Through a lens to a smile

Has it really been a year??

2011-03-01T10:14:00.003-05:00

I can't believe I have not posted in a year... I actually don't think that I have been on my blog in a year. So much has happened, but still so much is the same. Life with my three babies is never dull! This past year has been one of the hardest ever, but it is getting better!! My sweet baby boy has definitely been my most challenging baby, but now that he is a year old he is getting more independent and happier over all. I absolutely love how much fun they all have together. They are truly the bestest of friends. I love that. I also love that now that they are a bit older they are not quite as demanding of me. I am really excited about this coming year. It will be great to get outside and really enjoy the kids personalities. This is such a fun season of life!! I tell the kids everyday to stop growing... I know that I will miss these days, as hard as they seem right now, everyday is filled with sweetness. I am truly blessed and I feel like I become more aware of that truth as time passes.

moms....

2009-10-21T17:20:00.002-04:00

“O dear mothers, you have a very sacred trust reposed in you by God! He hath in effect said to you, ‘Take this child and nurse it for Me, and I will give thee thy wages.’ You are called to equip the future man of God, that he may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. If God spares you, you may live to hear that pretty boy speak to thousands, and you will have the sweet reflection in your heart that the quiet teachings of the nursery led the man to love his God and serve Him. Those who think that a woman detained at home by her little family is doing nothing, think the reverse of what is true. Scarcely can the godly mother quit her home for a place of worship, but dream not that she is lost to the work of the church; far from it, she is doing the best possible service for her Lord. Mothers, the godly training of your offspring is your first and most pressing duty. Christian women, by teaching children the Holy Scriptures, are as much fulfilling their part for the Lord, as Moses in judging Israel, or Solomon in building the temple.”

“The grace of God in a child is a very lovely thing, and it draws forth general approbation (approval / delight). Youthful piety is a very touching thing to me. I see the grace of God in men and women with much thankfulness, but I cannot perceive it in children without shedding tears of delight. There is an exceeding beauty about these rosebuds in the Lord’s garden. They have a fragrance that we find not in the fairest of earth’s lilies. Love is won in many a heart by these tiny arrows of the Lord, whose very smallness is a part of their power to penetrate the heart.”

- two excerpts from "Spiratual Parenting" by Charles Spurgeon

Thank you SGC pastors!! Very encouraging!

My favorite niece

2009-10-19T11:38:00.000-04:00

My little niece Claire... I love her so much and I feel honored to be a part of her life. She is becoming such a lovely young lady. She will be five in January, and to see her transforming from a sweet baby girl to a loving, caring little lady is so dear. I love how she cares for her brother Henry and my Duncan. She becomes a little 'mommy' and helps them and directs them in their little activities. I am so glad that my children have the opportunity to live so close to their cousins and cultivate such close friendships. I love you Claire and I am so proud of you!!!

Here she is at the zoo showing Duncan the map... so sweet!

-- Posted from my iPhone

Rainy soccer practice

2009-10-12T18:19:00.001-04:00

Fiona and I are camping out in the car while Duncan and Brian are running around in the rain playing soccer. Only one other boy from Duncan's team showed up so they just combined some of the teams to practice. Duncan is loving running around in the rain!! Here is my girl... poor little thing got 3 shots this morning :(. She is having fun eating crackers and sitting in the drivers seat :)

-- Posted from my iPhone

Crazy girl...

2009-10-12T08:50:00.000-04:00

I just went to check on my daughter because she is still sleeping at almost 9 am and this is how I found her...

fast alseep... like I said crazy little lady!

-- Posted from my iPhone

Our Fall so far...

2009-10-05T15:47:00.002-04:00

Oh my, how I love these two! I get teary just thinking about them! I am blessed! We have been doing well lately... Just keeping busy.

I am now 25 weeks pregnant. Only a little over three months till I have a tiny little baby. I am super excited about meeting a new little person! It is killing me not to know what we are having!! Ahhh, the suspense. However, lately I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed and panicky about having another child... 3 kids 3 and under... yikes. So if you think of me and my family please pray! We have a lot to do before the baby comes and details that we are still not sure about need to fall into place. So any prayers would be greatly appreciated!

I am now a soccer mom! Duncan started soccer last month. He is playing with the PeeWee program in Chesapeake United. It is so cute seeing all those three year olds running around! He is just now participating. At first he just wanted to stay near us. I think the team is becoming more familiar so he is much more comfortable. Brian is volunteering as their coach and he is doing a fantastic job! It is craziness trying to wrangle seven three year olds to do a somewhat organized sport! I am so proud of my boy!

My little lady turns one on Friday! I can't believe it! She is so much fun. She is so affectionate... always giving 'squeezes' and kisses. Oh I love it. She adores her big brother. He gets her to laugh like no one else. It is so dear to watch. He is so kind to her. She isn't walking yet, but she crawls everywhere and pulls herself up. I am crazy about her!

