Thankfulness (and family photos)

Here is what you have been waiting for! These were taken three weeks ago now, and we couldn't be happier with how they turned out! Some of these photos truly capture in just one second, in what our whole life seems to be all about. This weekend, as we head into the Thanksgiving Holiday we look back on the last year. We thank the Lord above, and all his goodness. We are thankful for my ITP remission. We are all around thankful for being healthy and happy and blessed. We are truly undeserving of his matchless grace! Enjoy the photos. Think about your blessings this week. May you and your family be truly blessed!

When Baby's Sick, Aint' Nobody Happy!

Caroline is NOT feeling well at all. Poor baby... or should I say poor family? "Why" do you ask? Besides the fact that she wants nothing to do with food, has to be held most of the time and has a dirty outfit (due to a runny messy diaper) every couple of hours...


She has to have three Paci's in the hand and one in the mouth- at ALL times!
Don't even think about touching her silky blanket!

And if you even try to take one of her paci's away? You might as well lay down and die b/c you are about to witness the fit of the decade!

Despite all of this, we are all totally smitten by her presence. We are so blessed to have her in our life! Hope you enjoy your weekend. Praying for Health in our home!

Best Buddies...

... and a little envy. Tobin and Caroline have been playing so well together lately. Caroline is at such a playful, fun, curious age and she is into everything! Tobin loves his little sister and loves playing with her. He also loves taking toys from her and doing everything she does that gets attention in any way. They are both such sweet kids. We are so blessed by them each and every day!

And LOOK who's STANDING UP!!!

Video below is where I caught her pulling up for the first time! You can see the jealousy from the attention that Tobin implies by trying to pull himself up on the block.

Happy Birthday Tobin

Here's a video of everyone singing happy birthday to Tobin, and him blowing out the candles! Enjoy! Thanks Tony, for finding the camera in all the debris!

I'm a Big Kid Now!!!

WARNING: run-on sentence below...

Well, it has taken a lot of consistency and tears(on my part) and praise, and potty dances and prizes, and prayer, and jelly beans, and stickers, and books to read, and accidents, and clock watching but, .... SOMEBODY'S POTTY TRAINED!!!

Tobin's been in big boy underwear for a week now. And,as of today, instead of me asking if he needs to go- he goes by himself then tells me " I went potty mom!" I am so proud of my boy, who by the way turns 3 on friday! EEek!!! Oh, how time flies!

Look at all those stickers!

Look at that cute behind!

He's so proud of himself!

Thanks for the prayers!

New Look

Thanks to my wonderful husband for designing my new header! Love you babe! I'm blessed to have you!

6 months...

Our sweet Caroline is 6 months old today! I cannot believe it! Where does the time go?!?!

We ARE Alive...

Well, I have received many emails, facebook messages, and phone calls from concerned friends asking if we are "okay". Yes, folks.... we are surviving. We have just had a crazy month! okay, more than a month. So, this post will update you with a few things that have occurred in our lives the last month and a half, and be a preview of photos for the following posts. The grandmas are getting baby photo withdrawals. Thanks to everyone who was concerned about us and our month of no blogging. I will try to do better.


TRAVELING:
June 18th, through the 26th: the kids and I went on a road trip. We stopped for a few days in Arkansas and picked up my mom, Diane aka Nonny. We then traveled the 7 hour venture with one toddler and one screaming baby to see my grandparents (grandaddy and grammy) in Coffeeville Mississippi. We stayed a few days, then went to back to AR for a Naturals Baseball game(the new minor league team for NWArkansas).


PRAYING:
My dad, Jon aka papa had surgery to remove the remaining Melanoma Skin cancer from his arm, and during the surgery they removed two lymph nodes to be tested. One of those lymph nodes came back with cancer cells. He had a PET scan done yesterday and we don't know the results yet. The scan should show whether or not(hopefully there are none) there are any cancer cells anywhere else in his body. He is scheduled for surgery at 4:00 on Monday to remove the rest of the lymph nodes on that side of his body. Please pray for no more cancer, and God's ultimate healing for my dad.


FUN TIMES:
Yes, it wouldn't be summer without a trip to the zoo, pool, parks, and Frontier City. We have also enjoyed going to Tony's softball games on Monday nights. We have been super busy doing all these fun things while trying to keep our sanity.


BIRTHDAY:
Yes, I turned another year older(27, SSSHHH!!!) on July 2nd. We actually got a babysitter (thank you Mimi!) for the first time since Caroline was born, and went to a matinee movie and Dinner by ourselves. It was terrific!

NEW APPEARANCES:
Tony and I are down a combined 65 pounds since April. We have been really working on getting healthy. A new lifestyle. After I got back down to pre-pregnancy weight, I have dropped 4 pant sizes and have to admit that I'm pretty proud of myself... and OF COURSE my handsome husband, too. We are continuing to work hard.

I also cut my hair off, above my shoulders, and L-O-V-E it! I feel like a new woman!

GROWING:
Caroline turned 5 months old... Wha? I know, crazy! She has also been eating Rice cereal and other yummy foods!

POTTY TRAINING:
Tobin pooped on the potty today, and we are working hard to be in big boy underwear. If your prayer list is short, you might wanna pray for me during this time ;) We are so proud of him!

SERVING:
Our church started it's At The Movies series, which is our big bring in series each year. Our campus(our family included) spent a whole week decorating it like Jurassic Park. It is truly amazing. God is doing great things through this series!

ADJUSTING:
We have been trying to steadily adjust to life with two kids. I have to admit- I did not think it would be hard. Needless to say, I have had to force our life back into something kind of like normal- a NEW normal.

BLESSINGS:
We are truly blessed and Thank our Lord above for his hand upon our lives. We are continuing to pray for our future, and that God will lead us every minute, day, week, and month. Thanks for keeping up with our lives. Enjoy the next few posts of photos... whenever I can get them all up!