Blessed are those who wait for Him.

Libby's Birth

2010-11-08T20:12:00.001-08:00

read about it here:

http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-40-weeks_1129.bc

Well October 30th, which was my due date, came and went.

Halloween came and went and I got to go with my kids to Harvest Fest and they were adorable!

Monday November 1st, we went in for my Dr appointment and Dr. Wampler decided that we should do some sort of induction. I was already dilated to 3 cm, which had been the case for 2 weeks now.

She said I most likely would not have to use the Pitocin, so I was ok with that.

Not an easy decision to make since I had hoped to do everything "naturally". So the best thing to do would be to insert Cervidil behind the cervix to help the contractions get started.

You can read about it here:

http://www.birthingnaturally.net/birthplan/intervention/induction/cervidil.html

So we decided to go in Monday night and get it started.

In the mean time we went home to get things ready and I went in for a massage in hopes that would trigger something before we went to the hospital that night! :)

My friend Becky was already headed in to town so when my massage was over she was at the house. Andrea made us the yummiest dinner and we sent the kids to spend the night with Travis and Erin (our babysitter: whom they ADORE)!

Around 10 pm we headed to the hospital.

Checked in.

Filled out more paperwork.

Waited.

Around 1 am the nurse inserted the Cervidil and by that time Leighanne had arrived at the hospital.

She and Erik both spent the night and we all tried to get some sleep.

The cervidil was NOT pleasant.

I hated it.

It made me cramp and contract and I DID NOT sleep at all that night.

Morning came and the contractions were starting to get stronger and closer together.

So close that I swear they were lasting at least 10 minutes and not giving me a break.

I honestly don't know how long this went on, but it felt like one VERY VERY VERY long cramp!

Right before Dr. W came in to check on me the first time, my nurse Stacie

(WHO btw WAS THE BESTEST nurse ever)

pulled the cervidil out because we didn't want to distress the baby.

I would say this was maybe around 9 or so.

Libby was a trooper. Her heartbeat always stayed within the normal range.

By this time I had not been able to eat or drink anything and of course I was thirsty and hungry.

They were worried that once they took the cervidil out the contractions might stop.

But

they did not.

They kept right on going, even still very long ones.

We walked.

I took a shower.

I think we walked some more.

I had a room full of my supporters and they were awesome.

Thank you Mom, Leighanne, Becky, Pat, Kerri, Tawny and most of all

Erik.

Everyone was so great and encouraging to me.

I love you all very much.

I wish I could remember the time line a little more, but I think around 1 or 2 maybe, Dr. Wampler came in and broke my water b/c I still had not dilated past 3 cm.

That was nice.

Then the contractions REALLY started getting stronger and more painful.

Kerri really coached me through all of this by keeping me calm and relaxed.

Erik was a great support too.

I had to stand up almost all day because that is what felt the best to help me through the contractions.

Libby's head was so low already that it made it worse to sit, even on the birthing ball.

We are all exhausted by this point.

I think she came in to check me a few times and I went from a 3 to a 9 1/2 VERY SLOWLY!!

I don't think I ever even made to a 10.

When I reached 9 1/2 I think it was maybe around 4:30 or 5.

She let me start pushing at this point, but there was still a tiny piece of cervix that was getting in the way.

Dr. W. was trying to hold it back so the head could start coming through. We did this for an hour and half maybe, and then realized that she was face up coming through the cervix. She had me rotate positions to push and try to get her to roll over.

She never did.

This went on for another hour.

I pushed and pushed and pushed and it was HARD!!

By this time I was almost completely exhausted.

Wasn't sure I could go any longer.

Dr. Wampler suggested using the vacuum to help get her head out.

So we did.

And I tried to push with the vacuum for may 30 minutes. Not real sure and then the

vacuum broke!

AAAAARRRGGHHH!

I could not go on any longer.

She was not coming out.

She was not turning around.

Next on the agenda:

C-SECTION!

Honestly I did not care at this point. I was so tired and exhausted.

I just wanted her out safe and sound.

They said we need to prep you.

I hadn't had and IV yet so they had to put that in,

draw blood and I think I got 2-3 bags of fluid before heading in to the OR.

They gave Erik his scrubs and took me (in my bed) to the Operating Room.

I swear I had 2 contractions on my way to the OR and 2 in the OR. I just wanted them over.

NO TIME to "WORK" through them.

I should have!

They gave me the epidural.

I don't know how.

I was shaking uncontrollably.

It worked instantly and I couldn't feel my legs or my feet or my belly or my contractions.

I think I almost went to sleep right then and there I was so relaxed.

They brought Erik and it seemed like a long time was going by so I looked up at him and asked what was going on, is everything ok?

Dr. W assured me that all was perfect and she was just fine.

I think within a matter of 10 minutes they had cut me open and removed Libby.

Who apparently was crying before Dr. W even took her out of my belly! :)

Erik said he couldn't believe how BIG she was. She just kept coming and coming!

They let me take a quick peak at her and then took our picture and headed out so they could

sew me up.

It didn't take long and they had me in the recovery room.

I think maybe 30 minutes had passed when they finally brought her to me to hold.

She was perfect and swollen and crying and so sweet!

So after almost 24 hours of labor she arrived and we are absolutely in love with her!

Libby Louise Lankford
8 pounds 7 ounces
20 1/2 inches long
10:32 pm
November 2, 2010

I am sure there is more to tell, but this is the beginning!

2010-09-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

Read about it here:

http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-34-weeks_1123.bc

It has been a REALLY busy, fast and furious couple of weeks for us.

On Friday September 10th our friends came in to visit us and my good friend Rachel DeBell with Rachel DeBell Photography

took my family out for a family portrait session!!

On Saturday September 11 I was given a baby shower by

SIXTEEN (yes I said SIXTEEN)

FABULOUS hostesses!!

They ALL worked so hard and made this day VERY specially for me and Libby!

We got lots of wonderful gifts and we are so grateful to each and every one of you that came

to celebrate LIBBY!!

As far as how this pregnancy is going, I really do not have any complaints.

We are really ready to meet Libby.

I have not experienced any contractions, Braxton Hicks or otherwise so far.

Went to the Doctor last Wednesday and she is measuring 34 weeks which is right on time.

Heartbeat was 149

My weight was 159 (I think that's a total of almost 30 pounds gained- YIKES)

But Dr. W says all is well and we are doing great.

Our next appointment is

SEPTEMBER 30th

Doppy Day: September 12, 2010

2010-09-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friends & family that came over to celebrate Hadleigh and Isaac on this special day!! They loved having their friends over!

Also thanks to Jen The Cookie Chick for an AMAZING cake!

I think it turned out so perfect!

FREE CUPCAKE ACTIVITY PRINTABLE: A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E

2010-08-11T06:15:00.000-07:00

Check out this FREE Build Your Own Cupcake printable by Volume 25!

Here is the LINK:

http://vol25.typepad.com/vol25/freebie-build-your-own-cupcake.html

This is such a fabulous idea for a play group activity or a birthday party or even send home as a party favor!!

Potty Trained!!!

2010-07-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

Just a short photo session with the babies to show off their underwear and panties now that they are BIG KIDS! Took these a few months ago and just now posting!