Cozy time on the couch after naps :)

Hope you are loving this gorgeous fall weather as much as I am!!!

Symphony Under the Stars

2009-09-20T21:10:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, we sat on our blanket at Ches. City Park and listened to the Virginia Symphony play into the night. The weather was splendid and the kids had a great time rolling about! A great family memory.

-- Posted from my iPhone

I love him...

2009-08-03T18:09:00.000-04:00

I love how sweet my little Duncan is. I love how kind he is to his little sister. I love how when I put on a new shirt he says, " mom, I like you shirt". I love how he says "I want to do it by my big self"!!! I love him so much I can hardly stand it!!

-- Post From My iPhone

A wonderful surprise...

2009-08-02T11:34:00.000-04:00

My dear husband surprised me with a trip to Washington DC to visit the National Zoo! Isn't he sweet!! We have been wanting to come to this zoo for quite a while and I am so excited for the opportunity for a little weekend get away. It has been such a pleasant trip. The zoo was huge and boy was it hot. Duncan loved it! He said his favorite was the hippopotamus. He and Fiona did such a great job dealing with heat and the long day. Duncan would run from one animal and would just giggle with excitement. We are going to ride the subway into the city and might try to check out part of a museum before we drive home. Here are a few pics of the zoo.

Of course the Elephants.... They are building them a new enclosure that is crazy big!

The Capy Bara

The Hippo

Maned Wolf... He looked like a giant fox.

An enjoyable morning!

2009-07-23T13:46:00.001-04:00

Today my sister Abbey and I went to the zoo together. She brought the twin boys she nannies for, Jackson and Tucker, and we had a blast. Duncan was SO excited to show every single animal to Abbey. I love spending time with my sisters. We always find so much to laugh about. Abbey and I are both pregnant and she is due only 2 days after me! I am so excited that our little ones will be so close. Thanks Abbey for spending your your morning with us and making such a fun memory!!

Taking a peek at the Red River Hogs sleeping in the sun.

-- Post From My iPhone

anticipation...

2009-07-22T22:05:00.000-04:00

Waiting patiently for the cookies to come out of the oven...

-- Post From My iPhone

My sweet boy...

2009-07-21T12:12:00.002-04:00

You know they don't feel well when they randomly fall alsleep on the couch...

-- Post From My iPhone

I'm back!

2009-07-19T23:31:00.001-04:00

I can now post again thanks to my new phone!! Yay!! My computer needs some serious help so I am thrilled to use my phone in the mean time. Thanks Erin for the recomendation on the Blog Press App!

This is my dear 9 month old Fiona just waking up from a nap! My sweet girl!

-- Post From My iPhone

Surprises!!!

2009-05-24T18:58:00.001-04:00

Baby #3 is on the way!!! I can't believe it!! We were all quite surprised and excited to start a new chapter in our lives.... three kids... WOW!!!!

the greatest show on earth...

2009-04-20T15:19:00.008-04:00

So the whole downloading thing is still not working and I'm really bummed because I wanted to post some pictures of our exciting weekend. We got to go to the circus!! I have never been before so Brian surprised me and bought tickets for Saturday. What a sweet guy :)!! I think I enjoyed it just as much as Duncan. We were able to go early and walk around with the elephants, horses, zebras, and tigers. It was amazing to be so close to the elephants. I could have just stood there and stared at them. They are truly incredible.

After that we made our way into the main arena. There we watched one of the elephants come out and paint a picture. The girl, who I am guessing is the main elephant handler, was telling us that she is a fourth generation circus performer and has been around elephants her entire life. Clowns were all around us. I kept getting sprayed with a water gun by one of the clowns while we were watching the artistic elephant.

They cleared out the ring and the show began! It was so entertaining. Brian said it seemed so much smaller than he remembered from when he was a kid. I wonder if it is any smaller... or maybe he just got bigger. hehe! Out of all the acts, I really enjoyed the tight rope people and the elephant acts. I didn't realize that elephants were so flexible... for lack of a better word. I have only seen them standing around, but they were sitting on stools and climbing all over each other.

I still can't get over how expensive it was! The cotton candy was $12!!!! I mean it came with a pointy hat and all but that is excessive. I wanted to get Duncan something , so they were selling these fancy flash light things so we bought that and it was $22. Absolutely crazy!!!! Anyway, it was so much fun and of course Fiona was perfect. She really liked all the lights :).

Thank you my dear husband for a truly remarkable weekend!!! What an awesome memory for our little family :)

On Sunday I opened at Starbucks so we couldn't go to church. When I got off, we did a ton of yard work and got all the beds ready for some planting. I can't wait to plant some flowers!!. Duncan had a blast finding all the bugs and worms, and helping collect sticks and things. Boy was he dirty last night!

