Halloween 2011

Halloween was so much fun this year! Garyn was a lot more excited about trunk or treat and getting candy. That excitement over shadowed his fears. We had very few "scared" moments actually. I was so proud and glad he could enjoy the fun!

It was fun, as well, that he chose his and Ansley's costume. We went back and forth a little between Yoshi and Mario but he was set on Ansley being Baby Peach from the start. I had to look hard for something she could wear that resembled Baby Peach's basic pink dress. Her costume was a fairy or something but Garyn approved.

Happy Baby Peach

Getting into brother's candy

Good choice sister!

As you can see, she was a ham smiling constantly looking at all the other kids costumes. Garyn looked so cute as Mario and was excited to wear his outfit more than once which you know is the first year I haven't had to fight him to wear it. I found the overalls at a thrift store the week of Halloween and quickly made the hat. However, it came together great and he even let me paint the moustache.

Getting into his candy pile after Trunk or Treat

Beginning with his preschool party to Trunk or Treat then the Halloween night on our street, Halloween  seemed to go on forever. He was excited each day to be Mario wearing it for about 4 days in a row! The candy excited him more though. We laughed because he wanted to take his candy bucket full each time not understanding that he needed the room for more candy. Plus, he thought our candy bowl for giving out was for him, too. He caught on and wanted to go all down our street to trick or treat. Our street was crowded since we have the haunted house 2 doors down. We had about 100 kids come to our door! Ansley, Garyn and I walked while Daddy stayed at home to pass out candy.

Garyn and most of his preschool class

Sugar anyone?

Love how Ansley is looking at him like, "What is wrong with you?"

Garyn even thought for a minute that he wanted to go to the haunted house, but when we would stand outside it, he would change his mind! Of course, Tyler wouldn't go with me so I didn't go this year. Oh well, I enjoyed trick or treating though!

Can't wait til next year! Well, I can actually because that means they will both be one year older, but you know what I mean!

Raise the Roof

The title was the first thought I had when thinking about writing this post. I remember raisin' the roof in high school at dances when the rap song was popular.

During fall break, we literally raised a roof or more like laid a roof. If you remember back in April during the storm we only had roof damage from the tornado. It was really small damage, too, just some missing shingles and hail damage. There were no leaks. After getting multiple estimates, Tyler couldn't stomach the thought of paying the outrageous prices when he is so handy.

Tyler, Garrett and Philip tearing the old roof off

I was having a hard time stomaching the monstrosity of a job it would entail! But it was an amazing week, God was definitely in the works bringing together all the details. From the weather to the extra help to the safety......He had it all in his hands and it worked out beautifully.

Carter and Jack repairing a weak spot Jack's foot found :)

We had a couple experienced helpers that we had not originally planned on helping. Their help, though, made us both feel that the work was just as good as a professional. Tyler also got several football players, a lot of family and friends from church to help. We were blessed at how many showed up working for food only! It was also a great fellowship time for everyone.

Tyler, Jack and Myles laying shingles

More help laying shingles

I spent a lot of time running and getting water, powerades and food! Tyler had to worry about all the supplies, a dumpster and keeping everyone safe. It was a busy few days for sure juggling all the details.

Dinner at Tyler's parents one of the nights

Dinner with most of the help the night after they finished

It was worth it all though! They finished after 3 days of work and just hours before a rain storm hit!
Like I said, God was truly involved in the details! Now, we have a beautiful new roof!

Ansley at 6 mos.

That little cutie above is 6 months old......
Geez......it flies by!

I am behind 12 days on getting this posted, so she is already almost 7 months...which just makes me cringe! I love to watch her evolve into her own self but hate to know she won't be a baby for long!

Speaking of evolving:

-Ansley was 15 lbs and 13 oz at her appt.. She was 27 in long. That puts her in the 50th % for weight and the 90th % for length. ( Must mention that Garyn was 21 lbs & 27 in at 6 months!) She is thin but long basically.

-She still is toothless (automatically think of How to Train a Dragon when saying that) although she is constantly drooling and gnawing on things.

-Eating wise- she is taking baby food better, about twice a day but sometimes eats only a few bites then starts spitting it out. I have a feeling she may be a picky eater. She just isn't all that interested most of the time in eating but she loves to nurse about every 4 hours. Annndd she is still waking up at night to eat. I am trying to resist and let her fuss/cry back to sleep, but sometimes it's just easier honestly.

