A Peek Into Our World....

My Little Helper!

2010-11-25T08:06:00.002-05:00

We found a huge clearance sale on ground beef... 30 pounds!! It was a great price and God really blessed us with a wonderful deal. I browned all of it up, and my little helper, Ellie, bagged all 30 pounds for me! She was so careful and efficient - hardly dropping any or making a mess! I know she is going to be a great help to me with these two little boys around in the coming years!!

Noah Matthew

2010-11-24T22:31:00.004-05:00

So precious! I am thankful that our Noah is such a wonderful, sweet-natured little guy! He is sleeping well at night, mostly content through the day, delights in watching the chaos and commotion of his older brother and sister, and when he smiles he totally lights up from head to toe! We think his personality is going to be so much fun - our little cut-up!! Can't believe he is already three months old... time is flying by! He's wearing size 2 (BARELY) diapers now, in 6-9 month clothes, and is much bigger than his brother and sister were at this point, and they were also big babies! He is thriving and such a sweetheart! Can't imagine life without our precious Noah!

Princess Parlor

2010-11-24T06:39:00.005-05:00

Princess Elliana Joy had the time of her life at cousin Hannah's 6th birthday party!! It was so much fun, for little princesses, and big princesses like Mommy! :) Ball Room dancing, carriage ride, tea party... the girls just loved it! So happy we were able to be at such a wonderful party!

Missions Conference

2010-11-23T21:45:00.004-05:00

Our church had a Missions Conference in October and we were thrilled to be apart of all the excitement! We are so blessed to be members of a wonderful church!

We started off the fun by having a picnic at church on Wednesday for lunch!!

Ellie talking with one of the visiting missionaries about some of the native items found on their ministy display.

Helping to make Chocolate Burfi for the International Dinner on Saturday night. As part of our school, we participated in "My Passport to India" and learned about India for several weeks. We decided to make two Indian recipes for the dinner.

The Chocolate Burfi was yummy, but the other curry-type dish wasn't exactly the best! :) After spending about $20 on the spices we needed, Chris and I decided that we aren't big fans of Indian cuisine! Although I think I might make the Burfi again sometime.

The kids at the dinner enjoyed singing "specials" for some of the people that we still hanging around towards the end of the dinner!

Max Goes to School

2010-11-23T20:41:00.003-05:00

We had the priviledge of keeping Max for a few weeks while his mommy and daddy went on vacation! He was so much fun and Ellie kept insisting that he do school with us so he didn't get "lonely!" :) She would sit him in the chair and he would actually stay still and watch us. I was amazed - he seemed to enjoy it! He obeys Ellie really well - they have quite a bond!

MFW: Penguin

2010-11-22T10:00:00.003-05:00

We had so much fun learning about penguins and the letter P. I think it's one of our favorite units so far! We made paper penguins, watched "March of the Penguins" from the Library, visited the penguin exhibit at the aquarium, got lots of info about penguins online and from library books, and even made some icebergs and floated them in our "bathtub ocean!" God's design is absolutely incredible - penguins are amazing!!! I am excited by how much I am re-learning homeschooling Elliana!

Fall Pumpkins

2010-11-21T13:31:00.003-05:00

Love pumpkin season! We enjoyed looking at all the pumpkins at a church pumpkin sale on the mountain! Ellie especially loved the "baby pumpkins!"

Seth and Lora's Visit

2010-11-21T00:46:00.003-05:00

Visiting, hiking, and eating Chinese food!! We had so much fun with Seth and Lora when they came in October! Wish we could see them more often.

Nashville Zoo

2010-11-20T23:43:00.006-05:00

We took a day trip to the Nashville Zoo in October and had so much fun! We were able to go at the start of the "wild animals" set of units in our My Father's World curriculum. It was such a fun day and we really enjoyed all the neat things to see there. What an amazing Creator we have!

Our attempt at a family photo! :)

Noah loves riding in the carrier!

Poor guy... he just couldn't keep his eyes open! What a big day!

Elliana is leading the way...

Now Ellie is asleep - she couldn't keep her eyes open on the drive home! Josiah is looking at a book about Zoo Animals as we talk about our fun time!