Fiona has her 6 month checkup tomorrow. I am looking forward to finding out how big she is :) My chunky girl! I am so grateful for this little girl. I can't believe how much I love her. I know this sounds silly, but before I had Fiona, I was concerned about loving another child as much as I loved Duncan. But it is so neat how you really can love all your children with THAT kind of love. What special love that is... it really makes me understand a little better how much our heavenly Father loves us. It seems so much more real now that I have children.

As soon as I am able I will post pictures from the circus and from Easter :)

The picture of Fiona is from a few minutes ago from my phone and this picture of Duncan is a few months old, but I love it because he looks like such a little boy.

First food!

2009-04-16T14:18:00.007-04:00

Here is Fiona's first time eating rice cereal. She definitely gagged on the first few bites but then she had the hang of it. I don't think she loved it though. She still won't take a bottle, so I am probably going to try a sippy cup sometime soon. I can't believe she is six months old.

I am going to have to have to upload all my pictures onto an external hard drive, because the startup disk on BOTH of my computers in now full. This is preventing me from uploading any new pictures. So hopefully soon I will have the problem remedied.

Yesterday, I had a temperature of 102.6. I have no idea what was going on. It definitely was not a pleasant day! Luckily, Duncan and Fiona couldn't have behaved any better and they let me just rest... except for the occasional potty run with Duncan. I am feeling much better today. I am just a little weak and I still have a scratchy throat. Thank the Lord!

I think that Duncan is now potty trained!! Woohoo! He hasn't had an accident for two weeks now... including night time and naps! He is so sweet, and growing up so fast.

For about a year now I have been wanting and praying for a bike trailer for the kids to ride in... so this past Saturday Brian found one on Craigslist for only $20!!! He called the guy within 30 minutes of him posting it and was able to pick it up that morning. God is good! It looks practically new! When Brian picked it up the guy told him three people called asking for it immediately after Brian. I am so excited! We will have lots of fun with it this summer.

refreshed

2009-03-18T09:47:00.000-04:00

This morning has been so calm and enjoyable. I have worked the past two mornings, and so I am really treasuring this time to be home with my children. The fog has cleared, the sun is shining, and it is going to be a good day!

My little lady is 5 1/2 months old. I can't believe how fast it has gone by. Fiona is a joy. She is now trying to sit up, and does really well. Last night was the first time she sat up by herself for a while. After a few minutes she got excited then tipped over... silly girl. I absolutely love watching Fiona and Duncan together. She is mesmerized by her big brother. When we are driving around, Duncan explains what is going on to her and points out all the trucks, bridges, and sounds around us. Every morning he runs into to see her and greets her with a hug and kiss. He gets so excited to see her. I love it.

Duncan is in the process of potty training. He is doing remarkably well! He has been dry for five days now (not including sleep). I started about two weeks ago and after a week of numerous accidents, and going to sit on the potty every 15 minutes I was ready to give up. So I had some errands to run, and I put his diaper on him and thought I would just have to try again in a few weeks. We were in a store and he told me he had to go. I was a bit surprised, because not only had he not told me about needing to go before, but he had never actually gone on a big potty. So I ran him to the bathroom and he went!! I was shocked! Ever since then I think he has had one accident. I am not setting the timer anymore, and he tells me when he needs to go. He has pooped on the potty several times, but that is the thing we are still working on. He isn't to keen on pulling his pants up or down and so he needs help, but I figured that he will start doing that soon enough. I will worry about night time in a little while. :) I am so proud of my big boy!

He is singing his ABC's really well too. He sometimes gets to "Q" and starts over, but I think he is getting the hang of it. He is like a little sponge. He repeats everything! Hearing thoughts and his interpretation of the world is so dear. I wish I could think of an example right now... oh well. He is also going through a stage where things are "scary" or he is "afraid". It is sad to see him afraid of things. I try to be reassuring and explain what is going on to make situations understandable. Hopefully it is a short lived stage. I am really looking forward to the warmer weather. I think he is getting bored just staying indoors... I think we all are.

This past Saturday, I went to a breakfast for moms with young children at the church. It was wonderful. I felt refreshed, and left feeling more hopeful. Joanna did a wonderful job sharing her experiences and feelings as a mom, and as a result I felt as though a burden was lifted off my shoulders. She pinpointed what so many moms are feeling... the feeling of inadequacy as a mom and as a homemaker. I loved hearing that doing the small things we do as moms are glorifying to God. I am so grateful for that time and the food was delicious.

I will post pictures later...

Apple

2009-02-28T18:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was feeding the baby, and Duncan was drawing on his Magna Doodle quietly on the floor. All of a sudden he jumps up and says "Momma, look an apple!" And this is what he held up...

I was pretty impressed :) But that doesn't take much! haha! Pretty good for a two year old.

Snow...

2009-02-17T19:27:00.001-05:00

It finally snowed. The funny thing is, for the schools, Monday was the makeup day for the previous "snow" day. The thing is it snowed on the makeup day and did not do anything on the actual snow day! Ha! Silly weather people :) Duncan loved playing in it, even if it was just a dusting. As soon as he got up, I bundled him up and we ran around for a while before it melted away. He was chilly when we came in so he cuddled up under his blanket while I made oatmeal. Such a cozy morning.