For a couple of weeks he insisted on wearing them backwards so he could SEE Lightening McQueen.

Goofy Kid!

Hadleigh has actually been potty trained since January, but she had to show hers off too.

I mean, can she get any prettier? Love these kiddos!

4th of July with our friends in Colorado Springs

2010-07-08T18:56:00.000-07:00

We spent the 4th of July in Colorado Springs with The Murchison Family again this year and we had a lot of fun! Jerrod cooked ribs, pork tenderloin and chicken: IT WAS DELISH!!!

There were 3 different salads, Nana's beans (YUMMY), brownies, hot dogs, pies...SO MUCH FOOD!

Really it was the only reason we came.....for Jerrod's cooking.

JUST KIDDING!

The kids stayed in their swimsuits almost the whole day, played in the pool (except my two....they took about 4 hours to warm up to everyone). Had and Isaac never actually got into the pool.

We are from TEXAS and the weather here was about 75 degrees and the pool was C-O-L-D!!

By about 7:30 the weather changed DRASTICALLY into a thunder/rain/hail storm!!

Needless to say we watched the fireworks on tv from the Boston fireworks and they were pretty amazing.

Thanks for hosting us Jerrod, Lauren, Breleigh, Ace and almost here....baby Jax!

2010-06-28T20:10:00.001-07:00

On Monday June the 14th we found out what the sex of our baby was! I decided it would be fun to have what they call a "Gender Reveal Party."

I know it's kind of silly, but it was really just an excuse to get together and have a party.

Since we don't have any family that lives in town other than my mom, our church friends ARE our family!

I first found cute cupcake papers at Michaels that had polka dots on them in blue and pink and green and yellow. Not sure if you can really tell in this picture.

This is Tammy....she made all my cupcakes for me!!

There were chocolate cupcakes and white cupcakes and they all had chocolate frosting. She injected pink icing into 2 cupcakes and blue icing into 2 cupcakes, then when we did the big reveal I gave H and I the cupcakes with the right color to bite in to.

THEN, I found this polka dot wrapping paper at Walmart that was kind of my inspiration for the decorations. It coordinated PERFECTLY with the cupcake holders. We had pretzels, chips, m&m's, strawberry malt balls, marshmallows, kettle corn, kettle corn with cinnamon, lemon cookies and ice cream sandwiches.

(thanks to Merydwen for helping put all the decor together and taking most of the photos you will see)

So glad all of you could come for the party. I will post recipes at the bottom of this post.

We gave H & I each a cupcake, WITH everyone staring at them....

THEY DIDN'T KNOW what to do or think! H has never taken so much time to eat a cupcake!

GIRL!!!

PUNCH RECIPE: It's called a "JUNE BUG"

Here is what you need for 4 servings:
3 cups giner ale
4 Tbsp. grenadine
4 Tbsp. orange juice
3 scoops orange sherbert (I used raspberry to make it pink)
(for alcohol version add 1/2 cup white rum: didn't put any of this in unfortunately this time!)

CHOCOLATE-MARSHMALLOW ICE CREAM SANDWICHES:

10 Mini Caramel Twix Bars

1 2-layer size Chocolate Cake Mix

2 eggs

1/4 cup veg oil

1/4 cup water

2 cups Choc Ice Cream

2/3 cup marshmallow cream

1. Unwrap twix bars, put in baggie and freeze for 2 hours.

Take out and crush bars.

2. prepare cookies, preheat oven to 350 deg. In mixing bowl combine cake mix, eggs, oil, and water. Beat until combined. Drop dough by well rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes. cool 1 minute on cookie sheet and remove to wire rack to completely cool.

3. spoon ice cream into large bowl. let stand 10 min and stir twix bars into ice cream. return to freezer until ready to use.

4. spread marshmallow cream on the flat sides of half the cookies; place, creme side up, on a shallow baking pan. Using a small ice cream scoop, place some ice cream mixture onto flat sides of remaining cookies. Place on same baking pan, ice cream side up. Loosely cover and freeze for 2 hours or until firm.

5. Gently sandwich cookies together. Serve immediately or wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap for up to 1 month.

SUNSHINE LEMON COOLERS:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon water
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon Unsweetened lemonade mix

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cream together sugars, shortening, egg, vanilla, and salt in
a large bowl.
3. Add the flour and baking powder. Add 1 tablespoon of water and
continue mixing until dough forms a ball.
4. Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls and flatten slightly onto a
lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until
cookies are light brown.
5. As cookies bake, combine 1 cup powdered sugar with the lemonade
drink mix in a large plastic bag and shake thoroughly to mix.
6. When the cookies are removed from the oven and while they are
hot, add 4 or 5 at a time to the bag and shake it until the cookies
are well coated. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Dr. Seuss Birthday Party: My 3 year olds

2010-06-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

Isaac and Hadleigh turn 3 years old this year! I was 3 in June and H will be 3 in July. I CANNOT believe it! We have almost had them for 3 whole years. It's amazing the little people they have turned out to be and their distinct personalities.

They are both so independent and I love that. They are their VERY own person that God has planned for them to be. They like to do things by themselves and for the most part if they think they can do it we let them.

I read this quote in a book I am reading through my pregnancy and I LOVE it!

"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed" -Maria Montessori

My Isaac: Sensitive, smarter than he lets on, cautious, at this point he is a follower, ALL BOY, does not like shirts with collars...he says they "bother" him, he has a memory like an elephant, very quick learner, likes to ride his bike, play outside, hunt bugs and read! He's the first to learn every word to a song and learn his memory verses. He will play with his cars/trucks all day long by himself, the first to learn his colors, the first to walk and the first to talk (will REPEAT anything and everything you say word for word), has been carrying on a real conversation since before he was one.

My Hadleigh: Snuggle bug, she has no fear, wants to wear a dress every day with a matching bow....GIRLY GIRL, likes to swim and is also a fast learner, the first to be potty trained, the first to swim by herself, she is a go-getter, very expressive and you know what she's feeling by the look on her face, a leader, attention getter, likes to do anything artsy, likes to dance, the HARDEST to discipline (nothing is working with this girl), hard headed, mean and a lover at the same time!

So on with the party!

I had the GREATEST privilege of working with Viridian Design Studio and My Delightful Designs to prepare and pull of this FUN party! The party was hosted at the Comanche Trace pool.

Merydwen Peschel, with My Delightful Designs prepared a full spread of characters for me to choose from. I started with Thing 1 (Isaac) and Thing 2 (Hadleigh) and told her to do whatever after that. She designed the Invitation, Thank You card, Posters for both Hadleigh and Isaac, Gift Tags for the party favor buckets, Stickers for the bubbles, Water bottles and Drink bottles .

Here is an idea of how these things were used at the party!

To go with these designs and colors Tricia and Emily with Viridian Design Studio came up with these FABULOUS and "Seussish" decorations!

And last but not least, here are some party pics!

2010-05-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

Went out for a session with Merydwen and her boys and her niece and took Hadleigh along!

She LOVES her Matilda Jane clothes and she is stinkin' cute I might add.

I never really got any of Isaac, but here are some I tried to get in while we took a trip a few weeks ago in Hamilton!

A little sneek peak of our Easter Egg Hunts

2010-04-07T13:43:00.000-07:00

Scroll down and pause the music. Video taken with my 5D Mark II!

