‘Choo-Choo’

I feel like I’ve really been slacking on some things lately and I apologize.  I realized how behind I was with posting photos on Facebook.. I just uploaded 281 :)  no captions and several of the vertical photos are actually horizontal but at least I got them up!

Not much time tonight either.. eventually I hope to post about our Easter weekend and some other fun stuff happening.  For now here are my 3 cutie pies playing “choo choo” in the kitchen:

And this is what happens when Mommy is working from home and is on an important Pregnancy Counselors conference call:

Love & blessings!

resemblance

    I think he looks like his mommy :)

wee bit Wednesday.

I’ve not been feeling very creative lately [I blame that on all the craziness that’s been happening at work] but want to just veg and do a fun post -  so I figured I’d jump on board again for Wee Bit Wednesday.  I really wish I could figure out how to add her cute little button/link thing here but I don’t know how so the boring link will just have to do!

{one} how often do you do laundry?

I try to do it a few times a week; sometimes less, sometimes more. I try to stay on top of it, especially if something gets stained or one of the kiddos makes a complete mess of themselves.

{two} what is your favorite type of cookie?

chocolate chip.  Subway’s are awesome!

{three} what would you do with an extra $2000 per month?

pay off debt, save some for college & retirement, donate.

{four} what was/is your favorite subject in school?

I loved my photography classes in high school – I always dreamed of having my own darkroom :)  I also really enjoyed my statistics classes.

{five} have you ever ridden in a hot air balloon?

nope. I’m sure doing it here in Lancaster County would be beautiful!

{six} what was your high school mascot?

the Octorara Braves.

{seven} if you had the chance to go into space, would you?

100% yes, absolutely!!

{eight} how often do you go dancing?

never. although I really want to try zumba.. would that count?!

{nine} would you rather drive or fly?

it depends on where I’m going, who I’m with, what our time frame is, what the budget is, etc.  I really love flying but hate airport drama.  I also really love road trips but can get bored easily in the car.

{ten} have you ever been caught re-gifting?

nope.. I’m much smarter than that :)

Okay, that was fun.. now back to post-placement visit report writing.. oh yea, I know you’re jealous!

Shutterfly!

well, you know me and photos – just can’t get enough!  I’ve been pondering creating photo books (something I surprisingly have never done) and was exploring Shutterfly’s options.  I love this 8x8 size – and right now the photos books are 20% off!  I think it would be a LOT of fun to make one of these.  Several of our adoptive families also use Shutterfly to create their adoptive family profile photo books that I show to expectant moms when they are choosing an adoptive family.

 

And, I know ya’ll will think I’m nuts but I’ve already started thinking about Gage’s 1st birthday party!!  Shutterfly has so many awesome Party Invitations.  My cousin Amanda just had a 2nd birthday for her daughter Rylee and her invitations were done through Shutterfly and they were simply TOO.CUTE!

LOVE the brown in the first one – and how neat is the second with a photo from every month!! :)

And of course it’s always nice to send a Thank You card after the party! 

Oh, and for Christmas I always get my mom and aunt photo calendars and each and every year they cry as soon as they open them :)

Shutterfly is offering bloggers and website owners a chance to win 50 free cards or a photo book.  Head to this site to enter! :)

clarification (& cuteness).

I got to thinking after my post yesterday, I wonder how many people are going to think I am super lame for buying myself a birthday gift.  I hope no one.. but I am sure it raised a few eyebrows here and there.  My birthday isn’t until the end of May so I don’t think I can wait that long to buy the ring but I will consider it a birthday gift anyway.  My main reason behind this being for my birthday is because I’d like something to make this birthday a little more ‘special’ – since this will be my first birthday without my Grammie.  Growing up, birthdays were always very exciting!  I can remember getting off the bus and my Grammie and aunt being there waiting for me yelling and screaming and shaking noise makers from their car.  The 3 of us and my mom would go out for dinner (usually to Hoss’s!) and they’d spoil me with fun gifts and birthday money.  I’d always have fun birthday parties and I would often get flowers delivered to school.  Anyway, I know this birthday will be tough but buying this ring will be a great reminder of my promise to my Grammie – my promise to be the shinning light of her spirit.  So, please don’t think I’m ‘lame’ for buying myself a birthday gift – there’s great meaning behind it :)

