Sweet days

Yesterday, I was putting some clothes away and Reed and Emery-Claire were in her room. I went in to check on them and found this........

Sweet brother reading to his little sister! Well, I know he wasn't really reading, but it looked like it from an outsider.

He preceded to help her get her paci in her mouth too. He truly does love his little sister. I know as she will eventually start moving and grabing at things he is playing with and this could all take a different turn, but right now it's the sweetest thing to see them look and smile and love watching one another!

Always such a happy girl!

Happy Pumpkin Spiced Latte to Me...

Yes, today I turned 33 years old. As I sit and ponder at the double triple, as my husband has so wonderfully coined it, I am amazed that so many things have happened in my 33 years of life! I could sit here for hours and relay them all, but I don't think that is necessary. But this morning as my sweet husband, who struggles to awake much before me (and typically I don't get up before 7:30 unless I'm off for an early workout, which today was not that day because it's my birthday, right?!) got up with me and fixed Reed his breakfast as I fed
Emery-Claire. Then said he was off to go get me the Starbucks drink of my choice....which I then had to pick the wonderful fall festive pumpkin spiced latte! It was an ordinary, regular day; but in my time with the Lord this morning (while drinking the wonderful latte) I really reflected in how much God has worked in my life. It seems just yesterday the birthdays were 25, 26, even 27, and I so prayed and cried out to God to send me a godly man, to love, serve, to walk through all of life with. Now here I am at 33, almost 4 years into marriage and 2 kids later, having more of a man than I could have even prayed or asked God for back then! It is just amazing to see throughout all the challenges and joys, ups and downs, through it all God knows what we need and why we need it! He is always good and faithful, He is so longsuffering, even when we are so selfish and self-consumed. As always it is so refreshing to see my daily reminder of the Gospel, to remember it is all about Him....as James 1:12 says "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." As I reflect on another year, I am humbled at the sweetness of the Lord's mercy and grace on my life, realizing I continually fall short. I so want to be molded more into the image of His Son, to be a woman of God, who has a passion to know Him more and make Him known! I want to love my husband and children with no expectations in return, but realize I so fall short in this. But yet the beauty of it all is that He sees me so perfectly covered in the beautiful robe of righteousness of Christ! To Him I owe it all, for He has paid my debt and set me free!
"Belee Kist!" as my sweet boy responds when we ask him what the work of God is, oh sweet words in my ear that I continue to cling to the truth of the Gospel as I too "believe in Christ!"

Our baby is 5 months old today!

Emery-Claire is almost 1/2 a year old now! She is, of course, the sweetest baby girl ever! She is growing and getting so big, but still seems so little and petite to me. I don't think I mentioned that at her 4 month checkup last month that she only weighed 11 lbs., 10 oz. (which was in the 15%).....Reed was almost 15 lbs. by then! But no concerns from our doc, he says she has got good long and lean genes (since her length is 60% at 24 1/2 inches). Anyways, thought I'd mention some of the fun things we are seeing her do:

• squealing so much lately; and as she does it Reed thinks it's hilarious and does it back to her!
• she continues to smile and laugh often; she really loves to watch Reed and smiles quite often at him; I need to capture a photo of that, it is so sweet!
• she is holding onto more toys, rattles, and of course loves bringing them to her mouth!
• we seem to be seeing more drooling lately, but no teeth....Reed didn't get his first tooth til he was 10 months old, so with nursing and all maybe I'll be as lucky that hers will take that long too!
• she is such a "go with the flow" baby (as #2 often are I suppose)....if her schedule is off or disrupted she may fuss some but really tolerates it well considering; and although she doesn't sleep the entire time we may be out and about she'll at least catnap along the way to revive herself (Reed never did this!) so it's nice!
• she is wearing the 3-6 months (some brands are 6 months) and size 2 diapers now (mainly b/c things were getting so short for her longness) but everything seems to swallow her up and she sometimes looks as though she is swimming in some of her clothes since she is so skinny!
• even though the nurse said we could start cereal we are holding out! i know everyone has different opinions on this one, but since this #2 I hope to speed through the mess of baby foods and venture onto table foods as quickly as possible .....one less thing to prepare and clean up sounds fabulous to me! so I think I'll push her as long as she'll go! I think with Reed I was excited to start something new and experiment it with him (but don't we all with our first!) but this time, I'm certaintly in no hurry
• she has some wonderful head and trunk control as she does so well on her tummy to push up and sitting more often in her bumbo seat (thanks for the borrow cousin Brody!)....she has always seemed so strong, but I can tell she is more and more coordinated with it all; and even loves standing on our laps too!

Thanks Nana!

Reed got a new table and chairs from Nana for his birthday. The set finally came last weekend so here he is enjoying his afternoon snack at the table. It fits great in this area of my very tiny kitchen....yes, everyone just ignore the lovely 80s decor of this awful kitchen. Since we've only been in the house a year and are now moving, we obviously never got to update it! You can probably see in the below picture under the table where Reed started ripping off some wallpaper for us :) Nice, huh! Anyways, he has thoroughly enjoyed his table to eat at, color at, look at books, and even paint at (which for him lasts all of about 5 minutes!...it takes me longer to get it out and clean it up than he actually uses it!)

Here is just a recent pic of our darling sweet girl! She'll be 5 months Monday......oh where does the time keep going! She looks so big sitting in the bumbo seat and chewing on her keys! She is such a precious girl and we are so thankful for her each and every day!

I've been tagged

My friend, Raegan, tagged me to list 7 random/weird facts about me. Not sure how interesting these are, but here goes......