GIVE AWAY AT CHOCOLATE SILVER!!!

2010-04-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

GO HERE FOR DETAILS!

http://themurchisonfamily.blogspot.com/2010/04/free-shipping-on-all-matilda-jane.html

Today may be April Fool's Day, but this promotion is NO JOKE!

Today, and TODAY ONLY, get FreE ShIpPinG on your Matilda Jane order. There is no minimum purchase required.

You can email me at laurenm@matildajaneclothing.

And since I am also in the giving mood, let's have a little giveaway.

Enter to win a Family Birthstone Pendant from Chocolate Silver Designs.

This Pendant is handmade from reclaimed sterling silver & Swarovski birthstone crystals. The picture only shows 3 crystals, but add as many as you need!

Mother's Day is coming up, it's a great gift for any mother, grandmother, birth mother, foster mother, adoptive mother, honorary mother, god mother, and great grandmother.

It comes with a sterling silver chain in your choice of length.

This giveaway will close on Saturday, April 3rd (my 6 year anniversary) at 10:00pm! For every 50 entries, I will give away and additional Family Birthstone Pendant! So tell your friends!

Happy Easter!

2010-03-19T12:51:00.000-07:00

Gymnastics

2010-02-26T12:05:00.000-08:00

We have been going to gymnastics now for about a month, every Friday from 10-11. This is a Mommy/Daddy and me class, but hopefully by April they will be moved into a Tiny Tot class. As far as skill they are ready to move, but as far as listening and following directions we need a little work. :)

They are both really enjoying it. I think Isaac is really doing great and has improved so much since our first class. Hadleigh likes it a lot too and she is very good and very strong. However, she wants to do WHAT she wants to do WHEN she wants to do it. Imagine that!

Happy Valentines Day!!

2010-02-12T12:25:00.000-08:00

Monday's at home with Mommy

2010-02-09T16:38:00.000-08:00

NURSERY SET FOR SALE: Pottery Barn Alphabet Soup

2010-02-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

Pottery Barn Alphabet Soup Crib Nursery Set for sale: can't find my pics, but it looks like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Pottery-Barn-Kids-Alphabet-Soup-Crib-Quilt-HUGE-SET_W0QQitemZ230424439744QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a65debc0

2 Valances: $30

1 crib/toddler quilt: $35

2 quilted bumper pads, 2 appl...iqued bed skirts: (both sets: $275 or 1 set for $150)

BEDSKIRT
1 quilted decorative small pillow sham with owl applique:$15
I also have a round rug (not sure on dimensions) to match: $75

None of this is BRAND new, but it has been well taken care of. I will try to find my pics so you can see or you can come by and look at it.

{Fabulous Giveaway} Adorable Birthday Crowns from True Love Found ~ Two Winners!

2010-02-03T13:06:00.001-08:00

http://tomkatstudio.blogspot.com/2010/02/fabulous-giveaway-adorable-birthday.html

Adoption Tax Credit-Makes a Difference!

2010-01-31T07:01:00.000-08:00

I am re-posting this from @themilfords blog
Please consider doing this!
THANKS

Please contact your state representative and your senator and urge them to pass H.R 213 in support of the adoption tax credit. Even if you are not planning to adopt, please support adoptive families and advocate for orphans by contacting your representatives in Congress to voice your support for this bill.

For many families, this adoption tax credit makes all the difference in the world. And, when there are 147 million orphans in the world just waiting for a family, any extra financial help we can give families who are willing to bring another child into their family is SO WORTH IT. There are so many people that are willing, but financial barriers keep them from pursuing adoption- and that is WITH the tax credit. I fear that many more children will remain orphans if we don't continue to provide financial help to adoptive families.

For 2010, the tax credit for adoption is $12, 170, but this tax credit is set to expire in 2010 unless Congress votes to continue it. I'm afraid with all the other more high profile issues facing the Congress, this will slip through the cracks. But, YOU CAN HELP. Please call or write your Congressional Representatives and encourage them to pass The Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act of 2009, H.R 213.

It only take a few minutes for you to write or call your representatives, but they need to hear from those of us who are impacted by the tax credit and a broad spectrum of others who support the tax credit becoming permanent.

Write your U.S. Representative .

Write your U.S. Senator .

Thank you for your support of orphans and adoptive families in this way! And, please, spread the word to your families and friends!

Happy Valentines Day

2010-01-25T20:56:00.000-08:00

These are my babies. It is so hard to believe I have had them for ALMOST 3 years this summer. This is my 3rd Valentine's Day with them and my my my how much they have changed. Happy Valentine's Day Isaac and Hadleigh. Mommy and Daddy LOVE you more than you will ever know!
BTW the cute owl shirts came from A Bushel and a Peck on ETSY: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BushelandaPeckCo

Isaac: Valentine's 2010

Isaac: Valentine's 2009

Isaac: Valentine's 2008
Hadleigh: Valentine's 2010

Hadleigh: Valentine's 2009

Hadleigh: Valentine's 2008

Blessed are those who wait for Him.: CUTE CUTE SHIRT

2010-01-18T13:10:00.000-08:00

Blessed are those who wait for Him.: CUTE CUTE SHIRT

CUTE CUTE SHIRT

2010-01-18T13:05:00.000-08:00

Just got this shirt from Beulah's in Fredericksburg! Isaac was ECSTATIC when I brought this home to him. She only has a few left so head on over and GET ONE NOW!!

She has more, but they are going to go FAST!

It's snowing....

2010-01-07T19:13:00.000-08:00

Well this is the FIRST time my children have ever seen snow. Isaac was LOVING it, Hadleigh not so much. She doesn't like to be cold (she's kind of like her mommy that way.. :) ) But Isaac was running and playing and once we got his coat and hats and gloves ON him, he was good to go. We have been in Nashville since Saturday and it's been 30 degrees or below EVERY day! If it's going to be this cold I would just assume that it snow..and FINALLY today it did. Not enough to make snow balls or anything, but it made the ground white. It was beautiful! We walked over to the clubhouse for some hot chocolate.

The Monkey's Treehouse

2010-01-07T14:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Grandma and I took the kids to The Monkey's Treehouse.
This was really a GREAT place when it's too cold outside or if it's raining. Wish we had one of these in Kerrville. There was a play area for 2 and under and a great big "tree house" with 2 slides and two playhouses underneath. There was a pit they could "dig" in. An art center. A dress up center and Isaac spent his time with the two choo choo train tracks. It was so nice to just let them run around and play and there was NOTHING they could tear up! They had SO much fun.

Vacation in Nashville

2010-01-07T11:07:00.000-08:00

One of the activities that I thought would be so much fun was at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. It was a Charlie Brown Ice Sculpture walk through. We got there and they had us put on these large blue coats b/c it was going to be so cold inside. Everyone had on their hats and gloves and we walked through the door. WELL...to my surprise it was MUCH colder than I had anticipated. The kids DID NOT like it at all. Isaac kept saying and pointing "I want to go that way." Well "that way" was towards the exit. They cried practically the whole time. So while I got pictures of everything, We were unable to really look and enjoy all the magnificent ice sculptures they had put together.