Also – please note that Gabby was not harmed in the photographing of her great crib escape! I would have dropped my camera in a heartbeat if she began to fall or appeared to be hurt in any way. But yes, I did order my son to go grab my camera as quickly as he could instead of getting her down because I really really wanted to capture it; just as a fun memory :) And, I wanted to show her daddy the brave little girl she is becoming. (oh dear, we are in for it!)

lastly, how cute is my littlest babe?!

oh I just LOVE him!!

first - sixth

first: I heard this song again today while driving.. and I cried.  I’ve been missing my Grammie a lot lately (what’s new!) and this song brought those emotions quickly to the surface, again.  Every single word just strikes a cord with me, in many ways, so I’ve decided that for my birthday this year I’m going to buy myself this ring from the Vintage Pearl – and it will say, in tiny font -

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

 

I know it’s pricey but I think it will be well worth it.  I emailed The Vintage Pearl and one of their customer service employees said they can fit about 25 characters/spaces per line and the ring will hold two lines so it should fit perfectly ;o)

second: Houston, WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!

My sweet potato knows how to get out of her crib.  {Isn’t she too young to be doing this?!?} I’m really not thrilled since I know she’s going to be bugging  her little bro in his crib after climbing from hers.  I don’t quite know what to do.  She seems too young for a toddler bed; I know they make ‘tents’ to put over cribs but I’ve heard they’re expensive; I definitely do not want to leave her in her crib and risk her getting hurt every time she tries to escape. Oh sugar!!

third: my kids are amazing and I am one beyond blessed woman. There are so many people/families out there facing such hard times and I am so thankful that my 3 children are healthy.  I cannot say that enough.. each time I look at them I smile because, well because I just love them so much and I realize that although we don’t have all the money in the world or have the best schedule right now things could be so so so so much worse.  Thank you God!

fourth: back in March, 2010 I wrote this post that talks about a little boy named Noah.  Noah was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer in the spring of  2009, just a few months after he turned 2.  Well, Mr. Noah received radiation treatment in Texas and had an MRI done on Monday.  The MRI revealed there was NO CANCER.  PRAISE GOD – it’s a true miracle!

fifth: I’ve been slacking on my ‘truth’ posts.  Once I figure out which number I am on I promise to get back on track :) 

sixth:  I never took the time to thank Kelly at ‘3 kids, a mini-van and a lot of love’ for my adorable blog design!  I know I’m really really late with this thank you and I apologize.  BUT, it’s never too late to say thank you, so THANK YOU KELLY :)  I love the simplicity of the design and the colors are exactly what I asked for.  Kelly, you rock!!

Love & blessings!

1/2 a year old!!

Happy Half Birthday Gage David!!! :)

Unbelievable.. that’s all there is to say.  I cannot believe my handsome little man is already 6 months old.  I know people say this all the time but I really feel like it was just yesterday that I looked like this..

And my sweet baby Gage has gone from this at 6 weeks 6 days..

to this at 15 weeks 3 days..

to this [absolutely adorable-ness] at just a few hours old..

to this [absolutely over-the-top adorable-ness] at 6 MONTHS..

           

• based on Mommy’s measurements you weigh about 18 pounds and are about 28 inches long!!
• You started eating solids on March 22nd and have been doing really well with them  - you don’t care for green beans but are really diggin’ the fruits
• You are now in size 3 diapers!
• Thankfully you like rice cereal, unlike your big sis who hated it!
• swing = favorite nap spot – sometimes I wonder if you’ll still be napping there when you’re 7 :)
• You wear size 6-9 month clothing now!
• You have lovely brown eyes and very light, almost blond hair!
• You’re showing a much higher interest in toys and rattles
• Gavin loves to sign to you and play with you and you just love every minute of it. 
• Gabby also loves to play with you and give you ‘moochies’ – but sometimes she can get a little rough or she decides it would be fun to sit on you and hug you – I know one day you’ll pay her back :)
• Mommy thinks you have the loveliest laugh – it’s just so fun and pure – it’s perfect :)
• Bath time is pretty mellow with you – you don’t get too excited about it but you definitely don’t hate it.  It almost seems like you just want to sit and relax in the tub and take a little break, no need to get all excited.
• You’re drinking about 5 bottles a day – each with 8 oz of formula
• Pacifiers = love!
• You also love sucking on your hands and feet :)

It is so funny to think that two years ago I had just discovered I was pregnant with Gabby after almost a year of trying.. now here I am writing about Gabby’s little brother’s 1/2 year birthday.  I am beyond grateful and cannot imagine my life any other way.  It’s incredible the plans our God has for us – amazing, crazy, awesome, messy yet beautiful plans :)

Love & blessings!