An October Evening...

2010-11-20T23:26:00.005-05:00

Mom, Ellie, Noah, and I went to the Holiday Hodge Podge the first weekend in October. It was such a fun time to see different crafts and Fall and Christmas items.

Chris took Josiah to his very first football game - at Central High School! In the picture Josiah is holding a "ine-own" (pinecone!) that he found while at the game. He was very happy about his special time with Daddy!

MFW: Elephant

2010-11-17T22:59:00.003-05:00

We had a lot of fun learning about elephants and getting back into a routine after the arrival of little Noah! Although we didn't take many pictures, we enjoyed learning about the amazing elephant - we have such a creative God!! The real elephant picture was taken at the Nashville Zoo... more pictures of our trip there coming soon!

County Fair

2010-11-17T10:48:00.005-05:00

Some pictures from our fun day at the county fair!! We had a blast seeing farm animals, crafts, eating corn dogs, and just being together!! As you can see, we were pretty tuckered out by the end of the day!

Priorities...

2010-11-17T10:11:00.002-05:00

These...

Are so worth this...

Thank You, Lord for the piles of laundry. Don't know what I would do without them.

Thomas the Train Birthday!

2010-11-16T22:32:00.003-05:00

We wanted to honor Josiah's second birthday in a special way this year and decided to have a Thomas the Tank Engine Party for him! It was held in our church fellowship building and we had a blast with all our family and friends! So happy everyone could come out to celebrate Josiah turning two!!

Josiah the Birthday Boy!!

2010-11-16T21:55:00.005-05:00

Can't believe our sweet little boy is two-years-old! The saying goes... "time flies when you're having fun!" Well, time has certainly flown by, and Josiah has brought such fun and laughter into our lives! He is a precious little boy, full of excitement and energy, hugs and kisses, and full of laughter and sweet smiles! God is going to do something great and mighty with our little Josiah... we can't wait to see what it is!! On September 16th (Josiah's actual birthday) we celebrated at home with all his favorite foods (smoothies and waffles for breakfast and spaghetti for lunch) gifts, and a cookie cake! Then we had a Thomas Party for him the following Saturday... more pictures to come!

Zoo Trip with Nathan

2010-11-09T20:45:00.002-05:00

Ellie and Josiah had a great time at the zoo with their buddy, Nathan!! It was a fun day to get out and enjoy the zoo and a picnic after being at home so much. Noah enjoyed riding in the carrier and being outside too! We are so blessed with wonderful friends.

Breakfast on the Deck

2010-11-09T20:18:00.002-05:00

We had breakfast out on the deck one morning and the kids thought it was the best thing ever!! We've done this several times to enjoy the cool end-of-Summer mornings. Ellie reminds me very often that her favorite breakfast is Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothies and Cheesy Toast... on the deck!

2010-11-09T20:02:00.005-05:00

Discovery Kids is the new Children's Program at our church! We LOVE it and are having such a great time!

Park Day

2010-11-02T08:03:00.002-04:00

The guys went to a football games and the girls had fun at the park! We had a picnic, watched the boats, played at the playground, and enjoyed the much-welcomed cooler weather! Grana bought Ellie and Josiah a special treat from the ice-cream truck before we left the house - that was a really big hit! It was such a hot Summer - praise the Lord for Autumn!

Chris Has a Birthday!

2010-11-02T07:47:00.003-04:00

We enjoyed celebrating Chris' birthday and Memorial day at Dan and Marilyn's house!! So much fun being together.

Little Noah...

2010-11-01T21:50:00.003-04:00

Noah is such a sweet, cuddly little guy! He has brought so much joy into our home. We can't wait to get-to-know him and watch him grow!

Water Hose Fun!

2010-11-01T21:20:00.003-04:00

The kids have a blast playing in our back yard! I'm so thankful for a wonderful place for them to explore and have "adventures!" One afternoon we had a blast playing in the water hose!

Mommy's Little Cuties!