Bathtime with her big brother!

2009-02-17T19:07:00.000-05:00

Fiona absolutely LOVES taking a bath with Duncan. From the second her feet hit the water she is all smiles and giggles. She kicks like crazy. She is so yummy. Duncan likes helping to wash her hair. Every single night Duncan wants to take a bath with "Fona" (which is what he now calls her). It is definitely an arm workout after a bit. Look at that bottom... don't you just want to pinch it :) hehe!

Valentines Day

2009-02-17T18:23:00.000-05:00

So on Valentines, I had the idea of making heart shaped pancakes for breakfast. Easy enough, right? I had watched this video on some website on some specialty pancakes and they used a cookie cutter after they cooked them. I thought why waste the excess pancake? Why not just pour the batter right into the cookie cutter. Now I am sure there is a way to do this, I just don't have all the proper tools. So things were fine until it came time to flip the pancake. Not so easy as I imagined. Ha! My cookie cutter was pretty small so I just ended up making three to put on top of everyones plate. Live and learn... it was the thought that counted. Then after breakfast, Fiona and I went to Katy's baby shower. That was lovely. Katy is so beautiful with her little bump! I can't wait to see that little baby! After Duncan's nap we headed down to the beach to have dinner at Chris and Christy's house. It was so special. We had the much anticipated rockfish and it was delicious! Christy had the table set so beautifully. It was quite elegant. I wish I had taken a picture before we ate. Duncan had such a fun time with his cousins. They were all exhausted by the end of the night. What a wonderful Valentines day! And to make it even more special, my husband gave me the most dear card. He made it. It is beautiful. He is so talented. I will have to scan it in here so I can show it off. He is soooo thoughtful!

Mommy moments...

2009-02-03T18:25:00.000-05:00

I am sitting here on the couch holding my little girl... and she is fast asleep. I love this. How precious moments like these are. I try to put her in her bed most of the time , but I indulge occasionally.:) She is not going to be this tiny for very long. These are the moments that I will treasure always. She is so peaceful... so relaxed... so beautiful. It doesn't get much better than this!

Our January...

2009-02-02T10:59:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it is already February! Fiona will be four months on the 9th. We have been busy this month. Mostly working and recovering after two weeks of having a sick house! The transition back to work has been easier than I imagined. Haha! That's how it generally is... I build it up in my head then God, in his grace, works it all out seamlessly. Not to say it hasn't been challenging. Thanks to my dear mother!!! She watches the little ones at my house and I could not ask for a better situation. She loves them so dearly. I know that they are in very capable hands. My little Duncan is so talkative these days. He just goes on and on in these conversations. They are hilarious. It is super fun to hear what is going on in his head. He LOVES animals and trains. He continues to be an amazing big brother. He is so affectionate and loves to go in with me every morning to see her wake up. He gets super excited and says "Good morning Baby Fi!" My dear little boy. And my little lady is growing everyday. She is still so good natured and content. She loves to be a part of things. She likes to sit up. If she is lying down she lifts her head like she is trying to sit... it is funny. Here are some pictures from this past month...

Here is the most awesome stroller ever! I love it! This was Fiona's first time sitting in it like a big girl! We went to the Zoo with Daddy soon after Christmas on one of those pretty days. The stroller is compatible with her carseat so it usually just pops right in.

my girl and her bows

Looking at her big brother...

Duncan and his cousin Henry at Claire's 4th Birthday Party

Hanging out with Daddy

Loving the exersaucer!

My sick kiddos... aren't they sad!

Duncan's first self portrait! Ha!

Have a holly jolly Christmas!!!!

2008-12-25T15:37:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!!!
Have a wonderful and relaxing day! :)

It's almost Christmas...

2008-12-22T22:07:00.000-05:00

This was taken at the Chesapeake Christmas Parade. It was actually a lot of fun. I don't think I have ever been to a Christmas Parade so I didn't realize how loud and long it would be. Duncan loved seeing all the emergency vehicles and lights. He was truly amazed. I think Fiona enjoyed it as well. :) She was wide awake just taking it all in.

I am super close to being completely done with my shopping. Just one thing to pick up tomorrow. Every year I tell myself that I will have it all done by the beginning of December and for some reason I am still finishing up at the last minute. Oh well! Maybe next year.

The little ones are doing so well. I am a blessed woman. Duncan has adjusted very well to filling up those big brother shoes. He is very caring and thrives on being helpful... i.e. getting diapers, throwing things away, turning off the tree when we are leaving, ect. He gets upset if she is crying. He will tell me over and over "Mom, baby... crying." As I try to appease Fiona I am reassuring him again and again that she is ok. He has a tender little heart. Fiona is such a joy. I cannot imagine a better baby. She has nestled her way into our little family. She is an amazing baby. She has slept through the night since she was 5 weeks old. She goes to sleep about 9:30 or 10 and sleeps till 6:30 or 7 in the morning. I know with a baby everything come and goes in stages, and so I am waiting for it to change. While enjoying every minute. :) She is very smiley and has started cooing and talking all the time. It is so fun to see her little personality come through. Transitioning from being a tiny little helpless baby to a happy spunky sweet little girl is incredible to watch.I can't believe she is almost 3 months old!!

