Miss A Turns One!

I can hardly believe that an entire year has passed since our baby girl joined the family!  She has grown so fast and is such a spunky, precocious, vibrant, joyful little girl.  She had been playing around with walking for a month or so before her birthday, but about a week out she REALLY got the hang of it and completely gave up the crawling/walking phase.  She hasn't looked back since.  

I will admit I shed a few tears over this birthday.  We are pretty sure Miss A will be our last baby, and with turning 1 and walking she is not really a baby anymore.  Mommy had to come to turns with that phase of life being over.  I am super excited about watching her grow, but I do miss the newborn coos, and sweet sleepy cuddles of a small baby.  Miss A NEVER stops moving now unless she is sleeping.  LOL!

We were very lucky and Gigi was able to fly into town to celebrate with us.  YEAH!!  We held her party the weekend after her birthday.  I'll do another post on the party.

She was quite interested in the cake.  She really had not ever had anything like it before this day.

Hmmmm....this might be good!

Oh, yes....I think I like this cake thing!

I think she enjoyed it!

A little birthday balloon fun.  She kept walking around waving the balloon.

Present time!

Some one likes her new ride on.

Mr. P is a wonderful big brother.  He saw this way back at Christmas but she wasn't quite ready for it.  He remembered and bugged me for a month before her birthday to get it for her.  He was convinced she would love it (and that he might like to play with it too).  He was quite right!

 A year ago when Mr. P became a big brother and now a year later and he is still just as smitten with being a big brother!

Well, most of the time!!  She wouldn't sit still for the picture so he finally just gave up and let go of her.  Not to worry, she is very tough and hardly squawked at all when she rolled off.

We love you so very much Ani-bear!  You complete our family, and while you provide your share of challenges for mommy and daddy you also provide a million smiles for us too.  I pray that your relationship with big brother is always as sweet as it is now!  I know there will always be those moments when one of you might let the other "roll off the pillow" but I pray you always remember how much you love each other and how much mommy and daddy love you!  I can't wait to see what the future holds for you Miss A!

Love, Mommy ~ Daddy ~ Big Brother

February Recap and Challenge Update

Oops....I think I might have forgotten to do a February update.  Probably because we had family visiting and I was working on Miss A's first birthday!  Not to worry...here is our February recap and challenge update all rolled into one.

February was mostly filled with Valentines Day.

I did...hmm, maybe attempted is a better word, a Valentines Photo Shoot with the kids.  I'll admit I got a few good shots, Mr. P actually likes to take pictures now, but Miss A...oh Miss A, she just does not sit still.  She has finally figured out how to stand up on her own and she is taking a few steps.  Now, she wants to be still even less.  It was quiet the stressful photo shoot for this mama.

Mommy and Daddy made Mr. P's Valentines this year.  He almost didn't get to take any.  I had my silhouette file all ready to go so I could work on them when the kids went to bed.  Well, Mr. P decided he needed to press the button on the computer to reset the computer sometime that morning before he went to school.  We we got home from church and I put the kids the bed at like 8:30 pm I sit down to start making them and find my file wiped out.  Yes, I know...I should have saved the file....but really!!!!!  However, I could not send him to school with no Valentines so Daddy pitched in and we got them done.  Mr. P had seen a mustache valentine when I was scrolling through Pinterest and decided that was what he wanted, and for once he never changed his mind.  :)  I made a template for my Silhouette machine (LOVE that thing), then it cut them out, I put a slit in it for the lollipop and tucked the lollipop through.  BOOM!  Apparently they were the hit of the party for kids and teachers alike!

Price also kept insisting that he take roses into his teachers for Valentines Day.  So, I customized one of our photo shoot pictures, and then stuck a fake red rose through it.  They LOVED it!!  Another score....

Hubby and I did get to go out on a date the following weekend, and not only did we celebrate Valentines Day but also our "dating" anniversary - 7 years!

I took Mr. P to the library and he got his own library card.  He was super excited...even if he did refuse to smile for the camera.  He picked out a bunch of books and we read them all several times!

There was also some working on things for Miss A's first birthday.

And then...the sickness started.  I managed to get Pink eye and Bronchitis, Miss A had an ear infection, and Mr. P had chest congestion and just overall yuck!  Everyone went to the Dr.  I had to take some time off work, and all right before my MIL flew into town for Miss A's birthday.  YIKES!!  Thankfully, everyone was on the mend by time she arrived.

On the challenge front...

FAITH Challenge -  well, not so hot.  I kind of got out of the habit of reading it each night and I have not been very good about picking it back up again.  I am not abandoning it though.  This is only February and I have all year to try to get it accomplished.

LOVE Challenge - We did several of the challenges, and we did get a date night in so I count that a success.  We are continuing to work on finding the moments and little things to let the other one know are thinking of them, or spending a few extra minutes together.