1) how sad it is that I started this post yesterday and I am officially sitting down to complete it finally tonight! if this doesn't show how indecisive I am I don't know what does!

2) I love to have my closet color coded! Yes, I know it's dorky, but I feel like I can find things easier when all the same colors are together!

3) ever since I started a blog and got onto facebook, which has been within the last year, I'm addicted to them! I waste way too much time looking at facebook and typing messages, etc. and looking at blogs (of friends, friends' friends, etc....I know it can be a little overboard!!!!)

4) I tend to have a pattern of starting lots of things, but never finishing them....i.e., growing up it was dance, cheerleading, gymnastics, musical instruments; and now it's reading books, starting projects, and finding new hobbies that at first I take off with, but eventually hit a rut with them or get frustrated b/c I don't think I'm any good at them!

5) I've been overseas once in my lifetime....went to England and Scotland.....but sadly I can say I probably should have never gone; if you really want to know why you can ask me but don't think I should post it!

6) If I could do college over again I would love to pursue interior design and decorating; I watch way too many home makeover shows on HGTV (which is probably like my favorite channel), and am constantly amazed at the ideas the designers have on there! I would love to do that!

7) Yeah, last one! This randomly popped in my head....I worked at a Christian sports camp in Missouri (this one is for you Jan!) one summer while I was in college...which is so random seeing as those of you who know me well I have no athletic/sports ability bone in my body! except for my love of working out (which is usually my slow pace running, spinning and lifting weights at the gym)---so how did I work there you're wondering, in the kitchen! Yes, I was a kitchen girl! But one of the greatest summers ever as I made two very dear life long friends there, love you Amy and Jan!

I know some of you have done these tagging lists before, but I don't have that many friends who blog, so I'm tagging Janet, Rebekah, Heather, Andrea, Monica, Emily, and LeAnne!
And if you don't want to do it, fine, but if you do have fun!

New Music!

A friend of mine had this recommendation on her blog, so I thought I'd try it out. Well, since it was free I thought I might as well download it too.....and it's really good! I've not listened to it all yet, but so far I really like what I've heard. Her name is JJ Heller, and her new album is called Painted Red. You can download her album FOR FREE here, and you really should.
Go, listen!

Fall Festival Weekend

Well, we had a fun family weekend! These pictures are kinda out of order; I have a hard time downloading so many at a time and when I add more it shifts them out of order, oh well.
All weekend here in Georgetown we had the Festival of the Horses. It's a big deal around here every October, so sad to say, this is actually the first year we've actually checked it out! And we've lived here how long?! Reed loved the parades! So below are some of our pictures from them. And then Saturday we went to a nearby farm to take some pumpkin patch pictures.....well, unlike last year (we really had some cutes ones then) it was hard to get a good one. Reed was soooo distracted by the train they run there and that was all he would look at or talk about! So we did our best; we still have to go pick out our pumpkin so I may attempt one more time with both kids. But I have a feeling the outcome may still be the same!
The "Grande Parade of Horses" is the last day of the festival (Sunday evening). How fun to sit out in our front yard and watch it go by! Reed was so excited! This was a huge horse; you may not be able to tell in this picture. I don't know a ton about horses so not sure what they are all called.
Mom this one is for you! I think it may be your favorite a Tennesse walking horse!

Reed excited to see the parade downtown on Friday night! This is his expression when he's excited about anything!
Yes, the best picture of the two of them from the pumpkin patch....oh well.
This one was a little better, but I'm in it. At least Reed is smiling.

Casey and Reed watching the parade. He was wearing his Tennesse shirt and it was so funny that all the people going by made comments on it! The laughed and said something about a Kentucky dad and Tennessee child! Which Casey would correct them and say he was a Georgia fan and I was the Tennessee fan; even the KY senator went by and commented!

House Situation

Well, I thought I'd make a little update on our house situation. I may have posted awhile back that we've had a contract (through way too many back and forth negotiations) contingent upon the buyers selling their house. I know doesn't make it seem like much of a quick process does it! So last week we had a couple of students come look at our house.....apparently one of the student's dad is looking to buy him and his friends a house. They really liked it they said, but we weren't sure if anything would really come of it. Well, they called back today and said they were really interested, and would be seriously talking with the dad to determine if they plan to move forward! I don't really want to get my hopes up, but after the past 4 months of the previous people (and they've been really difficult people with constant back and forth negotiations, especially after the inspection) wouldn't it just be the Lord's sense of humor to bring this other possible situation our way! I know He knows what is best and has the perfect timing for us to move, and ultimately we have to trust in that. I've been convicted of my awful attitude in all of this because I've easily angered and let myself get so frustrated with how this family has handled the whole situation. When I know it's not at all about them but rather I how I respond in light of this situation the Lord has laid before us! So I certainly don't feel worthy of the Lord providing another alternative, but that always seems to be how he humbles me and brings me to my knees. So if you all wouldn't mind to keep our situation in prayer this coming week, hopefully we'll know something soon! I guess at this point the other family does want our house, but like I said they still have to sell theirs first, which could take who knows how long. And with the students, obviously the dad is ready to buy now! And I have to admit we are ready to move on and be settled. Casey is really working hard driving back and forth to the campus usually 2xs a day (and it can be a 25-30 minute drive). Which may not seem real far, but when it's twice a day I know he gets so much more tired.

Too much fun!

This is what happens when one leaves her child alone to finish breakfast and is on the computer checking email, facebook, blogs, etc! But he was having fun as you can see!