-Speaking of sleeping: She sleeps from 9ish to anywhere from 1 to 4 am sometimes if she wakes up early in the night she is up again around 5 or 6am. It is really just random. Naps are still pretty much in the morning around 10:30 and afternoon around 2 then a little cat nap sometimes around 6 or 7. (cat nap meaning 20 minutes or so)

-She is still resists being rocked. She literally pushes away when you try to snuggle her while cradle holding her unless you are tickling and kissing her :) At church she sleeps best in the swing and at home, she lays down and fusses for a bit. Most of the time it takes me going in & giving her the paci a couple times. She sleeps on her side mostly and loves to hold a blanket near her face.

-Her new tricks are sitting up and army crawling! She sits well and plays with her toys. Then she will pull herself over on her belly to get to a toy she wants. She looks like a inch worm doing a wave like motion crawling to something she wants. I have a video I'll have to post. She doesn't do it constantly, only when she can see things within her realm that she wants to move to.

-On the subject of moving: She is a wiggle worm! Holding her is a feat because she constantly reaches for anything around you: drinks, paper, phones, sunglasses, etc. She wants to put it all in her mouth of course. She still likes to stand and bounce on your lap, too. And changing her is a job now.

-I love her little laugh! She laughs and smiles a lot......Smiling like a ham for anybody that looks her way. (Can't you tell from these pictures!) She laughs at Garyn most of the time when he is running, dancing, or laughing himself. Really anything Garyn does is entertaining to her.

-As you may have noticed, her hair is getting longer/thicker.....? In the back it's still short from rubbing on the bed and such but on top its longer I think. Bows are staying better in it and she doesn't seem to mind them.

-She is wearing 6-9 months mainly. Her shoulder width and belly could still fit 3-6 month but the length of her legs and arms make them too small.

-She is still a mix of us both in the looks category. Some days I hear and think she looks a lot like Tyler. Then others she favors me more. Garyn's baby pictures still look a lot like her.

Whoever she looks like, I think she is a beautiful gift from God and couldn't love her anymore!

November goals

Fun:

-my birthday! date night

-Thanksgiving!

-possibly girls night with family

-pottery day with SS girls


DIY/Craft:

just really don't know what I might be able to do....

-hang Christmas decorations...usually right after Thanksgiving
  (although Tyler already said, Halloween is over and its time for Christmas!)

-maybe do Ansley's pacifier holder....lol

-work on pictures some more


Cleaning:

-usual weekly cleaning

-work on switching Garyn's clothes out, winter items are still in cabinet of his room

-finish cleaning off dresser

-clean up in laundry room


Cooking:

-try for less eating out!

-have some ideas for the week decided on to make it easier


Teaching:

-work in Garyn's adding/math workbook

-continue our daily bible story and working on how he can apply them


Other:

-work on coupons, I have been organizing them better lately!

-stay up on my own daily bible study and prayer time


These are what all I can think of now, I am excited the fall holidays have started! But sad too, that it means Ansley is getting that much older! I know that probably sounds weird, but you moms know what I mean. Christmas is just around the corner and she will be 8 months Christmas day! I feel like she was just born like a month ago!

October Goals: accomplishments

So I am way behind on blogging! It seems like when I try to play catch up with other things something else falls to the way side. I was talking to Tyler about this the other day and just summed it up with "such is life with two kids!" He responded with "just enjoy it". I liked that response.

I do have a heart for keeping the blog current and preserving these memories for future enjoyment! I have several events I want to blog on from the last couple weeks so get ready!


 October ended ok, goal wise......

Fun:


-SS park night

-Wilderness weekend!

-Disney on Ice~ yay!

-Tyler B/day date with just us  P.F. Changs & Real Steel! love dates :)

-Trunk or treat/Halloween
We also went to the pumpkin patch. Fun month!


DIY/Craft:
(same as last month...)

-make Ansley's pacifier holder couldn't find the glue gun :(
-work on Ansley's first year photo album

-hang some pictures I got some in frames, but need to get some more frames to hang them together

-put up Halloween decorations


Cooking:

-have another small freezer day

-continue cooking at home 3 days if not more, did terrible this month on eating out


Cleaning:

-bathroom, floors, kitchen and tables once a week

-clean up dressers in bedroom halfway completed


Teaching:

-work on Garyn writing his last name

-continue Bible story and prayer time with him

-almost able to get to 50, keep working on that


Other:

-bathe those dogs!

-get Halloween outfits ready  This was a challenge since Garyn had specifics on what he wanted

-get items ready for the JBF sale

All together I am pleased, I got almost everyone done!

Friday Laugh

So I quickly have to post this story.....

Garyn is a lot like his daddy in that he doesn't like Halloween. I have told some funny stories about it before that you can find here. This year hasn't proved to be much different, he is just more vocal about it now!

Our neighbors have been setting out their Halloween decorations, including the neighbor who does a haunted house in his front yard. Garyn has noticed them. He isn't crying-scared or anything (at least from in the car while driving away from the decorations). We talk about them a lot and how they are just pretend.

