just can't bring myself to get it cut!

Growing so big

2008-12-03T12:35:00.000-08:00

Eliana is now 3 months old! I can't believe it is going so quickly. I have to remember in the day to day craziness that is my life to sit back and enjoy these moments. Before I know it we will be picking out prom dresses and talking about boys..yikes!!

Eliana is now grabbing onto things instead of batting at them and has recently began to roll to her side. This is what Ethan did before he learned to roll over. Eliana's favorite toy is the Aflac duck that Josh got from work that says, "Aflac, Aflac, Aflaaac". It gets an immediate laugh! It is the cutest thing. She has regressed in the area of sleeping. She has a hard time taking naps and she will not go to sleep at night. We have started a bad habit and let her fall asleep in the swing at night. We are planning on getting a crib this week or next and just letting her cry it out. We hope it works for her like it did for Ethan. We will keep you posted!

I neglected to post some pictures of Eliana at Week 12..so here ya go!

12 weeks old
12 weeks old

We have much to be thankful for...

2008-11-29T20:36:00.000-08:00

Of course, there is the obvious: an amazing husband, two beautiful children, a wonderful extended family, and great friends. Then there are those things I take for granted: food, shelter, a running car, and good health. I am truly blessed and shamefully I do not always remember this. I often complain about what I do not have instead of what God has given me. This Thanksgiving I was reminded once again of the Lord's blessings.

We spent Thanksgiving day with my brother Blake, my sister-in-law Lindsey, and my nephew Russell and niece Sydney. We had a great day together. Russell and Sydney were enamored with Eliana. They kept saying she was their best friend. It was so cute. Ethan had a blast with his cousins. It is fun to see him play with them. Here are a few pictures from our day.

Our family

Mommy and Eliana

Ethan eating his Thanksgiving dinner (last year he had turkey out of a jar)

A picture of Josh and I with all the kids (not one of them looked at the camera ;-o!)

Eliana

Eliana with her cousins Russell and Sydney

Russell and Eliana

Ethan having a blast swinging in the big boy swing

I think I can I think I can...

2008-11-20T22:06:00.000-08:00

We brought out the Bumbo (a special seat that helps babies sit up for those who are saying, "a what o") for Eliana the other day and Ethan decided if Eliana can sit in it then so can I. Well, Ethan is way to big for the Bumbo but that did not stop him. He tried a million ways to get in it to no avail. It was quite funny. I snapped some pictures of his endeavor! He has tried to sit in it since but gave up more quickly. I bet it drives him crazy that Eliana can fit in it so perfectly.

Eliana so cute in the Bumbo

Ethan's many attempts to sit in the Bumbo too!

Another week gone by...

2008-11-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

Gosh weeks seem to go by fast in the Munkeby house. Eliana is now 11 weeks old and already has such a great personality. She loves her Mommy and will follow the sound of her voice when Mommy enters the room. Mommy and Daddy both get lots of smiles and laughs from their precious daughter. Ethan is not left out and he too gets lots of smiles. Every so often I will see Ethan playing with Eliana and Eliana is just smiling away. It is a tiny glimpse of what is to come in the next few months as she interacts with Ethan even more and it warms my heart. I have a feeling they are going to be the best of friends! Here are some pics of our happy baby at 11 weeks.

My how fast they grow...

2008-11-18T17:37:00.000-08:00

Ethan turned 20 months old on the 15th...20 months old - only four months away from 2 years old!!! Can Ethan really be about to turn two years old? I can already picture him getting ready for that first day of Kindergarten! Boy am I going to be a mess! Until that time I am going to treasure the day to day moments where he delights in seeing a plane over head and points to the sky, how he is mesmerized by water and says ta ta (for water), the way he says please in sign language by just pointing to his chest, how he runs out the door as soon as it is open as to say "YAY Freedom!", the way he leans his head on my shoulder while I read him a story, how he runs to the door to greet his daddy, and a million other little things that are simply Ethan! He is such a joy, even on the days where he will not listen and tests every bit of patience I possess ;-)! I love him so much and am proud to be his mom!

Here are some cute pictures of Ethan at 20 months.

Cheesing in his cute blue jean jacket

Having a blast at the park

Playing in the leaves

Mom, do I really have to wear the hat?

Just a cute picture!

Ten Weeks Old

2008-11-12T18:08:00.000-08:00

While I was pregnant and waiting for Eliana to arrive time just seemed to creep by and it could not go fast enough. Now time just seems to go at super sonic speed. I can hardly believe Eliana is already ten weeks old. She is growing and changing so fast. She is super talkative..always cooing and smiling at us. She looks a lot like Ethan did at this age. I was looking at a picture of Ethan the other day where he was about the same age and it could pass for a picture of Eliana. I have a feeling she will not have Ethan's bright blond hair, as it is darker than Ethan's ever was. I do hope she keeps the blue eyes.

Here are some pictures of my sweetheart at ten weeks!

It is official

2008-11-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

my daughter has the cutest smile ever! Eliana has become quite the smiley baby. It is hard to not want to take pictures all day long. She has this huge grin which takes up her entire face. She also has dimples like her big brother which are absolutely adorable. She is nine weeks old now. Wow does time fly!! She is sleeping MUCH better at night and only waking up once or twice a night. Mommy is loving being able to sleep more at night. It is crazy because now that she is sleeping more at night I feel more tired. I think my body is finally beginning to relax and the lack of sleep is catching up with me. Eliana is growing like a weed and at her two month appointment weighed 12 lbs 4 oz and was 24 inches long.

I am enjoying being a mom of two although when both of them are crying I feel like pulling my hair out ;-0! The hardest time is the evening when both of them are a little cranky and both want my attention. God is truly teaching me patience during these times!! Overall, I have two very laid back children and I feel so blessed to be a mom!