2010-11-01T21:10:00.002-04:00

Josiah had his "My mom is awesome" shirt on that Grana got him that I just love (wonder why?) He really is such a sweetheart! The two of them were way too quiet on morning. I checked on them and they were both spinning in Chris' office chair with very mischeivious grins on their precious little faces! :) They can definitely get into a lot in a very short amount of time.

Family of Five

2010-11-01T10:12:00.004-04:00

Here are images into our first few weeks as a family of five! Noah definitely isn't lacking in attention - that is for sure! We have also been blessed with wonderful family and friends. One picture is of Ellie and Josiah looking out the window waiting for someone to come... we had so many people bring us meals!! We are so in love with out little Noah!

Noah's Birth Story

2010-11-01T10:03:00.003-04:00

Noah Matthew Phelps
Born: August 13, 2010
Stats: 7 pounds 14 ounces ,
20.5 inches long

Noah’s Name
Noah - peaceful, comforter
Matthew – Gift of the Lord

Genesis 6:8 - But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Hebrews 11:7 - By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Noah was an amazing man of faith from the Old Testament! His life showed great love, obedience, and service to God. He trusted in God and obeyed His commands even when the world around him was desperately evil (Gen.6:5). Our prayer for little Noah is that he will have a strong faith in the Lord, and be a leader that shines a light in his generation.
Psalm 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
(The names Noah and Matthew are also family names on both sides of the family)

Noah’s Birth Story

We are so excited about the birth of little Noah Matthew and would like to record the details of his birth so we can remember them. It all started on Tuesday, August 10th…

My 38th week into the pregnancy to visit Dr. Barker… He checked my cervix to see if I had dilated any and found that I was four centimeters dilated. He noticed some contractions, and decided to put me on the contraction monitor to see if I might actually be in labor! Although I was excited at the prospect of having the baby, I doubted it was really the time. After all, I was in the hospital at 36 weeks with Josiah with false labor (also four centimeters dilated) and he was not born until almost 42 weeks! In my mind I would probably have little Noah after my due date so I wasn’t stressing much. I did spend Wednesday and Thursday mornings getting bags packed and cleaning the house. I also worked during both of the afternoons. Thursday night Ellie and I did a huge grocery shopping trip and bought a lot of convenience food and things to make simple meals for days after baby would be born.

Friday morning came, and I woke up totally exhausted. My car had a dead battery and Chris was planning to bring home a new battery after work and fix it. He did not sleep well on Thursday night due to a horribly upset stomach that was caused from antibiotics he was on for an awful infection that he had in his nose (yes… that’s a story by itself!!). Chris’ mom and dad came over on Friday morning and put a new battery in my car and took the kids for the day!! What a blessing that was… especially when we look back at the day now! I used the time to relax – I got on Facebook, worked on our family blog, and cleaned out Google Reader. When Chris got home we had fried chicken salads and baked potatoes and began watching the movie, “The Blind Side”. We did not watch the last 40 minutes of it because I had to leave for work. The plan was that we would finish it after the kids went to bed that night. I kept noticing a dull ache in my back, but assumed it was from sitting at the computer for most of the morning. I left for work feeling refreshed from my relaxing morning and looking forward to watching the rest of the movie with Chris that evening.

Work went well and around 5:15ish I noticed a fairly strong contraction. I went to the restroom around 5:30 and noticed a little bit of blood… then I had another contraction around 5:30. I started getting excited thinking… “Maybe this will be the night!” I got off work at 6:00 and headed home – on the phone I told Chris about the contractions and blood and he said to come home and sit down on the couch and see if they continue. I followed his advice, and had a glass of chocolate milk, a tomato sandwich, and a bowl of applesauce. Yet, I noticed the contractions continued and got much stronger. Around 7:15 we noticed that they were around 10 minutes apart. I decided this was really it and started getting things ready. At close to 7:30, I called my mom to come and get the kids, and called the doctor and at this point they were getting REALLY painful and closer and closer together. During this time I was getting the bags together, taking care of the kiddos, Chris was washing the dishes… all the while he was telling me to sit down and rest!! It was pretty funny, actually. Then, the contractions were coming back to back and so painful that I had to just sit down and breathe through them. Chris accidentally broke a glass while he was washing dishes, and we were waiting for mom to come get the kids, and I was starting to wonder why this was all happening so fast! When mom got to the house I said “We have to leave RIGHT NOW!!” and we all pulled out about the same time. The kids were anxious, but we hugged them and told them that next time we saw them we would have their baby brother!! I was totally in shock at how fast everything happened.