5QF

Mama M’s 5 Question Friday

1. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? well, if it had to be a physical feature I’d for sure say I’d replace most of my yucky fat with muscle – not crazy body builder muscle like this lady (WOW!)

   source

but nice, lean, sexy muscle.  If it couldn’t be a physical feature I’d say I would change my cooking abilities.  Since I have none right now I’d love to ‘change’ myself into an awesome cook!

2. Write about a time when you got lost. The first thing that comes to mind was when my friend Lindsey and I were touring college campuses in Western PA and we went to Indiana University of PA (IUP) for a tour.  We got lost on campus trying to find the admissions building where we were supposed to go to meet up with our tour guide; it was quite amusing!  The funniest part was, Lindsey ended up going to IUP even after our crazy experience!

3. Camping or 5 star hotel?  that’s tough. I really think camping with 3 young children would be very challenging so I until they’re a little older I’d say hotel.  Camping will be a blast a few years down the road :)

4. Have you donated blood? Yeppers!

5. Do you have a budget or do you 'fly by' most months? we have a budget and I do my darndest to make sure we stick to it.

Gage David will be 6 MONTHS OLD tomorrow – holy moly!!!

bows.

I bought Gabby some new bows for her hair and they are the cutest things I have ever seen :)  [well, not really the cutest, but you know what I mean!]  I was browsing etsy one night and typed cherry crochet into the search box.  I came across a bow on Emmy's Closet and I was hooked.  I managed to keep my order to a minimum and couldn’t wait for them to arrive.  I love all the bows I ordered; there’s just one problem.. Gabby won’t keep them in her hair :(  Every.single.stinkin.time – as soon I put the bow in she’s pulling it right.back.out!  GRRRR!! Oh well, hopefully she will learn to leave them alone.  

see.. there’s proof.  As soon as I put the bow in and tried to snap a photo she’s got that cute, chubby hand sneaking up to rip it out.  (my photos really don’t do these bows justice – you should just check out her Etsy site!)

I’d also like to mention – the cute pink cherry bow on the left was not part of my order.  The seller, Sara, asked how I found out about her shop and I shared that I searched cherry crochet on the general etsy search and it brought up her cherry crochet bow (the one on the right).  I explained that my Grammie was from Traverse City, Michigan (cherry capital of the world!) and because of this cherry items have always been very special in our family.  I shared that my Grammie passed away in January from Alzheimer’s Disease and I am making sure I continue the cherry collection for Gabby.  So, she sent me that pink cherry bow for free – to add to my daughter’s cherry collection!  How unbelievably sweet is that.  You should have seen my face when I opened the package.. big giant cheeser smile :) :)

Love & blessings!

Go Timberwolves!

Today was Gavin’s first soccer game!! We all had so much fun watching the little ones run around and attempt to ‘play’ – they all actually did a lot better than I was expecting.  Gavin did a great job and seemed to have a blast!  He said his favorite part was when his coach told him to come out of the game and take a rest so another kid could play and everyone cheered for him =)  And a nice proud momma moment was when he accidentally pushed a little girl and she fell next to him and he stopped to apologize and make sure she was okay. GO GAVIN!!  Their team didn’t win but everyone had fun, and of course that’s all that matters!!

                                  

And, how could I forget this – another proud momma moment!!  At each practice they are given a bible verse to memorize for the following week.  Well, on Monday night Gavin was the only one on his team that knew the entire verse.  I was so proud.. I cried :)

“Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” – Psalm 55:22

And when the coach asked if there was anything anyone wanted to pray about Gavin shared that it was his mommy and daddy’s anniversary and he was thankful for that.  Yea, I cried then too!! :)

And here is my dear Gabby’s sweet painted piggy toes! {and other fun pics!}