FINANCE  Challenge - YEAH!  At least I can report that one of the challenges is going quite well, we have kept up with putting the weekly money in the jar.  Yippee!!!

January Challenge Update

If you want to read my initial post about my 2014 challenges click here.

This year I decided to challenge myself to be intentional in 3 ways.  Faith, Love, and Finances.  Don't get me wrong, there are a ton of places I could challenge myself but I wanted to keep it attainable.  It's not too late to join in if you are looking for a way to challenge yourself.

IN FAITH:
     To be honest I am not doing quite as well as I would have liked with reading my bible, but I can say that I am reading the bible a few times a week.  This is A LOT more than I was doing before and I have already made it through more of the bible in a sequential order than I have before.  All in all, I am not to disappointed with my progress.  I am only about a week behind on the reading schedule.  My reading has prompted A LOT of questions.  Thankfully, I have a very patient and knowledgeable husband who is willing to listen.  I am glad I decided to take on this challenge!  Still want to join in?  Click here and scroll to the Faith Challenge.

IN FINANCE:

Here is our little money jar.  Cute huh...I keep meaning to "pretty it up."  I think the fact that we have successfully placed the money in it for a month now is more important than how it looks.  For me it is rewarding to check off the box each week and then watch the amount increase.  I even put an extra dollar in...big spender I know.  Want to join me on my finance challenge?  You can jump right in and deposit $15 this Sunday and then pick up from there.  Click here and then scroll to Finance Challenge.

IN LOVE:  

I am super excited!  The new February Love Calendar is here from the Dating Divas and it has some really cute activities.  Hubby and I have enjoyed completing some of the daily challenges.  We have not done all of them but we have completed quite a few.  It has helped us make sure that at least a few times a week we are taking a moment or two or more to focus on US.  Us, as in, husband and wife....not mommy and daddy.  Earlier this week, spending time with my husband and being thankful for my husband and making sure he knows it took on a whole new meaning.  A dear friend of mine lost her best friend after a battle with the H1N1 virus.  I had met her a few times and she was always so sweet!  It shakes you up a bit when a tragedy happens to someone your own age.  She and her husband had been married for a few years and had their whole lives in front of them.  It reminded me that we never know what tomorrow holds and that we must be intentional about what we do with today.  I hugged hubby a little longer that day, and I am glad we are making a pointed effort to show our love for each other.  If you want to join in click the image below and you can print the calendar.  Also, you should click around their site.  They have a TON of great date/love/marriage ideas.

And so, that's where my challenges stand for January.  I am pretty happy with them and how much I am accomplishing on them.  Did you take any of these challenges with me?  Leave me a comment and let me know how you are doing!!

~Dawn~

January Recap

I figure that if I at least do a recap of each month I will cover most of the main events for the year and thus, hopefully, be slightly more successful than last year at keeping up with this thing. 

Here is January for you...Wait!...January is already coming to a close?  How did that happen so fast?  Didn't we just celebrate Christmas.  Yikes! 

Daddy went out of town for a week at the beginning of the month.  I snagged a gingerbread candy train from the Christmas clearance...like 75% off.  Works for me.  Mr. P was super excited to put it together.  AND super excited to eat it too.  I did all the icing (he told me where to put it) and he placed all the candy.  It was a nice time just he and I together (Miss A was napping).  I need to make more of an effort to find times like this with him.  He is growing up waaaaaay to fast.

We got an extra day off this month for MLK Day.  Mr. P and I whipped up a batch of these DELICIOUS brownies.  He loves to help me in the kitchen!

Look how proud he is of his brownies.  He did most of the work himself.

YUMMY!  (Good thing these were BOGO this week!)

 We have been taking lots of bike rides now that everyone has a bike and Miss A has a bike seat on my bike.  I love his little imagination.  He has his backpack on and inside is a notebook and pen for taking notes.  We have been reading The Magic Tree House books and the main character Jack takes notes in a notebook.

This little stinker turned 10 Months.  How did that happen?  She is so happy, and into EVERYTHING!!  Tries to keep up with her big brother all the time.  She has started taking her first steps just a few days ago.  YIKES!  I am already working on her 1st birthday party so stay tuned for updates on that.

  

Another weekend enjoying the beautiful weather.  Gigi gave Miss A. the 4 wheeler but she is a little small for it yet.  Big Brother is happy to oblige with a few rides.  She loved it and he is always so proud to do big brother things!

New balance beam from Nana and Poppy for Christmas.

Playing Batman on his new trapeze bar.  

And then there is this guy.  He has been working a TON recently.  He fell asleep while he was playing his banjo.  He must have been tired.  I love him so much!  

That's pretty much our January in a recap.  Stay tuned for my update on my 2014 Challenges.  Bring on February!!