I have loved being home with my children. I am going back to work next week. I am dreading it. On one side, I am grateful to be able to have a job that is so flexible and provides insurance to employees who only work for 20 hours. I am an assistant manager and have completed all my training to be a store manager and have just been waiting for an available store. But now that Fiona is here, I am stepping down, and am transferring to a store that is super close to our house (I could walk if I wanted to)! We have our family insurance through Starbucks and so that is why I have to return to work. On the other side, everything in me wants to stay home with my kids. Brian would love for me to be able to stay home as well, but this is where we are right now. This is going to have be something I have to totally trust God in. I feel kind of frantic when I think about balancing work, home, and my family. If you think to pray for me I would truly appreciate it!

I am sorry for not being more diligent in my posting. I am always checking on other people. I am really going to be better :). I hope and pray this Christmas finds you among friends and family and that you will genuinely feel God's pleasure and love in your life. Merry Christmas!!

My babies...

2008-10-30T17:36:00.000-04:00

I took this with my camera phone earlier this afternoon. My little Fiona is three weeks old today! She is such a pleasant baby... very easy going like her brother. She is becoming more alert everyday. It is so fun to watch how Duncan is with her. I couldn' t ask for a sweeter boy. I am really loving being home with my little ones. Now I am off to feed baby Fi...

Our little lady is here!!!

2008-10-10T17:47:00.001-04:00

We are so happy to announce the littlest addition to our family...

Fiona Ruth
7lbs 12oz
20 inches
She was born on October 9th, 2008 at 5:16pm

She is doing so well. Everything went well and we are thrilled to have her here.

Her proud big brother! He was so cute with her. He calls her Baby Fi

She looks so much like Duncan. Although, her hair is a bit more brown.

Our little family of four! I can't believe I have two children. God is so good!

Enjoying PB+J's

2008-10-03T20:28:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, Duncan and I went to play at Fun Forest at Chesapeake City Park. We had such a fun time. A little date with my boy. He is so happy and good natured... just a pleasure to be with. He is my dear boy.

This face makes me laugh!

My little artist

2008-10-03T17:24:00.000-04:00

The other afternoon, Duncan brought his magna-doodle to me and made his little elephant impression (which means he is telling me what it is). I was pretty impressed... I mean, it kinda looks like an elephant... right??? He was so proud.

Soon after the elephant, he was drawing another picture and he pointed out that this was the moon.

a beautiful morning with Marmee...

2008-10-03T16:17:00.000-04:00

One morning last week, we met up with my mom at Locks Point Park. She found this point that overlooked the water. The weather couldn't have been more perfect and we sat for a while and watched the boats make their way to the bridge. My mom has been such a tremendous support to my family and especially me. She has watched my little boy while I am working and honestly I couldn't imagine him in better or more loving hands. She is seriously crazy about him and is always teaching him and encouraging him to learn about the world around him. Thank you so much, mom, for sacrificing your time, your energy, and for all your prayers. You are a treasure!!!

Like his daddy!

2008-10-02T22:47:00.000-04:00

Duncan and Bri were playing one afternoon and Brian was able to take a few pics of him playing with his trucks and cars. He loves trucks he pushes them all over the house and has different noises for each vehicle. It is fun to see what excites him since I grew up in a house with all girls. I do love having my boy :o).

For those of you who are Pride and Prejudice fans this is his "Mr. Collin's" wave :)

Trying to be like his Dad. He walks all over the house wearing Brian's shoes. Pretty funny to watch.

Fun for the deck!

2008-10-02T22:31:00.000-04:00

My parents gave this to Brian for Father's Day. What a sweet gift. We use it all the time. We love to eat breakfast out on the deck on the weekends. The patio set has given us the opportunity to make some fun memories. Now that is getting to be so beautiful out and fall is now here, I think we will be using it much more! Thank you so much mom and dad for your generosity!!!

Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon

2008-10-02T21:40:00.000-04:00

It has become a tradition. For three years now we have driven down to the oceanfront to meet up with the cousins and watch the race. I really enjoy this family outing. It is even more special now that the kiddos are a bit older and can really enjoy each other. After the race we went down to the oceanfront and let them run wild. We had a wonderful time. Duncan really loves the ocean. He has no fear and lets the waves just knock him around.

First haircut in a Barbershop...

2008-10-02T21:24:00.000-04:00

Well... it was time. His hair was a bit out of control to say the least. So we made a visit to the barber. Duncan was bit unsure, but he sat on Brian's lap and did remarkably well. You can tell that by the end he was having a good time. He looks like a little boy... not a baby anymore.