We left the house about 8:00pm and pulled into the Erlanger parking garage at 8:28 (that’s what the parking ticket said anyway!) When we were pulling into the parking garage I remember telling Chris “I can’t do this, Chris… there is no way I can do this!” He reminded me that I WAS doing it and doing great. In the Bradley books we read it talked about how when self-doubt starts to come into your mind it is usually the end of the transition period. That is probably true in my case because I started feeling the urge to push while we were trying to find a parking spot. Chris wanted to leave everything in the car, but I told him to bring it all with us. I knew the baby would be born soon and wanted to have the camcorder and camera and everything. So, he lugged the big suitcase and pillows, and somehow I made it through the parking garage (although I kept stopping with contractions) to the elevators. I remember people looking at me and saying “Are you going to have a baby right now!”… I tried to smile but was in SO much pain! When we got off the elevator and around the corner in the labor and delivery area I just couldn’t go any further. He went to find a wheelchair (which we never could find!) while I stood in the hall bent over trying to remember all the “relaxation techniques” we learned in the Bradley books we read. People kept stopping and asking if I was okay and I just said “No…my husband is getting a wheelchair…” When he finally got there he had a nurse with him. She said “Sweetie, what can I do for you?”, and all I could say was, “I need to push NOW!” They brought me into a room, checked my cervix and said I was complete with a bulging bag of water!! They told me not to push but I couldn’t stop myself from pushing. I remember trying to hold back while they were putting in the IV, but it just didn’t work! I was trying to answer their questions and listen to what they wanted to do, but all I could think about was pushing the baby out! I remember thinking that if I have any more babies, I would definitely get an epidural - and I think I told the nurses that! I’m sure I had much to say to them! One of the nurses mentioned that if I wanted an epidural next time, I would need to come in at 36 weeks. I remember praying and asking God to help me with the pain because I really thought I was going to die. There were two female residents that evening, and they were really great. They asked me if I wanted to wait for the doctor or go ahead and push… of course I said “I’m already pushing… I can’t stop!” They broke my water and finally gave me the okay to push and within a few minutes Noah Matthew was here!!! He started crying immediately with a strong, loud cry! I was thrilled to hear him! They finally brought him to me and I was overwhelmed with how perfect and precious he was. He was born at 8:58 – about 10 minutes after we got to the labor and delivery floor of the hospital. I am grateful for God’s provision – if my water had broken at home or in the car, we wouldn’t have made it to the hospital!

Noah is such a precious little one and we are thankful for this gift from the Lord!! Our prayer is that we will have a home that glorifies and honors Christ and that little Noah will grow to love the Lord and seek godliness in his life.

2010-11-01T09:21:00.003-04:00

Our precious little boy arrived August 13, 2010. He weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces, 20.5 inches long, and is such a precious gift from God!! More details to follow.

Waiting...

2010-11-01T09:14:00.003-04:00

Becoming Best Buddies...

2010-11-01T08:58:00.001-04:00

MFW: Horse

2010-11-01T08:48:00.002-04:00

We had a really fun time with our horse unit!! Ellie really loves horses... we watched The Black Stallion, played Horse Bingo, had an obedience scavenger hunt, and several other horse related activities all while learning about the letter H!

How Does Our Garden Grow??

2010-11-01T07:55:00.004-04:00

Can't believe how fast the Summer has passed by. Our garden has done well, despite some neglect on our part. It has just been SO hot and neither Chris or my nine-month-pregnant self have wanted to go out in the heat. God gave the increase though, because despite not paying much attention to it, we did have a wonderful harvest!

Card Making

2010-11-01T07:44:00.002-04:00

One of Ellie's favorite things to do it to make cards for people!! She is very thoughtful and has such a tender heart for others.

Preparing for Baby Boy!

