Evan eating carrots.

Evan has eaten cereal...not a fan. He has eaten peas....not a fan. Now he has eaten carrots and he deosn't look like he is a fan but he is more interested in the carrots than the other solids we have tried. I'm sure after he practices he will get good at eating.




By the way...Evan was weighed on Tuesday and he was 12lbs. 14 ounces. and 23 inches long.

I am thankful for our little Evan...thankful that he is growing and he is such a happy baby.

Finally!

I WON A DOORPRIZE

I don't usually win anything but I won the doorprize at a dinner we went to last May. The doorprize was a 1 night stay at a local fancy hotel and a 50.00 gift card to 1 of the 3 restaurants that the hotel owns. These were going to expire the end of June 2008. We've had these for a year. I lost them once and then recently I relocated them and it was like I was winning them all over again. Anyways..after I won last year...life got real crazy.

Now that life has calmed down a bit...we took the opportunity to use the doorprize. My mom came and spent the night this past Friday. She looked exhausted before we even left. I was a little worried that it was going to be too much but everything went fine.

It was nice to relax and get away but I wasn't relaxed 100%..... I imagined all the chaos that could be happening at home with Grandma. Chaos wasn't happening but I still wasn't totally relaxed.

It was very nice to be able to talk to Chad without interruptions.

We got to dress all fancy( fancy for me) and walk downstairs to the hotel restaurant. After dinner, we went back upstairs and changed back into are non-fancy clothes so we could walk across the street to the shopping center.

(Another pointless story wink wink)
We are big time piddlers (if that's even a word). We just like to walk around and piddle. It's funny because my mom uses the term piddle to mean -to pee-. She says, "Come on Bailey-let's go outside and piddle." Bailey being her dog. Anyways...we use the term piddle as -wondering about with no real plan in mind-whatever happens happens-

We piddled in Barnes and Noble for awhile and then walked over to the theater to see what was playing but nothing good was so we walked over to some more stores----- the stores were closing so our piddling came to an end. so sad!

We were disappointed that we couldn't go to the hotel pool b/c it closed at 8pm.

The hotel was great. I got to wear a fancy robe and sleep on fancy sheets.

They even delivered a New York Times in the morning....not the local paper.

There was a book of short stories on the bedside for us to take as well. I thought that was a neat idea.

There was a big breakfast buffet included in our stay too.

I even thought the hotel was giving me a free gift. They knocked on the door and said 'ROOM SERVICE" and I wondered 'hmmmm why are they coming here for room service-we didn't order anything?.... '

I opened the door and the guy handed me a present and said "SURPRISE!"

I said, "thank you" and shut the door. I ran with the gift down the hall to Chad very giggly thinking that 'not only are we staying here for free----the hotel is giving us a free gift.'

WHOO HOO!!!

It was not a free gift.....it was a surprise gift from Chad. Double WHO HOO!!
He brought it by the hotel earlier in the day so room service could bring it to me.

It was a new camera...can you even believe it?

The card said "Just because Love Chad"


AWWWWWWWWW!!

Thankful for:

a thoughtful and patient and giving husband (My piddle partner-(har har har)

my mom for watching all 3 kids for almost 24 hours

for that spectacular doorprize

Sweet baby laughs

*Pause music at bottom of blog and then return to today's post to hear baby laughs.

Evan does a belly laugh but I haven't captured it on video yet.

These baby laughs are so sweet.

I'm thankful for

baby laughs and baby smiles.

Friday with Friends

I'm thankful for:

Good friends

Sunshine

peanut butter and jelly

Happy Mother's Day

10. I am so thankful for my Mother-Happy Mother's Day!

Tornado Hits NC

9. I am so grateful that the tornado didn't hit our neighborhood and we are all safe and sound.

We happened to be awake last night when it started to rain really hard and got very windy. We looked outside and then it started to hail. Chad said that probably means a tornado is headed here. He turned on the T.V. and sure enough the news was broadcasting a tornado watch in our area. I got the 2 older boys up and brought them into the living room with us. Jack didn't wake up at all but Ryan watched the weather on T.V. and listened to it outside. We thought if the tornado came- I would run to the bathroom with the boys and Chad would run down the hall and get the baby and meet us in there.

Seeing all the damage that was done only about 10 miles from us was way too close for comfort. I can't even imagine losing everything like some did in this storm.

Last night when we were waiting and watching......I prayed for our safety but I also worried about our earthly possessions. Why in the world did I do that? I am sad that I was thinking about material things when we could have lost our lives. I pray that I can put all my heart into my Lord, Jesus Christ and not be obsessed over something that doesn't have anything to do with my eternity. I was thinking that I would be so distraught over losing all my pictures and memories. What is wrong with me? I know-I am sinner!

I pray that I can rid my obsession of earthly 'treasures' and honor and love the only true treasure there is-Jesus Christ.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34

Please pray for those affected by the storm.

Please pray for us tonight as we have another storm system coming in.

Please pray for Chad as he is working tonight-Lord keep him safe!

Growing so BIG!

about 9.5 lbs

Can you even believe that this was Evan 5 months ago and 7 lbs lighter?

not even 2 lbs here

7. I am so very grateful that Evan is healthy and growing.

8. I am so very grateful for 8 years with Chad. It was our anniversary yesterday.

Memories

JULY 2006
This was when they lived nearby and we hung out everyday.

MARCH 2008
This is when they came to visit us back in March. I can't even believe they moved away 1 1/2 years ago. Look how the kids have grown.

6. I am thankful that our good friends came to see us and that we created more good memories. We can't wait to them again.

What were we thinking?

Picture this....

It is 7:00pm. The kids are supposed to go to bed at 7:30. We head out the door to go get ice cream on a school night. Yes....ice cream before dinner, near bedtime, and in 55 degrees that felt like 45 degrees.

Chad got home late and we were outside playing and messing in the garden. Time got away from us...and dinner did not get made.

What kind of parents are we?

Anyway...it was "Get a Free Cone" at Ben and Jerry's on April 29th so of course we had to take advantage.

We had dessert before dinner. No folks, we don't do this every night. We eat dinner at a decent hour and get the kids to bed at their bedtime.

It was fun to be spontaneous.

It was so cold. We've had alot of warm weather and then all of a sudden it got cold. It was windy and cloudy and it felt like it was 45 degrees. Jack and I had sandals on and Chad had short sleeves. BRRRRRRR!!!! We had to wait in a 30 minute line. Waiting out in the cold certainly didn't deter us from a yummy ice cold treat.
Of course, we ran to the car and ate our cones there.

That's us...waiting in line in the cold for free ice cream at bedtime.

5. I am thankful for spontaneous moments with my family...ice cream before dinner on a chilly Spring evening.

Thank You God!

See what 1000 Gifts is all about. What are you grateful for?

11/23/06-Ryan is only 3 here. He is growing so fast!

I'm grateful for

4. My wonderful husband. He is my best friend and an awesome daddy to our 3 boys. He is so patient and works so hard so I can stay home. I am so blessed that God brought us together and that he loves the Lord.

A Thousand Gifts

I challenge you to keep a daily journal of A Thousand Gifts.You have got to go visit the following blog, A Holy Experience. It is so wonderful. She writes so eloquently. I am going to try keeping a daily journal of a thousand gifts. It is NOT the gifts I want but the gifts that I already have. God is so gracious.


Of course, I am so blessed that God gave me 3 Sunshine Boys
1. Ryan
2. Jack

3. Itty Bitty Sunshine Evan from Heaven