He is little... and I love him!

2008-10-02T20:46:00.000-04:00

Something I have seen a lot of lately... not the glasses, but the potty. He loves these glasses...he puts them on and even though they belong to Mr. Potato Head, he will wear them for 30 - 45 minutes. He has been doing pretty well with the potty. We got him some Thomas the Train undies and he really likes wearing them. I am really just trying to help him be aware of when he needs to go, and get comfortable going on the potty. He has gone several times and so he gets a "pop" (popsicle). So we will see... I don't want to make a huge deal of it quite yet.

Being pregnant, puffy, and tired does not make for the best pictures... :o) but oh well.

Silly... but cute!

Brian leaves Duncan little notes and pictures on his magna-doodle. Duncan always gets so excited and will look at it for a while, and will point out every little detail. He loves his magna-doodle! Abbey and Steve got it for him for his second birthday and he draws on it all the time.

Porch Party

2008-10-02T20:20:00.000-04:00

At my store we had a porch party to enjoy the weather and sample some new stuff. It was a great time. A lot of our regular customers came to hang out. We played a few games and gave away some pounds of coffee. Duncan had a lot of fun drawing on the sidewalk with chalk and drinking his favorite... a blended strawberry lemonade. He was worn out afterward!

Adventures to the zoo!

2008-10-02T18:05:00.000-04:00

For Christmas, Chris and Christy gave us a Norfolk Zoo membership. We have made many visits during the summer. Duncan loves animals. He gets so excited. I think he likes the giraffes the best. They are truly amazing animals and they are super entertaining to watch. We usually meet up with friends and go together. Here are some pictures of a few of our visits. I definitely think that we will have to get a membership next year too.

Duncan and his cousin Henry

My adorable nephew!

They have these wonderful fountains where kids can play. I always pack Duncan's swim stuff and after we have trekked all over the zoo, the cool water is a welcome relief to little ones. This was one of his first times in the fountains. Since this he has become quite brave and runs through them. My crazy boy!

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Abbey met us one day and after the zoo we went to Dumar's and got some yummy vanilla shakes. Super fun!

A great find...

2008-10-02T16:47:00.000-04:00

At the beginning of the summer my sister-in-law came across this play set out by the road with a "Free" sign on it. She thought of us and Chris went to disassemble it and then gave it to us. How sweet!!! With just a little cleaning up it was practically new! Duncan has had so much fun playing on it. As you can see :o). Thank you so much Aunt Christy for thinking of us.

STRAWBERRIES!!!!!

2008-05-09T14:47:00.000-04:00

This morning we went strawberry picking. We met Auntie Abs at the strawberry patch and had a wonderful time. The weather was absolutely perfect. Duncan had a blast. He did not need any encouragement to try that first strawberry. After that he was all about picking/ eating strawberries. He soon learned the difference between green and red berries... haha! By the end his shirt was a strawberry disaster. Auntie Rach met up with us and had fun chasing the boy around the patch. The strawberries are so sweet and juicy. After picking, Duncan and I ate lunch at Moe's. He had so much fun. He was so cute... strawberry juice and all :). Thank you Abbey and Rachael for making this such a fun memory!!!

The Farm...

Just about to start picking...

First bite...

Loving every minute...

His favorite shoes (great for a muddy field)...

Busy picking...

Aunty Abs...

Her bowl of berries...

Auntie Rach...

He looks so little...

Evidence... :)

Exciting News!

2008-05-05T13:46:00.000-04:00

This morning we went to our second ultrasound. Brian and I went out to breakfast first. That was so much fun to spend time with him. Our appointment was at 8am. The tech took us right back. I was so excited... a little nervous, but mostly excited. The tech said that the baby looked great. It is always so special to see that little person inside you... wow. I got to see its spine, heart, stomach and bladder. So cute :). Anyway, on to the exciting news... we are going to have a little girl :) Yipeee! I had a slight feeling it was a girl because this pregnancy has been so different, but you never know. With Duncan I knew it was a boy. I had four dreams that I was having an ultrasound and they told me it was a boy. Pretty crazy. I am so grateful that we have a healthy baby girl so far. The tech said she weighs 9 oz. :) I haven't stopped smiling all day. We have her name all picked out, but we will keep that a surprise for her arrival. I posted some of our ultrasound pics. Hopefully you will be able to make some sense of them.

This is her profile...

It's a GIRL!!!!

Baby Bugs!

2008-04-25T15:42:00.000-04:00

I know it has been a while... :( Baby Bugs is a nickname I have called my boy since he was tiny (haha... he still is fairly tiny I guess). Duncan is seeming so much more like a big boy these days. He is running all over the place. He is not talking a ton, but he understands exactly what you say. He is crazy about animals. He knows lots of animal sounds. He thoroughly enjoys being outside. He is still super loving. He comes over to give me hugs and kisses while he is playing. He is a little lovebug. Duncan is such a joy. I can't help but smile whenever I look at his little face. He still loves to sleep. He usually doesn't wake up till 8:30am or 9am (he has slept as late as 10:45am) Pretty crazy. I am not complaining :). I think he will make a great big brother. This pregnancy has been going by super fast. I was pretty sick at the beginning, but now I am feeling great. Everything has gone very smoothly so far. Well, I am going to finish planting some flowers before it rains. I hope everyone has a great week!!!!