2010-11-01T07:17:00.002-04:00

It's been all about babies here lately... getting clothes in drawers, setting up the bedroom for a tiny one again, preparing the kids for the big day (they have LOVED practicing with baby dolls!) We just can't wait for this little guy to get here!

Baby Shower at Church

2010-11-01T07:03:00.002-04:00

God has blessed us with such a wonderful church family!! So excited about being stocked up with diapers and wipes for this new little arrival!

July 4th

2010-10-29T20:44:00.005-04:00

We had a blast this year celebrating "America's birthday" as Ellie would say! :)

MFW: C is for Cow

2010-08-13T12:14:00.003-04:00

We enjoyed learning all about the letter C and cows for a few weeks!! We learned that "God's Word helps me grow" - how important God's Word is in our lives. We also learned about cows, dairy farms, and foods that are in the "dairy" category from great books and videos we checked out at the library. We even made butter one day and had a "dairy party" for our snack complete with ice cream, cheese, yogurt, and saltines with our fresh butter! The highlight of our unit was a trip to Sweetwater Valley Cheese Farm with Mimi and Aunt Shannon!

New Beds!!

2010-08-13T11:58:00.004-04:00

We bought a set of bunk beds and put them in Ellie's room and moved her twin bed into Josiah's room. When the boys are old enough they will share the bunk beds, but their room is too small for bunks and a crib. We'll just swap everything back around in a few years! :) The kids are thrilled with their new sleeping arrangements and Josiah especially loves his big-boy bed and is doing a great job with it! So many fun preparations for a new baby!!

Surprise Baby Shower!!

2010-08-13T11:49:00.003-04:00

My co-workers at the bank threw me a surprise baby shower!! I was so thrilled and received so many sweet gifts for our baby boy. God has blessed me with a wonderful part-time job that I enjoy so much!!

Blackberry Picking

2010-08-13T11:34:00.003-04:00

Our favorite park has a special perk for us - a "secret" place with lots of yummy blackberries! :) Chris and I found it right after we were married and have gone back every year to pick some. The kids love going there as well now.

Grandmother Tea

2010-08-13T11:21:00.003-04:00

Elliana and I hosted a "Grandmother Tea" for her grandmothers in June and had a wonderful time! We enjoyed cucumber sandwiches, lemon tea scones, delicious tea, and wonderful fellowship together! So thankful we were able to do this!! God has blessed Ellie (and myself!) with many lovely ladies in her life.

Baby Boy Phelps

2010-08-13T11:15:00.002-04:00

We are greatly anticipating the arrival of this new little blessing from the Lord! The pregnancy has been great and baby is doing very well. Due date is August 23rd and we are very excited about meeting this little guy!

Images of Summer...

2010-06-24T07:49:00.002-04:00

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."
Laura Ingalls Wilder

Cupcakes!!

2010-06-24T06:45:00.002-04:00

Elliana and I had a special time together making a visit to ToysRUs, and to GiGi's Cupcakes! We had such fun spending time together while Josiah stayed with his MiMi! Later that afternoon we met Daddy at the doctor's office for my 30 week visit. Everythings looks great and we loved seeing baby on the screen. Ellie was thrilled to get to go to my appointment and be involved in that. She already talks about her new baby brother and is so excited about meeting him soon!

MFW - G is for Goat

2010-06-24T06:37:00.002-04:00

We have had a fun time learning about goats and the letter G... but Mama hasn't done a good job of taking pictures! Here are a few...

You are amazing, God...

2010-06-24T05:57:00.003-04:00

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea

Creation's revealing Your majesty

Indescribable, uncontainable,

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.

You are amazing God

All powerful, untameable,

Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

St. George Island Trip

2010-06-24T04:41:00.004-04:00

We were so blessed to be able to spend a week at a Beach House in St. George Island, Florida with our family!! It was a fun-filled, memorable week and we all had a blast! The kids loved playing in the sand and finding shells, and the beach was absolutely gorgeous!

Summer Fun With Friends

2010-06-24T04:22:00.004-04:00

The kids absolutely loved playing in this Slip-N-Slide at our friend's house! It was so much fun!

Our Garden...