Here are some pictures of my adorable daughter with her adorable smile at nine weeks old!

Eliana's first road trip

2008-11-04T16:08:00.001-08:00

This past weekend we took the kids to Waco to see the family. Eliana had quite a number of family members to meet. We had a great time and Eliana got to meet her Aunt Lindsey and Uncle Blake and her cousins Russell and Sydney. Russell and Sydney were quite enamored with their new cousin and were oh so sweet with her. Lindsey and I thought it would be a neat idea to take all the kids to get a picture with all of the cousins. Lindsey found matching shirts for Ethan and Russell and the same color dress for Eliana and Sydney. They were absolutely adorable. Ethan was not crazy about having his picture made and therefore cried from the moment the lady tried to set the kids up for the picture. Poor Russell and Sydney patiently waited while Josh and I tried to calm down our kids. We ended up picking out the best picture of the group which is where Ethan has a little smile, is looking away, and red blotches from crying, and Sydney is looking away but hey we took what we could get. I told Josh the lady who took our pictures was probably talking about us after we left but oh well! It made for a memorable experience.

Eliana also got to meet her great Aunt Elaine and her great grandmother for the first time and got some adorable new outfits from Aunt Elaine. We also had a chance to spend some time with Aunt Chass which was neat because it had been awhile since we have seen her. The kids also got to spend lots of time with Papaw and Dadoo. Ethan loves Papaw and Dadoo and had a blast. He went nonstop from the time we got there. It is special to me to see Ethan and Eliana with my Dad and Donna. I love to see how they love my kids and how Ethan loves them. It warms my heart because I know no one can love my kids like I do but I know no one loves them like family does.

Papaw and Ethan

Ethan and Marty mooching food from Mary

Aunt Lindsey and Eliana

Eliana smiling at Dadoo

Josh with Sydney and Ethan

Sydney and Russell holding Eliana

The girls

Papaw and Eliana

Fall Fun

2008-10-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

Our weekend was filled with Fall Festivals. Saturday afternoon Josh and I along with the other CARES Team put on a Fall Festival for Upper E. It was well attended and the kids seemed to have fun. We had a carnival type games, a pinata, face painting, a costume contest, and snacks for the residents. Matt and Jen had some volunteers come and help us out and I am not sure what we would have done without them! Ethan had fun but did not like the scary masks some of the kids were wearing. After they took off the masks he did much better. He especially liked the pinata. I guess he thought it was funny to see kids beating something hanging in the air with a baseball bat :-)!

On Friday we attended the annual Fall Festival that Apartment Life puts on for all of the CARES Teams in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. They have games for the kids, a dunk tank, door prizes, and food. Ethan thought the dunk tank was hilarious. Josh helped him throw the balls to try to dunk someone, which Ethan loved. He also had cotton candy for the first time which he liked but was not crazy about. He was more interested in running around and playing.

Seven weeks

2008-10-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

Our sweet Eliana is already seven weeks old! She smiles all the time now, especially when hearing mommy or daddy's voice. It is just the cutest thing ever and is one of those things that just melts my heart. I am not sure if there is a better feeling then seeing your baby smile at you. It is amazing. I don't care what time of night/morning it may be or no matter how tired I am I can't help but smile back and thank God for the gift of my little girl. Seeing Eliana grows reminds me of Ethan as a baby and all those moments..his first smile, when he starting crawling, his first big boy laugh, his first word, etc. Gosh, that first year went by so fast and it makes me sad to think how fast it will be before I am planning Eliana's first birthday! Yet, it is exciting too because Ethan is at such a fun age and enjoys life and learning so much and I know I will have just as much joy watching Eliana at that stage.

Oh how fast

2008-10-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

they grow!! Eliana is now six weeks old! She is definitely responding to us more and smiling at us when we speak to her. Eliana is sleeping better at night..five hour to six hour stretches three times this past week. Woo Hoo!! We have discovered that baths really help calm her so we are giving her a bath every night in hope that we get a few more hours of shut eye! She is precious and I can't wait to see what the next few weeks hold as she begins to interact even more with us!!
Ethan is now 19 mos. old and keeps us entertained with his antics. He is way into books now. The first thing he does when after we change his diaper in the morning is sit down in his bedroom and starts reading his Bible. Yes, my son is already quite spiritual..ha ha. We think he likes the Bible because it has paper pages and lots of pictures! Ethan still loves to be outdoors and running around. He is definitely not a home body. He "talks" all the time however we do not always understand him just a word here and there.
Here are some recent pictures!

Six weeks old

Ethan kissing Eliana

Eliana and her doll matching Smiling even while sleeping
This is what he does when I take pictures

Our trip to the Arboretum

2008-10-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday we took a trip to the Dallas Arboretum to see the special pumpkin exhibit they have every year. We were not disappointed. It was an excellent exhibit and Ethan had a great time. There were kids everywhere and you should have seen all the moms with their cameras trying to capture the perfect picture. We had a hard time getting Ethan to look at the camera but got some great pictures nevertheless. Eliana slept through most of it but we will go back next year. Of course, Ethan was more interested in the fountain than the pumpkins ;-0. We did not get to see the entire Arboretum but plan to go back in the Spring when they have another special exhibit. Here are just a few from the day. Enjoy!!

Growing and growing...

2008-10-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

Eliana is five weeks old as of Tuesday the 7th. I can not believe how fast our little girl is growing. She is beginning to interact more with us and is not sleeping the day away. She is still working on getting the night time routine down but we have had a few five hour stretches recently. She is a very observant baby and takes in everything. She is a cuddler which mommy likes. Ethan is getting more and more comfortable with her and is taking the big brother role seriously. Yesterday she was crying in the car and he leaned over and held her hand to comfort her. It was too cute. Here are some pics at five weeks.