Anyway, I had mentioned that we needed to get our decorations out. He at first said, "No!" I thought I might not get to put them out! He later warmed up to the idea, almost intrigued to see what we had compared to the other yards. (I'll just say, we have nothing compared to our neighbors! A flag, a pumpkin on the porch and mailbox, a door hanger and some nick knacks for inside) Today, I said we were going to get them out and went downstairs to get the Rubbermaid bin they were in. I stopped in the laundry room first to load the dryer. Garyn starts yelling down the steps, "Momma?! Was that you?" I said yes,that I was putting clothes in the dryer then getting the Halloween before coming back up. Once I started looking for the bin of decorations, I had to move some stuff around in Tyler's workroom. I got the bin in hand just in time to hear him slam the door and start yelling, "Momma! Stop making that noise!" I start coming up the steps, not really tuning in on him yet, and tried to open the door. He is peering around the door, wide eyed and ready to take off! Still saying, "Momma, was that you making all that noise?!" and looking at the bin and behind me like something was about to jump out at him. I realized then that he was scared to death not knowing what Halloween decorations I might have in hand or even more, if I had been down there fighting with them or something!

I started laughing so hard I about peed in my pants! He, of course, only gets more alarmed at me horse laughing, still wide eyed looking in the bin and behind me! Oh, I just wish you could have been there.
I finally calmed down enough to calm him down. I cautiously and slowly came through the doorway and set down the bin. He cautiously stepped back! We slowly started looking in there and talked about how there was nothing scary in the bin.

Well, then he goes outside and I precede to put out the decorations around the house and on the porch with the front door open. Frequently, he runs in to check to see if I was making noises he was hearing. I put the rug on the porch and he runs in to ask me, "Were you the one with that rug?" I just couldn't stop laughing at the poor little guy. He was so terrified and trying to be so brave at the same time!

Of course, I had to call and tell his daddy. He only laughed and said, "That's my boy!"

I hope this was funny to you. If you know Garyn or have ever seen him scared, you will be able to picture his face. I am only hoping Ansley doesn't follow suite so that someone can go to the haunted houses with me!

Ansley at 5 months

I have been feeling the pressure to get this posted before she is 6 months. I have sat down numerous times and started on the post to only get pulled away before finishing. That's life! But I almost have nightmares about her turning 6 months old before I will ever get to blog again!

I am laughing at myself, the craziness of motherhood. And I know it is nothing compared to others.

Anyway, to not waste anymore time.....

Ansley is playing a lot more:

• rolling and turning all over the place
• she is grabbing at everything she sees (eating while holding her is a challenge)
• she babbles or I should say screams a lot!
• she holds her toys well and chews on them creating a slobbery mess, I tell you

( This video was taken a couple weeks ago. She has mastered turning even more since this. And don't you love Garyn sweet talking her!)

Her eating and sleeping at 5 months....

• She sleeps from 9 ish till 3 ish when she wants to eat then is up around 8 ish (don't you love all the ishes)
• She naps well in the morning and afternoon for at least an hour each time. However if our schedule messes with those times, she easily cat naps whenever.
• Speaking of naps....she more and more resists being held/rocked to sleep. I lay her down in her bed and she rolls to one side and most often goes to sleep. If not, I come in to replace the pacifier again.
• She is eating her cereal better. She also has eaten apples, butternut squash and pears mixed with it.
• She continues to be sporadic on her daily eating schedule depending on when she first wakes up, but eats about every 3.5 hours

• She smiles at everyone who talks to her.
• She has also started the puppy dog huffing and kicking when she gets excited.
• Her brother is still great entertainment. She has started rolling & turning to his toys putting them in her mouth when she grabs them. He still thinks its cute....we'll see how long that lasts!
• She loves her feet still and isn't wanting to keep socks on
• The car is still not her favorite. I have decided its not so much the car seat, but more the car.

• Her hair has gotten longer and is still brown. Smaller bows will stay pretty well, the headbands tend to leave her with hat hair.....even at 5 months, we can't be having that!
• She is wearing 3-6 mo or 6 month clothing mostly. Some smaller sizes still fit though.
• She weighs about 15 lbs. not sure on length
• I still get a lot of comments on her eyelashes...
• And she, as she should be, is a good mix between Tyler and I. Some say she looks just like him and others see more of me in her than with Garyn.
• She still favors most of Garyn's baby pictures other than hair and eye color. But I can definitely see a difference in her eye-nose area.  

And now I will let Ansley speak....

(you may want to turn your volume down some)

We just lover her. She is a true blessing for our family!

Also, I just changed the blog template...not sure if I like it or not. What do you think?