2008-03-24T09:38:00.000-04:00

our new little one will be here around October 2nd!!!

edamame!

2008-01-25T20:00:00.001-05:00

Jan 15th - Day 103,
originally uploaded by Tanya HK.

Duncan is recently addicted to edamame from the neighborhood sushi resteraunt. Glad that they are so healthy. Still working on the spicy tuna roll! :)

A little monkey!

2008-01-10T10:25:00.000-05:00

Duncan's big new accomplishment this week is he can now get up on our sofa all by himself. He is absolutely crazy. He climbs everywhere now. This morning I came into the living room and he was sitting on the couch reading a book. He is quite proud and excited. I took these with my phone so they are not the greatest.

That is a blue block in his mouth, in case you were wondering.

A little unusual....

2007-12-29T17:32:00.000-05:00

This is mainly for all of you breastfeeding moms out there! If you watch, beware! :) (this video wouldn't be appropriate if you are not comfortable with the breastfeeding issue) You won't believe this story! Click here to watch. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I will post some pix and details of ours later!

2007-12-07T21:13:00.000-05:00

I apologize... I am still working out some kinks... come back and check soon and hopefully everything will be up and running!

A Tribute to Libby Anne. . .

2007-12-07T20:05:00.000-05:00

Well, this has been a long time coming. I finished this project shortly after her death and I have held on to it. I guess it really helped me grieve and remember all the wonderful times we had together. I think it is extremely rare to find someone that is truly a kindred spirit. She is a part of who I am. I am still overcome when I think about how God put her in my life and gave me such a true friend. I know I will never love anyone like I loved Libby. My only solace is that I will see her again. Until then we can remember what an amazing person she was and how she glorified God in so many areas of her life. Now, I will warn you ahead of time, this is 58 minutes long. (and it may take some time to load (about 2 minutes)) My hope for this is if you knew Libby you will be flooded with wonderful memories and if you didn't... I pray you will be touch by Libby's warmth, her passion, her sense of humor, and you will see Jesus through her. Enjoy...
(under construction)

a quick update...

2007-12-05T16:56:00.000-05:00

I have a ton of things to post about, but I wanted to leave a short note until I have some more time. We had a great Thanksgiving in Arkansas. Yeah!!! We finally made the trek out there. :) It was wonderful for Duncan to finally meet everybody and for Brian to see it. We thoroughly enjoyed spending time and making memories with my family!!! Anyway, hope all is going well for you and I will bring more updates soon!

Happy Halloween from Starbucks!

2007-11-02T19:12:00.001-04:00

For our manager development day on Wednesday, my manager and I decided to dress up as our fall beverage trio (ie pumpkin spice latte, tazo chai latte, and caramel macchiato). It was so much fun. Our district manager got a huge kick out of it. We ended up rescheduling our meeting and went around to all the stores in our district and delivered candy. I enjoyed the change of pace immensely.

down and dirty...

2007-10-30T17:30:00.000-04:00

I am so sorry about my absence from the blogging world. My life is pretty chaotically busy! Well I have found one of my son's favorite things! DIRT! Not only to play in, but also eat. I tried to prevent the eating of the dirt, but it was inevitable. He did't seem to like the taste (by the horrible look of disgust on his face), but again and again his little hand, full of dirt, somehow made it into his mouth. Yuck. He would scrape his toungue off, but then he would indulge again. What a nut. He got a good scrub down later. It made for a wonderful memory. Glad I had my camara close at hand.

Neptune Festival!

2007-10-30T13:51:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, we watched a parade that is part of the annual Neptune Festivalat the Virginia Beach oceanfront. We met Brian's brother, Chris and his wife Christy, and their two kids down at the parade. Duncan loved watching all the commotion. There were lots of horses and dogs. He got so excited when they went by. His favorite part, I think, was playing with his cousin, Claire. He really looks up to her. I am so happy they are pretty close in age. and little Henry is only 6 months behind Duncan. I am sure they will be best buddies. I was almost out of film so I couldn't take as many pics as I would have liked... but here are a few!

Goodbye Tree...

2007-09-20T17:35:00.000-04:00

Today my next door neighbor is having her lovely tree cut down. It is already kinda rainy and trees being cut down makes me feel some sense of loss. I seem to feel some devotion to growing things and I feel sad when they are destroyed. Duncan seems fascinated with the whole production. He is just standing at the front door watching the process of taking down the beautiful tree. I really don't know the purpose of getting rid of it... it is not dying or anything.... oh well. So sad... Well, this has been the focus of our day. I think I am being a little too dramatic about the ordeal... but what is new, right? :o) Duncan is now ready for his nap, and I think they are about finished outside.