2010-06-23T20:16:00.003-04:00

Isaiah 58:11
And the Lord shall satisfy thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

Cute Little Turtle

2010-06-22T21:37:00.005-04:00

This little guy was trying to cross the road when we were coming home from the grocery store one morning! We stopped and "rescued" him!! The kids were totally fascinated and had so much fun playing with him. We showed Daddy when he got home from work, and then (very unhappily on Ellie's part!) released him back into the wild. Ellie was sad because she didn't think he would be able to find his mother and she "wanted to be his new mother!" :)

MFW - Insect Unit

2010-06-22T21:09:00.003-04:00

We really enjoyed the Insect unit in the My Father's World Kindergarten curriculum we are using for Ellie's school!! She has learned so much, and Chris and I have been so thankful for her teachable spirit. Our just-turned-four-year-old has started to read many things on her own and it is very exciting! She asks to do school time everyday (although we're taking it slow and doing Kindergarten in two years and just schooling two or three days per week). We are half-way through the curriculum now and excited about what Ellie has learned. For the insect unit we enjoyed setting up an ant farm... it was pretty funny that we were killing unwanted ants in one part of the house and feeding them in another! Josiah also loves joining in on the fun activities that we do and especially enjoyed the ants!

Mother's Day 2010

2010-06-22T20:57:00.003-04:00

What a special and memorable Mother's Day I had this year! Ellie and I sang a duet in church during the morning service that we learned together called "My Mother's Gentle Love" and she did such a wonderful job!! (I didn't get any pictures of this, just video!) We had a wonderful lunch at our house with my sweet in-laws and Chris' grandmother. The night before Ellie and I went to a Mother/Daughter Dinner at church with my mom and also had a special time togther. Chris and the kids gave me Starbucks gift cards and several (six!!) sweet cards! It was a wonderful day and I'm so thankful for my family!

Friends

2010-06-21T21:10:00.002-04:00

God has blessed us with many wonderful friends. What a blessing it is to get together for encouragement and fellowship! We are so happy they Ellie and Josiah have little friends to play with and pray that these relationships will grow and thrive as they get older!

My Little Homemaker!

2010-06-19T22:10:00.002-04:00

Ellie is becoming such a wonderful help to me in the kitchen! There are several jobs that she loves to do and actually does them well - chopping bananas for the freezer to use in smoothies, scrubbing potatoes for dinner, prepping squash and zucchini to fry, rinsing dishes... I am really amazed! My prayer is that in a few years she will learn to do many more things by herself and enjoy helping. Titus 2:5 talks about older women teaching the younger to be "keepers at home". I am thankful that my mother taught me these skills, and I am excited about teaching Ellie!

Mommy and Josiah Date!

2010-06-19T22:01:00.003-04:00

Ellie spent the day at Dollywood with Granna and Papaw, and Josiah and I enjoyed a fun morning together just mommy and boy! :) We went to storytime at the Library, did some shopping, rode the train at the mall, and met Daddy for lunch! Love my sweet little guy!

Playing Together

2010-06-19T21:53:00.002-04:00

Ellie and Josiah play so well together.... most of the time! :) I love watching Ellie's imagination run wild and Josiah joining in on the fun! They love playing with the laundry basket on laundry day... these particular times they used it to sit on and watch a video, and to pretend to go fishing like Laura Ingalls!

Elliana's Fourth Birthday

2010-06-18T22:43:00.003-04:00

Our precious Elliana turned four-years-old on April 20, 2010! She is one of the most wonderful blessings God has ever given to us! Her cheerful disposition, loving heart, hunger to learn about the world around her, and her spunky attitude brightens our day and brings a smile to our face! We love you, sweet Ellie Joy!!

Sweet Ones Ready for Church

2010-06-18T22:26:00.003-04:00

Took some pictures of the kids one Sunday morning. What precious children we have - I'm so thankful to the Lord for them!

Elliana Joy and Josiah Daniel

2010-06-18T22:18:00.002-04:00

This is one of my favorite pictures of the kids... dirty faces and all! :) It really captures their personalites!!

