LOVE Fall!

Can I just say that I love fall?!  I love the colors, the weather, trips to the park and zoo, being cold in the morning, not sweating when drinking my morning coffee, daily walks to Agritopia, and most of all being home with my kids to enjoy it!

My Noah son is crawling everywhere, it's army style but regardless he can get around easily.  Most of the time he's just crawling to get to me then grasps onto my legs and yells at me until I pick him up.  He loves playing with toys and for the last week I've been able to watch my two sweet kids play and interact together.  It's so much fun and Gracie loves the idea of babysitting Noah for me so that I can do whatever needs to be done.  Potty training for Miss Gracie is going good.  Well, partly good, she is pretty much trained when she needs to pee but she refuses to do the other dirty in the toilet.  I'm getting so frustrated and don't know how to teach her.  I feel like I've tried everything!  In time, I guess....  Really sick of cleaning gross underwear!

Anyways, ending with a few pictures!

Happy Fall!

Love this man

Last weekend Levi was asked to sing at a wedding.  It was beautiful.  This recording doesn't do it justice.  I love that man and how he honors the Lord with his voice.  The picture isn't great because it was so dark but sound is ok. 

P.S. Don't tell Levi I posted this video... :)  He's a little too humble and I'm a little too proud.  I don't get it, if I could sing I'd be singing on the rooftops, for anyone that would listen!  I guess that's why God didn't bless me with this talent!

 God is better than all the riches in the world.  His love is better than life.

teething, sleeping, scooting and (sigh) potty training!

I am failing in my commitment to keep my blog current and stay up to date on milestones!  But honestly, I just don't know how to find the time.  Now that I'm working I use every single second of the kid's naps and bedtimes to do my work and then fall into bed exhausted.  Regardless, it is a blessing to have the job I do and I feel so fortunate that I am able to be home with my munchkins.  I love them so!

My Noah bear will be 6 months tomorrow.  WOW.  My little man has been in this world for half a year already!  Oh boy, is he a mommy's boy.  Seriously.  It is so difficult for someone else to hold him and as soon as he catches sight of me he starts crying and fussing.  I feel bad because I want other people to be able to bond with him and see him as the sweet, lovable baby that I do!  Oh well, in time...  He really is the cutest thing ever.  He's got these rosy, squeezable chubby cheeks that I can't stop kissing!  Noah is now sleeping through the night (7:30pm-6:30am).  It is wonderful and I'm enjoying a full night sleep again.  He is starting to scoot around on the floor and can get up on hands and knees but hasn't figure out how to coordinate them to crawl.  He is also currently getting some teeth in and is not very happy about that.  Neither am I, he's been a little cranky and starting to bite when nursing.  :( Worst. pain. ever. 

My little Gracie girl is in the process of potty training.  I am really going to doing this.  I will not give up.  I will not stress about cleaning up accidents and the germs that get all over.  She is ready and it will save us loads of money on diapers.  I can do this. (Sorry, little pep talk for myself!)  Honestly though, she's doing pretty good.  Fortunately, all of the accidents she's had have been on tile.  Lysol wipes are the greatest and my floors are looking pretty clean!

We went up to my parent's cabin for a few days this week and it was nice.  Levi's parents and Wyatt and Carolyn went up and Grace had a blast discovering the forest with Papa, Wyatt and Julia.  I feel so blessed that there is a little place tucked in the woods that we can disappear to when we just need a break!  I'm really thankful that my parents are so generous with their cabin. 

Well that's about it!  I'm looking forward to the holidays with all the fun decorations, baking and scents that are so associated with fall and winter (thinking cinnamon).  Hope everyone has a great week!

Gracie Speaks- Part 2 or is it 3?

Me: "Gracie, I love you."

Grace: "No, mom.  I love DADDY!"

Me: "Oh, don't you love me?  That makes me sad!"

Grace: "Um, yeah mom.  I just need both of you!"


I love my little ballerina!  She had her second dance class today and did very good!  She was quite adorable, I must say!

Oh, and Saturday night Noah slept through the night, 9 hours!  I was thrilled.  I woke up at 5 in the morning and panicked because I thought something was wrong but there he was sleeping so peacefully!  Hoping he this keeps up!

Levi and I got to go out on a date last night.  HUGE thanks to my parents for getting us a gift card and then watching the kids.  It was so nice and so needed. 

