Momma's First

It dawned on me yesterday while sitting on the couch wondering what we were going to do for the day, I've never sat and played with Ila Kate's hair. Never. Crazy to think she's 17 months and I've never played with her hair. So guess what I did...PUT HER HAIR IN PIG TAILS. Hello CUTENESS!

A Bouncy Curl

Ila Kate's been bopping around the house with this curl that bounces with ever step. I love her being this little. Little girl, little curls. 

So, just in case...

So, just in case I need to be reminded of what my baby girl was like at 16 months: This picture says it all!

Pictures galore!

Carson's 4th Birthday

Ila Kate

Look who crawled in bed (on a Saturday morning)

Blogging...part 2

Gone are the days when I have a thousand things to say while sitting at the computer keyboard. I have felt like lately I would love to throw myself back into *online journaling* but I do not have much to say, lately. Well, let me rephrase that, I have a thousand words to say, but the words are not so *flowy.*

My first born is 3. Three years old, not 3 months. He is about to begin preschool, something I have been praying about for the last week. I sent a message to my mother last week telling her how challenging motherhood is. I can take care of him all day long, but the thought of him being out in the world scares me. I thought I understood how this motherhood thing went until preschool began approaching. WOW. I now know that this is where faith comes in. Praying that my Lord watches over him and protects him a little bit more when he's away from his mother. You know, maybe an extra eye ball or two keeping a watchful eye and making sure he says his yes mam's and no mam's and of course remembering to say thank you. And to think of someone being mean to him...or making fun of him...

Dear Lord, please protect my first born from all those mean kids and Lord, please don't let HIM be one of those mean kids...most magnificent Father, use my son to all your glory, let people see Jesus through him. And Lord, please do not allow me to hold him back from doing Your work. You have him here, let me be strong in all the efforts to teach him to serve you in the world by letting his precious little 3 year old light shine. And Lord, one more important thing, when he's 14, I want him to still want me around, can you make that miracle happen? I would be most gracious. In your Son's name. Amen.




Ila Kate is 4 and a half months. Already. Wow. And here's the scary part, she has already began to sit up on her own. Time please S.L.O.W. down. I love her. Oh man, is she sweet and SUPER voicetrous. She can make the sounds. She loves her brother, Carson is much entertainment to her big, blue, beautiful eyes. At her 4 month check up she was 17 pounds. A healthy girl, no doubt.







Time to plan for dinner. We have a great night planned at the church building!

Blogging...

The Learning Tower

I found this today at a consignment store, we've had our eye on one for a little while now. It's the neatest thing. It holds a child securely in so they can be at a countertop with you. Carson loves to help cook and bake so this is perfect for him. Plus, I'll be looking forward to Ila Kate helping me make dinner! You can find it at Williams Sonoma.

Summer time

little tid bits...

Ila Kate's 3 month video

Carson's Third Birthday Party

Love this! You can find it here: Amazon

The best neighbors, ever.

We have incredible neighbors! Emma, our neighbor and also Carson's babysitter, made Carson a cake for his birthday! They are so thoughtful! As you can see from the pictures below, he enjoyed it!

California

We made an unexpected trip out to California for the memorial of Tyler's Grandfather. It was one and will be one of the most memorable experiences of our life. Tyler made the comment that he never knew there were so many people that his grandpa had led to Christ. It was amazing. One of the comments that was made about him over the weekend was that he was a preacher of the gospel who always flew under the radar, he was never one of those preachers trying to make a name for himself but always doing the work of the Lord. Not a self-rightous bone in his body. 

This was a special man. He was the kind of man that you could sit down at a dinner table with and leave the table feeling as though you could conquer the world. He always had your interest at heart when giving advice, never an inch of his own motives. He always gave you the truth, never sugar coated. He was a listener, not a talker. That's rare in this world. Everyone always wants to say and hardly anyone ever wants to hear. But when he did speak, everyone in the room would stop and listen. He was intelligent and simple minded at the same time. It was an honor to know him and an honor for him to marry Tyler and I almost 6 years ago.  

The seeds he planted are still growing and I will ever be grateful to him and the influence he had on the man Tyler is today. 

Bob Lyman

I took pictures for my niece and my sister in law. 

Cassie

Jodi

Carson with his cousin Braden. 

My three nieces. Carly, Cassie and Brooke. 

My mother in law, Debbie. 

Tyler's parents. 

Swaddled, even at the airport!

And this is the most influential picture I took all week. We had a flight from Denver to Sacramento, 2 hours and 45 minutes. This man read his Bible from take off until landing. I thought it was incredible. He seemed to be seasoned with so much wisdom.