Breakfast w/ Sesame Street at Sea World & Christmas w/ Grampy and Mimi

2009-12-26T16:46:00.000-08:00

This morning we went to Sea World to have breakfast with Sesame Street! My kids had a BLAST! Almost all of the characters were there except Big Bird. We had our picture made with Cookie Monster and Elmo and ate a big breakfast buffet with eggs, sausage, bacon, french toast, FRESH fruit, yogurt, coffee and juice!! It was Y-U-M-M-Y! After Sea World we headed to Grampy and Mimi's house to open gifts. The kids got some GREAT toys and we just hung out for a while! It was a great day!

Adoption Day Video

2009-12-25T19:59:00.000-08:00

So Erik just finished this video and you might need to have a box of tissues to watch it. Can't believe it has been 15 months since their adoption day!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T19:07:00.000-08:00

We had a WONDERFUL Christmas with Mema this morning. The kids got bicycle's from Santa and they LOVE LOVE LOVE them! They were up at 6:30 am going nonstop until bedtime tonight at 7. We had our good friends "Grandpa Mart and Grama Pat" over for dinner and it was so fun. We took the kids outside to ride their bikes and they were so HAPPY! We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

Family Portraits

2009-12-12T12:45:00.001-08:00

Well this year I didn't have a partner to take our pics so I found someone in San Antonio that would do the trick. She captured more of the playful side of my family and we had a lot of fun. The best part about the shoot is that she brought cupcakes...and that is ALL she had to say to make Hadleigh happy.

I enjoyed being on the other side of the camera every once in a while! Here are a few I wanted to share!

Happy Halloween!!

2009-11-01T21:58:00.000-08:00

Costume quick pics was a success Satureday. We just had a few come, but it was GREAT! So many cute costumes.

Of course it took me 4X's as long to capture their images as it did anyone else. My children made quite the scene. Am I the ONLY photographer with this problem? HA! At the end we are walking back to the studio and Hadleigh says "I'll be nice Mom." (she decided she wanted a sucker like Isaac)

My little Cowboy and Indian turned out so cute. Thanks to Mema for making Hadleigh's costume and thanks to Tucker and Evan for making Isaac's costume possible!

So then Sunday morning I had to run by the studio to pick something up and Hadleigh was with me. Here's the conversation:
H: "Mommy take my picture."
Me: Do you want to take your picture inside or outside?
H: "Inside."

So I turned on the lights in the studio and here is what I got. It took 5 minutes!!

Nature Trail

2009-10-31T18:58:00.001-07:00

On September 19th (which was Erik's bday) we sent him away to some friend's of ours cabin in Medina. He went to work on school work and be by himself for a while. I thought it would be a good bday present since he always has to keep the kids when I go out of town. It was the only weekend I would be in town for almost 5 weeks.

So Mema and I took the kids for a picnic and to play at the park. While we were there we discovered a nature trail that led us to the ducks so we didn't have to drive from the park to the ducks. Hadleigh and Isaac had so much fun.

My little Bubba!

2009-10-31T18:57:00.001-07:00

Just posting these images of my baby! All went well and he is doing just PERFECT. He got to play "doctor" and when they took him back they let him push all the buttons. He did just fine.

So cute in his gown and house shoes.

Taking his blood pressure.

He's pretty good with the pouty lip! :)

First day of school

2009-10-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

Can ANYONE guess whose paper is whose on this?

Wow, what a difference ONE whole year makes. My babies started school in September and on the first day they just walked in to their classroom and said bye to us! :( Oh well, I am glad they LOVE their teachers Mrs Aubree and Mrs April! They are in the Younger 2's class at Trinity and we couldn't be happier!

Cousin Joshua's Birthday

2009-10-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

Back in August we went to visit our cousin Joshua for his birthday. We got to spend the day with him in Port Aransas. We met him at the park and the kids played on the playground and then Josh showed Hadleigh and Isaac how to play soccer. We had lunch at DQ and then went swimming at the pool. Not sure what I did with the images from the park, but here are a few from the pool! Uncle Nick was there too! Hadleigh now asks for Uncle Nick everyday. A couple weeks ago she asked/told me THREE days in a row....."I go bye bye and see Uncle Nick with Mema"! She is IN LOVE with her Uncle Nick. I think she's maybe spent 10 days with him since the day she was born, but she HAS not forgotten him! It is so cute.

Thomas the Train

2009-10-27T22:16:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we were traveling through Burnet and remembered that Thomas the Train was there, so we stopped. Unfortunately we were too late to actually ride Thomas, but we got to see him and take Isaac's picture with him. He was SOOOOO excited. He is still talking about it today.

They had a petting "zoo" so we stopped there for a bit. It took them a while to actually touch them.

GAP CASTING CALL

2009-10-16T13:37:00.000-07:00

GO and vote for Hadleigh and Isaac in the Gap Casting call!!

Go to http://family.go.com/gapcastingcall/

Hadleigh's #:508802298
Isaac's #: 708802685

Lauren's Baptism

2009-09-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

Our Home

2009-09-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

We had an open house a couple weeks ago so here is what it looked like on the day of!! :) The color is not accurate in a lot of the images, I had left my flash at the studio. A friend of mine helped me come stage it. We painted my bedroom and bathroom, put in all new ceiling fans and took almost all of our pictures up to my studio!! HAHA! My walls are SO bare!! Anyway, the Open House was not very successful but at least we had a clean house!! We will be having another one in October.

Here is a quick blurb my friend came up with about our house if you know anyone who is looking:

Large 2 bed/ 2 bath with additional large home office or sun room. The home features solid surface flooring throughout the home. New paint, recessed lights, exposed beams in the vaulted living room and charming eat-in kitchen. The home features a lush back yard with beautiful shade tree, a two car garage with separate storage room and a large, bright utility room that could double as a craft room.

Give Away Today: Cherries Jubilee Creations

2009-09-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

Give Away Today is giving away a super cute card making set!! Click HERE to see them and enter to win! These are so ADORABLE!

Playing in the rain!

2009-09-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, September 12, 2009 we CELEBRATED one year that our babies were adopted!! What a FABULOUS year it has been and my how they have grown into such little people. Isaac talks a mile a minute and in FULL COMPLETE sentences. It is so amazing! Hadleigh is just a little Miss Priss. She rules the roost and you would have never thought that when we got her. Ever since she started walking she sure thinks she's the boss.

Thank you to ALL of our friends and family and church members who have supported us during this wonderful time in our lives. You guys all mean so much to us and we are blessed to have you in our lives and the lives of our children.

I had a party at the studio with a girl who does Piggies and Paws and we had lots of friends come and do their feet and hand prints! Check out the site.

While I was inside with all the guests, Mema took the kids (Hadleigh, Isaac and our friend Evan) outside to PLAY in the RAIN!! They had a BLAST. These are some of the umbrellas I have in the studio so they all got one.

In the photo above and the photo below they are saying "Thank you God for the rain!" Isn't that the coolest?

This picture is SO my daughter! She is the FUNNIEST thing.

Best Buddies

THANK YOU

2009-09-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of those who have commented on my post about my son's surgery. We read them all and we appreciate your passion on this matter.

This post is for those of you who don't know me or my family and have never even read my blog before that post. I removed the post for a reason and I would prefer you not to make any more comments on my other posts.