Gracie the Ballerina

On Monday I took Gracie to her first ever dance class!  I was really worried about how she would do without me and if she was mature enough but I really wanted to try.  She did have some trouble staying focused the entire time and was very interested in all the fun props and toys the teacher brought but I think she's going to be fine.  She's 2, what can you expect?  It probably doesn't help that she's in class with one of her best friends, Savannah.  They were pretty funny together, egging each other on and giggling the entire time!  Thankfully their teacher was very patient and sweet.  Gracie loved it and didn't want to leave.  I know things have changed a lot since Noah was born so this dance class is something special just for her.  It kind of made me want to cry putting her in her dance clothes.  It was just another reminder of how fast she's grow up...

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Pictures of Labor Day Cabin Trip

Here are some pictures from our recent trip to the cabin.  One thing that still amazes me about Arizona is that you can be disgustingly hot in the middle of the desert and then get into your car and drive about an hour and have beautiful weather in the middle of the forest!

Noah and even Grace love their swing at the cabin.  Who wouldn't?  I want one!



I took this picture because I realized that I have hardly any pictures of just Levi and I.  He always looks good but I'm in desperate need of a tan!



They loved sitting together in the stroller.  Noah didn't even mind his sister bonking him on the head with toys!

Yep, it has begun.  Levi is already teaching her how to shoot.  He thinks he'll get her hunting with him but I think she'll have mom's heart for animals.  At least I hope so.



Gracie reading a book with her "Old Papa".  They were so cute she just kept bring him more and more books to read.  He didn't mind at all!



Lovin Noah in his old man flannel shirt!  It's fun putting them in winter clothes in the middle of the summer!



Noah and his Mamas.  My mom is thrilled that Noah will finally go to someone else without crying for me.  If only Gracie would let my mom hold Noah without getting so jealous!  She doesn't like sharing her Mamas!

Another shot of my sweet daughter being corrupted!  :)  Really though, she had a blast shooting the air soft guns with Daddy and Uncle Brandon.

Isn't he already such a stud?!  Well I think so!

Family Updates

I haven't updated the blog in a while so thought write an update before my kiddos wake up and want all my attention!

Gracie turned 2.  It was a great week full of daily birthday parties and neverending gifts.  She was spoiled greatly, particularly by her Mamas and Aunt Carolyn.  After a full week of "Grace", she had a hard time understanding it wasn't her birthday anymore.  She still sings "Happy Birthday to Me" every time she sees a cake/cookies or sees something that looks like a present.  She is now very content to play make-believe in her room by herself for long periods of time.  It is so wonderful! She seems to get cuter and cuter everyday, if that is even possible.  The things she says and ideas she comes up with are hilarious and a product of her ever imaginative daddy.

Noah is almost 5 months old!!!! Say what?!  I know, I don't understand how it's possible but it is the truth. He is so much fun.  We are loving his cute little rolls and adorable raspy laugh!  The one person that makes him laugh more than ever is his sister.  I know as parents we all like talking about how our children just adore each other, but really Noah is completely in love with his sister.  He tries to jump out of my arms to get to her.  He cracks up at her silly dancing and crazy peek-a-boo games.  Even as rough as she is, he manages to come away from sis bruise free and happy.  We all know he's a mommy's boy, but I'm thinking he is even more so a Gracie's boy.  He can almost sit up by himself.  I have to be so careful because if I set him sitting on the couch he tries to project himself off the couch and onto the floor.  It's very scary.  He loves to jump, laugh, spit raspberries and play with toys, particularly those that Grace just had. 

Levi is rocking at school.  He was given his third Student of the Course award and it looks as though he'll be getting another one next week.  I am so extremely proud of him.  Funny, some of the boys in Levi's class tried to bribe him to miss a day so they could have a shot at SOC.  It's so fun to see him do so well because Levi was never one to try that hard in school.  He is brilliant but he just never cared that much in high school and college.  Now he's got 2 kids that he adores so the stakes are a little different.

As for me, I got a job!  It was an extremely huge answer to prayer.  The greatest part: I will be working from home, so I won't have to leave my kids!  I'm going to be working back at Guthrie Mainstream, which is such an amazing company, by the way.  I will be writing habilitation goals and methodologies for individuals with special needs.  It's such a perfect situation and I'm thrilled that I got this opportunity!  God is really taking care of us right now and I am so thankful for all his blessings.

Also, my cousin Danielle had her baby last week!  He is adorable and I'm so happy for her and her husband.  Being a mom is the greatest and I know she will do a great job!  She asked me to be Reece's Godmother and I am so honored.  Thank you, Dani!

We went to the cabin last weekend and it was perfectly wonderful!  I'll try and upload pics for that next.  I've been putting it off because I get so angry trying to upload them, get them in the right order, lined up, captioned....  The Google upload system and I are not friends.