Planting With Daddy

2010-06-18T22:00:00.002-04:00

Ellie has especially enjoyed planting season this year!! It's been so much fun for her to help plant seeds and watch them grow. This is a sunflower that she planted and it is now taller than her! She was so happy to walk outside and find the huge bloom one day!

MFW - Octopus Unit

2010-06-11T22:20:00.004-04:00

Elliana and I enjoyed learning about the ocean during our Octopus unit for school time! She also learned all about the short vowel O sound. It is such a delight to hear Ellie sound out words - she is doing great! We read the book "A House for Hermit Crab" and enjoyed visiting the Pet Store to see a real, live hermit crab!!

Easter 2010

2010-06-11T21:54:00.003-04:00

Well, my camera officially died on Easter Sunday and I didn't get any pictures of the kids in their outfits. I did get some pictures of our Easter Egg Hunt and Dinner with family at MaMaw's farm, though! We had a wonderful time!

March Pictures

2010-06-09T23:22:00.003-04:00

The month of March we enjoyed getting outside and enjoying the warm temperatues!! Our garden planning started, and we loved seeing everything blooming and coming to life once again. We enjoyed trips to the zoo and park with friends, beginning our Ressurection Eggs in preparation for Easter, and starting some seeds inside the house. Elliana has learned so much in schooltime and is close to reading three letter words! We are very proud of her! Josiah is learning a lot too, and loves "singing" (humming, really!) the ABC song and several other tunes. He sporadically says different words and sometimes shocks us with his ability to figure things out (like opening things he shouldn't have!).

February 2010 Pictures

2010-06-09T23:10:00.003-04:00

I'm trying to catch up on my blog posts since I am SO far behind!! The month of February went by very fast. The first trimester of this third pregnancy was very draining. Most days we managed to accomplish the bare essentials (everyone dressed, fed, and dishes and laundry finished) and that was about it! :) Chris and I are trying to be more intentional about spending time with each child individually (especially Ellie right now), and she had a fun date out with Daddy, and a fun morning out with mommy by herself. Ellie also made her debut and sang "This is My Father's World" during a dinner at our church. We are hoping to sing together more as she gets older. With February weather also came lots of indoor playtime... (notice the tricycle inside!) and we made many blanket tents and even jumped on beds to get energy out!! Josiah is definitely to the busy toddler stage, and is 100% busy most of the time! Chris and I are continually amazed at how much our children are growing and changing. They bring so much joy into our lives!

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

2010-06-09T23:00:00.006-04:00

On Christmas Day, Chris and I were thrilled to share some exciting new to our children and families! WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER BABY!!! My due date is August 23, 2010 and we are having another little boy. Because I am typing this in June I can also share that the pregnancy has been great and baby boy is growing and developing right on schedule! He is a very active little guy, and we can't wait to meet him! God has truely blessed us and we're very excited about this new life He has given! Can't wait to post pictures and introduce everyone to our newest addition! :)

January 2010 Pictures

2010-06-09T22:47:00.006-04:00

We had several snows during the month of January and the kids LOVED the excitement of watching the snow fall and going outside to play! This past Winter was one of the coldest, snowiest, longest Winters I think I've ever been through! We spent a lot of time indoors baking, playing, and enjoying our school times together.

Christmas Day 2009

2010-06-09T22:29:00.005-04:00

Christmas Day was such a fun time for all of us! We enjoyed spending time with our family and seeing the delight on Ellie and Josiah's faces as they opened gifts!

Decorating at Granna and Papaw's

2009-12-24T06:35:00.004-05:00

We enjoyed a fun time of decorating at Papaw and Granna's house. Ellie was so excited to see all of Granna's ornaments, and it was fun to hear the stories behind some of them. Josiah was his very busy little self and tried to get into everything, of course! We also enjoyed roasting marshmallows in the fire place and having smores! So glad they waited for us to "help" with the decorations! :)

Photo Shoot - Mommy and Daddy!

2009-12-23T21:34:00.004-05:00

I was so excited that Emily took some great pictures of Chris and myself. I think they turned out great and I'm so excited to have them!

Photo Shoot - Elliana Joy

2009-12-23T21:19:00.001-05:00

Ellie had a lot of fun for the camera, although she didn't stay still very long!! I think these pictures really capture her fun personality.