The Polka Dot Pig: GIVE AWAY!

2009-08-30T10:49:00.001-07:00

I met Katie through my friend Becky and she designs the cutest blogs!! She is having a give away on her blog...check it out THE POLKA DOT PIG

You gotta hurry though, because it ends on Monday!!

2009-08-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

Well I have just found out about some natural fertility supplements for men and women. So I am trying them out. Actually WE are trying them out! I read on a forum that I am on and several of the ladies recommended this. So YES we are officially trying to have a baby again and REALLY don't want to have to go through Fertility treatments with all the drugs etc. One..I don't want to put those into my system again just yet and Two...It is VERY expensive. So please be praying for a MIRACLE!! We are hoping this will do the trick.

We purchased a 3 month supply. Most of the ladies on the forum said it worked in the first 2 months they used it. It has been a LONG time (over 2 years) since they did the surgery to get my tubes un-blocked, so I am hoping they are still clear and that this will be God's timing for us. Above all else we want what is best for us and our children and that has to be in God's will for our lives. If this doesn't work we have talked about doing in-vitro, but we will have to save for that! (which will come AFTER Isaac's circumcision: TBA shortly)

Good times with Grandma

2009-08-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

We have had some super fun times with Grandma this past week! She came in last Thursday and my kids have had her going non-stop ever since. Erik had to go out of town through Saturday so Grandma got to "babysit" while I worked. They WORE her out! Playing outside, going for wagon rides practically everyday, a trip to SA, church on Sunday to hear Daddy preach, swimming Sunday evening, Monday at Sea World and friends over tonight! WOW! Grandma leaves in the morning and we are sad to see her go! I have some pics with her on my camera (will post them soon), but these are all from Grandma's camera!!

No he IS NOT drowning! I actually DO have a hold of his hands. Grandma thought this was funny b/c it looks like we are standing right there and NOT even paying attention to him!

Now at Sea World. We watched the Sea Lion show and Shamu and spent the rest of our time at the water park. Both kids played so well and had so much fun. It was not crowded at all which was so nice.

This is my FAVORITE image! I think it is so funny!

Some random pics

2009-08-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

We had a busy July. I have been terrible at keeping up with what we are doing. We started out July by going to Colorado to visit my friend Lauren and her family!! On our way we stopped in Amarillo to spend the night with my cousin Alison. Here are some pics of the kids bath! HILARIOUS!

The last night we were in Colorado we got a babysitter and Jerrod took us to dinner. It was so yummy and so much fun to go out without our children!!

Isaac caught his first lizard

2009-07-21T05:48:00.000-07:00

Isaac caught his first lizard. For some reason I think this gecko may have been on his way "out"! TURN OFF THE MUSIC AT THE BOTTOM to hear the sound of the video...it is HYSTERICAL!

BIRTHDAY PARTY 2009

2009-07-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Finally posting about our super CIRCUS/CARNIVAL birthday party! It was so much fun! Thanks to all my friends and FAMILY who helped out with this event. It was a success and my babies had so much fun with their new friends! Here are a few pics:

My friend Merydwen made the two TENT CAKES! They were so AWESOME! THANKS MER!

The cupcakes were made by Melissa Whitworth! Not sure if she has a website yet or not, but if you want her info just let me know! They turned out SO GREAT!

The things Isaac says:

2009-06-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

Well first of all this child has been talking and repeating every word we say for the last 6 months at least! We are just so proud of our little boy! I am not trying to brag :), BUT

Here are some of the things he is saying (most of which he says the right way):

I "lud" you so much (I love you so much)
I wanna go night night
Dad--gum--it (Courtesy of Mema today: wish you could here the inflection in his voice when he says this..HILARIOUS)
I wanna go outside
I'm sorry Mommy
Where's my Daddy?
Daddy's at work
Hush (with the finger over his mouth and everything)
Where's my train?
I'm going to go find it.
Happy Faaders Day! (Happy Father's Day....over and over and over)
I want to call Grampy
Oh my gosh (he learned that one while at Grandma's with Erik)

There are so many more, I am just so amazed by him every day! He LOVES Likin McQueen (Lightning McQueen) and we practically have to watch Cars everyday...that is until the DVD quit working! He also LOVES Thomas the Train. We ready about Thomas and the Train Show EVERY DAY as well, about 5 or 6 times! He has it memorized. Sometimes he will say the words with me as I am reading. Sometimes I feel like he gets left out because Hadleigh seems to take the show a lot. She is quite the ham, so I just needed to brag on him a little!

OH and I forgot to add that his new song he is singing is the Farmer and the Dell

"The farmer in the dell

The farmer in the dell

Hi-ho, the derry-o

The farmer in the dell"

Isaac's 2nd Birthday

2009-06-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

We took Isaac to Mamacitas for his 2nd birthday on June 15th. Can you believe they don't have Davy Crockett to play Happy Birthday anymore? So we sang to him ourselves at the table and let him wear the hat. He got a train set from Erik's Aunt Becky and a cool ball thing from Erik's cousin Kim. Grandma sent us some money so we can maybe do gymnastics or something fun like that! Mema bought a stick bull that he is deathly afraid of when it moo's. Hoping he will come around. Gramps and Grama send him some money too! YAY for money! We are having a joint party in July so I am sure he will get more!

A NEW GIVE AWAY

2009-06-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

Check out Wild Olive Tees! They are giving away a chance to win some free T-SHIRTS! They are super cool and soft!

Mine and Hadleigh's Vacation

2009-06-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

Last week we went to Burleson, Weatherford and Frisco to visit all our friends! Our first stop was in Burleson to celebrate Leighanne's (aka: Zizi) birthday. I have no photos from that b/c Leighanne was taking pics. Hopefully I will get some of those!

Our next stop was Weatherford to visit Cassy, Paul, Owen and Levi. Owen and Hadleigh were SO funny together. They chased each other all over the place. Cassy and I got to visit and then we did family photos!!

Our last stop was Frisco to see Becky and Jorja! We took the girls back that little play town we visited at Christmas and met Anne for lunch. The girls played in the water in the back yard and ate popcicles and on Friday we attempted to go swimming but the pool wasn't open yet, so we ended up at the splash park! Hadleigh wasn't too sure about it, but Jorja had fun!

In case you are wondering about Erik and Isaac they took their own vacation to see Grandma in Sacramento. Hopefully I will have pics to come for that as well (that is, if Erik did his job like I asked..heehee)

FUN TIMES

2009-05-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Blowing Bubbles

2009-05-22T09:38:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Wising Up: Whenever Life Happens

2009-05-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

I am taking a 4 week Bible Study with Beth Moore in Proverbs. This week was a REALLY great week being that Erik and I have been meeting with a financial advisor trying to pay debt off and prepare for our future. I just wanted to share this outline with everyone in case you need to hear this as well. Sometimes money issues can be so stressful and Beth helps us to see how we can be in bondage to it and we DON'T have to be!

PART 1: Why Money is useless in the hand of a fool

Nothing attracts more pretense

Proverbs13:7 and 19:4

Nothing proves less faithful

Proverbs 23:4,5 (Compare Ecclesiastes 5:10)
Proverbs 11:28 (Example Proverbs15:27) 1 Timothy 6:9-10
Proverbs 19:22

Nothing invites more slavery.