Many faces of Duncan....

2007-09-19T19:30:00.000-04:00

I have accumulated some pictures of some events over the past few weeks, so I am cramming them all onto one post. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Face . . .
We visited Civil War Days a couple of weekends ago at the Chesapeake Central Library. We got there a little late and they were closing down early because a hurricane was supposed to move in that night. Oh well! Duncan got to ride on the hayride and he loved it. He got upset when we got off. He also got to see a mule. He kept calling it a "dog". :o)
\

Banana Cake Recipe

2007-09-13T14:40:00.000-04:00

Here is the cake recipe that we used for Duncan's birthday cake. I think it is similar to banana bread ( not too sweet ). I don't even like bananas, but I did enjoy this cake. It's great... no sugar added.

BANANA CAKE

2/3 c. banana, mashed
1/2 c. butter, softened
3 lg. eggs
3/4 c. water
2 c. unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
Optional: 1 c. chopped walnuts OR 1/2 c. chopped walnuts & 1/2 c. raisins

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan. Beat together mashed banana and soft butter until creamy. Beat in water. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until very foamy. Beat into mixture. Blend in flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Beat until smooth. Stir in walnuts or walnuts and raisins, if desired. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool. Serves 8-10.

Also this is the website I found it on. They have some other health conscious cakes as well. Happy baking!

www.grizzlybird.net/2007/01/babys-1st-birthday-cake-recipes.html

Pleasant Memories....

2007-09-13T00:26:00.000-04:00

This evening was absolutely beautiful. Brian was working late and Duncan was getting to the time of day when he is a little cranky. So we stepped out onto our deck. It is amazing what effect the outdoors has on children, isn't it? We have a lovely little porch swing on our deck. We sat on the swing swaying back and forth gently, Duncan lounging on my lap, the cool breeze with hints of fall sweeping over us... so wonderful. The sun dipped behind our roof, and provided a glorious backlight to the maple tree in our yard. A squirrel sat on a branch and gnawed on a pinecone. Duncan kept pointing to the squirrel. He is fascinated by creatures. He loves our dog, and is eager to be near any animals. Except for an occasional finger point towards the squirrel, he lay completely relaxed with his little hands crossed. Small moments like these are treasures. This time of year is my favorite. I am so looking forward to the cool autumn days ahead. Cozy evenings around our fireplace.... woohoo! I am so overwhelmed by how much God has blessed me. My husband is so devoted and selfless, my son is an exquisit gift, our wonderful home just two minutes from my parents, and my parents are so supportive and graciously care for Duncan while I make lattes. I am surrouded by GOOD things. When situations present themselves that leave me feeling discourged and out of hope I have to remind myself of how many good things I have. My savior will always be faithful!

First Birthday Party!

2007-08-27T12:01:00.000-04:00

2007-08-27T11:48:00.000-04:00

Duncan's party was a great success! We sure did have a house full... I think 27 people showed up. Crazy! Duncan had a great time, and he really enjoyed his cake. We made him a banana cake. (it has no sugar added and it is still pretty tasty. Let me know if you want the recipe). By the end, he was a tired mess. Too much excitement for one day. It was extremely hot that day... like 98 degrees give or take a little. Steamy! Poor Brian, out over the grill and all. A great day of fun for Duncan!

Oh how time flies...

2007-08-24T21:00:00.000-04:00

Happy 1st Bithday Duncan!!! My baby is growing up. This past year has gone by so quickly. I just want to hit pause so I can enjoy him a little longer at this wonderful stage of his life. I know everyone says it only gets better.... only he won't be my little baby any more. My little Duncan. He is such a character. He loves to laugh and make us laugh. He has just started walking this week. Still pretty unsteady but he seems determined. He loves our dog, Winnie. His first word was "gog" . She will be stretched out on the floor and he will go lay his head on her, spread his arms out, and pat her with his hand. Luckily, Winnie, although still a little unsure, will just lay still. He is a very loving little boy. He loves giving hugs. He does it all the time and with whoever is around. We had one of his little friends over the other day to play. Her name is Savanna, and she is about a month older than the Boy. He was just staring at her, touching her hair, and hugging her head. Poor Savanna! Her mom, Christy, and I were dying laughing. He loves playing with his soccer ball. And he is always finding an opportunity to play peekaboo. Everyday is a joy and I feel a privilege to have this little guy as my son. I know you hear this, but until I actually had Duncan, I never thought I could love anything as much. When I think about this it makes me cry everytime. If I had to pick one character trait for Duncan to be strongest in, it would have to be wisdom. I pray everyday that the Lord would make him a wise man in every area of his life. I can't believe that I am a mom, and he is my son. It is better than I could have ever imagined. I am truly blessed.

click on image to make it larger :o)