Matthew 6:24 "Devoted" : to cling to
Proverbs 22:7 (Compare Proverbs 11:15)
Deuteronomy 8:18

Part 2: Why money is useful in the hands of the wise.

Read Proverbs 3:9-10. GOD CAN BE HONORED WITH IT!

2 Corinthians 9: 6-9

Read Proverbs 11:25, 22:9 (Contrast 28:27): OTHERS CAN BE HELPED WITH IT!
Read Proverbs 2:8-9: WE CAN HAVE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF IT

GIVE AWAY TODAY

2009-04-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

I am being featured on GIVE AWAY TODAY:
FRIDAY through SUNDAY
MAY 1-3!

Come check it out! Sometime between Friday May 1st and Sunday May 3rd go to Give Away Today and leave a comment {per their instructions} and ENTER to win a $250 Gift Certificate to
Portraits By Jenn

I am the ONLY photographer being featured from TEXAS.

FINALLY....Las Vegas

2009-04-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

So Erik took me to Las Vegas for my 30th birthday! Oh my goodness....we had SO much fun! I can't wait to go back again someday. We stayed at the Wyndham Grand Dessert {our timeshare}. Two of my bestest friends got to come along with their husbands: Lauren and Jerrod and Becky and Shane. There was so much going on ...I don't even know where to start! We walked and walked and walked a lot and looked at all the cool hotels and casinos.

We arrived on Wednesday afternoon and walked over to the strip. We went in to New York New York and decided to eat some hot dogs for dinner. Then went to Serendipity 3 for some frozen hot chocolate.

On Thursday, Becky, Shane and I went to the neon boneyard. {See post about this here: VEGAS} Thursday evening Lauren, Jerrod, Erik and I went to eat at Mesa. It was so YUMMY! Then we all went to see Le Reve. I LOVED the show. It was so cool.

Friday we went to the Stratosphere and Becky and I did two of the rides at the top of the tower. Yeah....not really worth the $25 we paid, but glad we did it!

The strip from the top of the Stratosphere.

Lauren and I walked over to the Encore, right next to the Wynn! What a gorgeous hotel. There are so many details that went in to building this hotel!

This flower is made out of ALL Swarovsky (not sure how you spell that) crystals.

Then we went to the Frank Sinatra Restaurant where his trophy's are displayed. An Oscar I think and something else! VERY COOL!

Friday night we went to dinner for my Birthday at TAO. That was fun too. I don't think we ate anywhere that was bad. Wish we could've eaten more! Here are some photos:
Then, here are some random pics inside the Bellagio

And of course we had to watch the water show:

AUCTION FOR CHARITY

2009-04-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

This year the Hill Country Charity Ball has chosen Habitat for Humanity as its beneficiary. We are trying to raise $60,000 to help Habitat with engineering expenses to develop a new neighborhood in Kerrville!

The Ball will be in Kerrville, Texas, on May 9, 2009. You can learn more about Charity Ball at www.hillcountrycharityball.com, and if you'd like to purchase a ticket for this year's ball, you may do so from the web site, or you can contact me: Jennifer Lankford at jennlankford@portraitsbyjenn.com, or any of our Charity Ball members.

This year, we are trying something new! Our Silent Auction will be entirely online, and lots of fantastic items are available! You do not have to attend the ball or even live in the Hill Country in order to bid. Please go to www.texasbid.com and click on the Hill Country Charity Ball (HCCBA) icon to bid on our items. It's easy to log in and bid, and if someone outbids you, you will receive an email notice so that you can stay in the game!

The online auction is lots of fun and is all to help raise money for a very worthy cause. Please forward this email to everyone in your address book, as we would like to give the opportunity to participate in this event to as many people as possible, and also to raise awareness of Hill Country Charity Ball and this year's beneficiary, Habitat for Humanity.

Thank you!

Jennifer Lankford
jennlankford@portraitsbyjenn.com

Isaac and High Heels!

2009-04-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

So recently my children are obsessed with shoes. Not just their own, but Mommy and Daddy's too! One day Isaac was playing in my closet and out he walked with my black heels on, saying "Mommy's pretty shoes". He proceeded to strut around wearing them...on the wrong feet...for about 20 minutes. He was so proud of himself and I must say I was impressed with how well he walked in them!

The other thing is that Isaac is also obsessed with Hadleigh's bed. I don't really know why, except that I think he just likes to tease her. Every time we go in to go to bed, he RUNS over and hops in her bed and just laughs!! Isaac is my sweet, lovey little boy! He loves hugs and kisses and cuddles. He has decided that he LOVES his sister {who, like me, does not want to be messed with when she is tired}. So the other night after we did our bedtime routine, Erik and I came in to the living room to sit down and watch our show. All of the sudden we hear Hadleigh yelling at Isaac: "No Isaac, no Isaac". Well we let it go for a few minutes and didn't hear anything again. We were so excited they had worked it out themselves.

So when we went in to check on them before heading to bed, this is what we found:

Shopping on Not Me Monday

2009-04-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

So in case you are wondering why I have totally slacked on my NOT ME MONDAY it is because of this:
Baby Stellan has been in the hospital for 2 weeks now..click below to see his story
http://www.mycharmingkids.net/

SO ALL THAT IS TO SAY:
Let's go shopping

In an effort to help sweet baby Stellan and his beautiful family out with the many expenses associated with his current health condition, many Etsy sellers are pulling together to collect funds for the MckFamily by donating the proceeds from certain items in their shops. To support this project as an Etsy buyer, simply go to Etsy.com. Enter 'stellan' into the search, and shop away! Our hope is to spread the word, so that many other sellers will join in on the 'Etsy Sellers Support Stellan Project'.

If you are an Etsy seller and wish to bring Stellan's supporters to your Etsy site to shop, simply go here to find a secure link to donate proceeds from certain items or use the Stellan's Fund donation button on MckMama's sidebar. Both donation sites go to the same fund, set up by blog reader and MckFamily supporter Jess. Every sale made for baby Stellan on Etsy is such a blessing!

Some more Easter photos

2009-04-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

Yes I know I already took my kids pictures, but one can NEVER have too many. They of course had to have another LOL-LI-POP when they saw that the other "CLIENTS" were getting them! Plus we had the baby goat, Penelope, who did not really want anything to do with them! But it was fun and the kids loved petting her and chasing her around the yard!

Evan pushing Hadleigh in the swing! What a good friend.

"Kissed the girls and made them cry"
Poor Brooklyn...

Playing with our friends

The best smile ever! However, she is a little stingy with them sometimes!

I just love the look on her face in this one. So curious and sweet.

Zoo pics

2009-04-01T13:30:00.001-07:00

Over Spring Break we went to the San Antonio Zoo with some of our friends. Andrea, Brooke and Cameron and Merydwen and Evan. We had so much fun! We saw the lions, tigers, monkeys, bears, lizards, hippos, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, and many many more animals. The kids were LOVING it! Isaac really liked seeing the elephants...he's kind of in to those now, but mostly he was more concerned with pushing the stroller around. He is actually pretty good at controlling it, we were impressed. Hadleigh just sat in her stroller for the most part as content as could be!

Singing our ABC's

2009-03-27T09:27:00.000-07:00

Make sure you turn off the music at the bottom to hear the video. Just push pause.

These little babies LOVE LOVE LOVE to listen to music and dance! They know the words to so many songs, it is UNBELIEVABLE! I am so proud of them! They are learning so much from their teachers at CDO too!

Isaac's #'s in Spanish

2009-03-26T19:22:00.000-07:00

Turn off Sound to hear the video....just push pause at the bottom of the blog.

Hadleigh's #'s in Spanish

2009-03-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

Make sure you turn the music off at the bottom to hear the video

My babies are getting TOO big!

2009-03-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning when we got up we went in the kitchen to eat breakfast. I told them to get in their {high} chairs and this is where they went! They ACTUALLY sat at the table the entire time to eat their oatmeal!

Some Pics from Mema's Camera

2009-03-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

Oh Yeah...I'm cute!

'SUP

mmmmm..CRACKERS

We love to color on the sidewalk with chalk!!

"TRACTOR"

Doesn't everyone let their kids play in the toilet?

This is the way we brush our teeth, brush our teeth, brush our teeth
This is the way we brush our teeth before we go to bed!!

Peek a Boo

Just Eating Some Suckers

2009-03-10T14:45:00.001-07:00

Not Me Monday

2009-03-09T17:36:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! My friend Lauren introduced this to me and after what I am about to post you will understand why I have decided to join in! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I did NOT let Isaac and Hadleigh play in the front seat of my car, pushing all the buttons, so they wouldn't run into the street, while I was strapping in their car seats....

I did NOT set my purse, the diaper bag AND my keys in the front seat before doing so....

I did NOT tell Lauren that it was okay to shut all the doors before checking to make sure all the doors were unlocked....as I usually ALWAYS do

Therefore,

I did NOT have to wait in Nanna and Grandad's driveway for the fire department to come rescue Hadleigh and Isaac from being locked in my car....in the sun! It did not take the fire department 15 minutes to get there, and Lauren's dad (Grandad) did not try to jimmy open the window with a screwdriver. Everyone was just fine!! Hadleigh actually went to sleep and Isaac just sat in his seat talking to me the whole time!

I also did NOT ask my 2o month old to try and unbuckle his car seat (you think I'm crazy, but he is my gadget man)

So here is my FIRST attempt at my Not Me Monday!

Pictures from Jennifer

2009-03-02T20:59:00.001-08:00

34 pictures
View Album at Shutterfly

Bath time pics!!

2009-02-19T11:01:00.000-08:00

So if you haven't checked out my Portraits by Jenn blog I am doing a CONTEST!! Here are some shots I took last night of the kids taking a bath so I could post some samples for people to look at!!

2nd and 3rd day skiing

2009-02-17T21:19:00.000-08:00

Most of these pics are ACTUALLY from the 3rd day of skiing b/c Day 2 was sooooooooo MISERABLE! I only skied half a day on Saturday! The wind was howling and would practically stop you on the mountain as you were coming down. Yes...NOT my idea of fun!! But Sunday was so BEAUTIFUL!! Nice sunny weather!!

at the restaurant before my VALENTINE'S DAY massage that my hubby got for me. I actually didn't even get to eat anything but a bowl of soup d/t time!! But the massage was GREAT!! Thanks Erik!

Kelly Petty, Courtney Barton, Tiffany Haag, Me, Andrea Sibert and Molly Harper

Day 1 of SKI TRIP to Taos NM

2009-02-13T16:10:00.000-08:00

Well we left Kerrville at 4 a.m. Thursday morning to start our journey to Taos, NM for a ski trip with 5 other couples! We rode with Jon, Andrea and Brooke! We made the trip in about 13 hours, pretty good with 15 people! We were all so exhausted once we got here! I think we went to bed about 9:00!!

Me, Brooke and Andrea

Jon and Erik watching Old School

Brooke (Jon and Andrea's oldest daughter) with the BEAUTIFUL sunrise behind her!

We were up about 7:00 this morning getting ready and eating breakfast!! Bought our lift tickets and hit the slopes! The weather was so nice and sunny!! We have never skied Taos before, but Erik and I skied until about 3:00. We did some greens, blues and I did one black! Our legs are so tired!! I think we will sleep good tonight. We are staying at the Kandahar in Ski Valley! The kids went sledding too, hopefully I will get some pics of that tomorrow! We have kids ages 4-11 with us...we are the only ones without children! They all went to ski school and had a blast. Afterwards, Mrs. Andrea made SNOW ICE CREAM!!! Mmmmmmmmmmm, it was so yummy!!

Me and Andrea

Jon and Andrea
John and Kelly Petty

In this video is Erik skiing at first and then Andrea, John and Luke standing around! At the end is Jon Sibert throwing snow on me!!

Our little "Toddlers"

2009-02-10T20:44:00.000-08:00

Yes they are ONLY 19 and 18 months old! I am so SAD!! They are growing too fast! Hadleigh was climbing out of her bed so we decided to turn it into her "Toddler" bed! Isaac was okay with it at first, but after about a week and a half, he decided he was JEALOUS!! He started throwing these RIDICULOUS fits all the time and we FINALLY realized he wanted a "BIG BOY" bed and he has been a happy camper ever since!!

Just some pics

2009-02-04T20:12:00.000-08:00

Just some RANDOM pictures to share! Hope you enjoy!

Gitcha Gitcha Gitcha

Seriously....she fell asleep in her high chair

"Horsey"

Hand-me-down boots from our friend Sydney...LOVE THEM! However, they are way too big right now, but she INSISTED on wearing them!

Mema's Furry Socks

Mema's SHOES!! YES she has a FETTISH already!! Takes after her Momma!!

"SPIRITED"

2009-01-13T14:41:00.000-08:00

Ok I know this is probably the longest post I have ever done (without pictures), but PLEASE read it ALL! The best part is at the END!!

Sunday our pastor, Dr. John Petty, preached a sermon titled: "What Holy Spirit?" (Acts 19:1-7). During his introduction he told a story about his 3 year old daughter Mara. Several things that she had done during the week one of which had to do with a brand new Suburban and the garage door opener!! I'm sure you get the gist!

Well he said something that really hit me because I am just trying to figure out why in the world I have to say the word "NO" so many times during one day! And what other ways can I detour my ONE YEAR OLDS away from something that could potentially be dangerous without getting on to them and raising my voice! TIME OUT does NOT work for me! If only you could see the look on Isaac's face when I put him in time out! I can't even look at him without laughing! Everything is a game to them and it's hard to "EXPLAIN" the difference of when you are serious and when you are playing!

John described Mara as spirited!

I thought, "What a GREAT description of my own children." They are so curious and so full of energy and wanting to learn. They take so MUCH into their little brains each day! I NEVER want to say or do anything to crush their spirit! We want them to be who they are and enhance those qualities that we LOVE so much about them, but that are so FRUSTRATING!

I just want to know how to channel those traits in the right direction, how to keep that Spirit they have but in the right way!

This is what my mom had to say about my children and she said it just perfectly:
On Isaac:

Isaac is a friendly and playful little boy with a smile that will warm your heart. He loves to talk, dance, read books, and climb. He is tender, loving, and sometimes cuddly (he's a busy boy, you know). He's already a bit of a protector of his sister when she is hurt or in trouble. My favorite thing is watching Isaac play on the floor with his Dad and snuggle with his Mother. He has lots of love to give and a personality that lights up his home. I love him so much! I forgot to say how much this little boy loves exploring. He loves wheels, knobs he can turn, buttons he can push, anything electronic, and even though he can't put things back together yet, he will figure out how to take things apart. Such a smart little boy! He is a problem solver and can tell you a tale a mile long. He too, like his sister, loves the outdoors, although not as daring as Hadleigh, he absolutely comes to life when there is dirt, sticks, grass, and rocks to throw or something to climb! Life is all yours, Isaac!

On Hadleigh:
Insomnia could be a synonym for little Miss Hadleigh Jane. She thrives on less sleep than most adults, or so it would seem. A catnapper, if you will. Her eyes looked right into my heart the very first time I met her, and they hold it still. Those eyes, they smile, they laugh, they sing, they wonder, they tease, and they even glare at times. You can almost always know what she's thinking by looking in her eyes. She loves to bounce, jump, roll, kick her feet up, and spin in circles. Hadleigh is full of energy, giggles (well laughter actually) and mischief. She loves to be at eye level with you, so you must be on the floor with her so she knows you are 'with' her or you must 'up please' (hold me) so she can be at eye level with you. 'Have no fear' Hadleigh loves to be outside, as does her brother. She doesn't mind at all getting dirty, rolling around in the grass, playing in the dogs water, sliding, swinging, running and climbing. She is all girl though, already in love with shoes (like her mother) and for the most part has learned to enjoy the roll of 'buttons and bows'! She likes to dance and twirl and generally 'show off'! She has a voice to be heard and sometimes a bit of an 'attitude', but when that little girl with her blanket and 'meme' (pacifier) comes climbing in your lap and snuggles up to you, your heart just melts inside and she's 'gotcha'! God has blessed her with the greatest of parents and I love they way they love and love on their babies! I love you so much!

New Year's

2009-01-08T20:09:00.000-08:00

For New Year's Isaac, Hadleigh and I went to Fort Worth to visit Papa (aka: Scotty) and Zizi (aka: Leighanne). We arrived Wednesday afternoon and the babies played with Payten and Madison while Leighanne and I went to the grocery store! We just ate and played and stayed up until the "ball" dropped! Hadleigh was awake for the whole thing as well!! Nana and Grandad brought presents so the kids opened a few more gifts along with gifts from Zizi and Papa!

Hadleigh got a new doll that she can dress herself! She also got some "uggs" from Zizi only when we opened the box there was one size 5 and one size 6. When we went to exchange them they of course did not have any more so we exchanged them for something else! Isaac got a new pair of camo boots as well from Zizi and Papa! They are so cute!!!

He also got some cars from Nana and Grandad! He LOVES these cars! He has some others that are race cars, and these are TRAINS!! His favorite book is "Go train Go" so these were PERFECT!!

On New Years Day we just hung out at the house and Leighanne and I went shopping! Then, Jayden and the kids played outside in the backyard with the puppies!!

Click here for VIDEO
"Isaac Moving Dirt"

On Friday we went to play at the park and Leighanne took some really great pics of the babies! They had so much fun!!

We also went to the Botanical Gardens so the kids could run around and play! Zizi also took some great pics there too!

I took a few pics

Blessed are those who wait for Him.

Libby's Birth

Doppy Day: September 12, 2010

FREE CUPCAKE ACTIVITY PRINTABLE: A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E

Potty Trained!!!

4th of July with our friends in Colorado Springs

Preparation

Dr. Seuss Birthday Party: My 3 year olds

"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed" -Maria Montessori

So on with the party!

I had the GREATEST privilege of working with Viridian Design Studio and My Delightful Designs to prepare and pull of this FUN party! The party was hosted at the Comanche Trace pool.

To go with these designs and colors Tricia and Emily with Viridian Design Studio came up with these FABULOUS and "Seussish" decorations!

And last but not least, here are some party pics!

A little sneek peak of our Easter Egg Hunts

GIVE AWAY AT CHOCOLATE SILVER!!!

Happy Easter!

Gymnastics

Happy Valentines Day!!

Monday's at home with Mommy

NURSERY SET FOR SALE: Pottery Barn Alphabet Soup

Pottery Barn Alphabet Soup Crib Nursery Set for sale: can't find my pics, but it looks like this:http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Pottery-Barn-Kids-Alphabet-Soup-Crib-Quilt-HUGE-SET_W0QQitemZ230424439744QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a65debc02 Valances: $30

1 crib/toddler quilt: $35

2 quilted bumper pads, 2 appl...iqued bed skirts: (both sets: $275 or 1 set for $150)

BEDSKIRT 1 quilted decorative small pillow sham with owl applique:$15I also have a round rug (not sure on dimensions) to match: $75None of this is BRAND new, but it has been well taken care of. I will try to find my pics so you can see or you can come by and look at it.

{Fabulous Giveaway} Adorable Birthday Crowns from True Love Found ~ Two Winners!

Adoption Tax Credit-Makes a Difference!

Happy Valentines Day

Blessed are those who wait for Him.: CUTE CUTE SHIRT

CUTE CUTE SHIRT

It's snowing....

The Monkey's Treehouse

Vacation in Nashville

Breakfast w/ Sesame Street at Sea World & Christmas w/ Grampy and Mimi

Adoption Day Video

Christmas 2009

Family Portraits

Happy Halloween!!

Nature Trail

My little Bubba!

First day of school

Cousin Joshua's Birthday

Thomas the Train

GAP CASTING CALL

Lauren's Baptism

Our Home

Give Away Today: Cherries Jubilee Creations

Playing in the rain!

THANK YOU

The Polka Dot Pig: GIVE AWAY!

Good times with Grandma

Some random pics

Isaac caught his first lizard

BIRTHDAY PARTY 2009

The things Isaac says:

Isaac's 2nd Birthday

A NEW GIVE AWAY

Mine and Hadleigh's Vacation

FUN TIMES

Blowing Bubbles

Wising Up: Whenever Life Happens

GIVE AWAY TODAY

FINALLY....Las Vegas

AUCTION FOR CHARITY

Isaac and High Heels!

Shopping on Not Me Monday

Some more Easter photos

Zoo pics

Singing our ABC's

Isaac's #'s in Spanish

Hadleigh's #'s in Spanish

My babies are getting TOO big!

Some Pics from Mema's Camera

Just Eating Some Suckers

Not Me Monday

Pictures from Jennifer

Bath time pics!!

2nd and 3rd day skiing

Day 1 of SKI TRIP to Taos NM

Our little "Toddlers"

Just some pics

Pottery Barn Alphabet Soup Crib Nursery Set for sale: can't find my pics, but it looks like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Pottery-Barn-Kids-Alphabet-Soup-Crib-Quilt-HUGE-SET_W0QQitemZ230424439744QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a65debc0

2 Valances: $30

BEDSKIRT
1 quilted decorative small pillow sham with owl applique:$15
I also have a round rug (not sure on dimensions) to match: $75

None of this is BRAND new, but it has been well taken care of. I will try to find my pics so you can see or you can come by and look at it.