Photo Shoot - Josiah

2009-12-23T20:10:00.003-05:00

Sweet Josiah was such a little ham for the pictures! He loved Emily and the camera!

Photo Shoot - Family

2009-12-23T09:19:00.006-05:00

Here are our 2009 Pictures.... I was very pleased with how they turned out! Our photographer, Emily, was so great! Check her out at The Preservation Ventures - she does great work! Enjoy!

Christmas in our Home!

2009-12-23T08:21:00.005-05:00

Here are some images from our Christmas season so far... candy making for the neighbors, decorating for Christmas, Christmas books... Love, love, love this season!

Tinker Toy Fun!

2009-12-23T08:16:00.003-05:00

Ellie and Josiah love Tinker Toys. They amaze us by what they are able to build and do with them.

Gingerbread House Party

2009-12-23T08:04:00.004-05:00

Elliana's cousin, Hannah, (and her mommy, Leanna!) hosted a Gingerbread House Party and we had a great time. Here are some pictures from the fun event...

Decorating Cookies with Friends

2009-12-23T07:58:00.003-05:00

We had a great time at our friends' house for a cookie decorating party. Here are a few pictures...

Decorating Cookies at MiMi's House

2009-12-23T07:47:00.003-05:00

We had a fun morning decorating cookies and trying to "help" with Mimi's Christmas tree. Later, we found Josiah eating the sprinkles off the table... then both kids joined in. Ellie was very excited about Mimi's "contivity" (nativity) scene. Christmas is such a fun time of the year!

SNOW!!

2009-12-23T07:39:00.002-05:00

We were thrilled that we had SNOW a few weeks ago!!! It didn't last long, but was beautiful while it was here. The kids absolutely loved it... the the "big kids" did too! :)

L- L- Leaf

2009-12-23T07:21:00.002-05:00

The leaf unit was also so much fun! We enjoyed learning about the letter L, reading about leaves, going on "leaf hunts", pressing leaves, leaf runnings, tracing leaves, making a crushed leaf picture... so many fun things to do with leaves. Of course, Josiah was close by in the pack-n-play or high chair listening in on things. This week, however, he managed to get out of his pack-n-play. What a sad, sad day!! :) Things will be much more exciting now that I can't put him in there. Ellie loved our leaf unit and we're excited about the next one already.

Thanksgiving Day

2009-12-23T07:13:00.002-05:00

Playing in the Leaves

2009-12-23T07:01:00.004-05:00

Granna and Papaw were having a leaf-raking day and asked the kids to come over to "help!" They had a blast and Papaw got some good pictures of them!

M- M- Moon

2009-12-23T06:46:00.003-05:00

The Moon unit was one of our favortites! We learned all about the solar system and the letter M.... and I had to remember that Pluto is no longer a planet! :) We were able to rent a few videos about the moon from the library, and so we watched "Little Bear Goes to the Moon" and wore our "space helmets" for that. We made "telescopes" our of paper towel tubes, we looked at the moon every night, Ellie got a solar system placemat to help learn the planet's names, we had moon-shaped pumpkin pancakes and put "craters" (choc.chips)in them, we made a moon picture, and we were planning a trip to the UTC observatory but on the day we could go it was rainy and cloudy. This unit was a lot of fun and we'll be talking about the moon all year long now! God's creation is so amazing.

First "Real" Haircut!

2009-12-23T06:41:00.003-05:00

We took Josiah to get his first "Real" haircut!! He has had several from his Mama, but I wanted him to get a good cut and also watch how they did it. He was very umimpressed, but stayed completely still so that Ms. Kim could finish. I was amazed by the little boy that came from underneath all the hair!

A Busy, Busy Boy!

2009-12-23T06:33:00.005-05:00

I have decided that I think the "terrible two's" are during the second year of life, from 12-24 months! :) Josiah is into EVERYTHING!! I'm sure that snapping a picture of the little cutie really discourages the behavior, doesn't it?? :) I also think though, that this time would be considered the "terrific two's" because it's so much fun to see them learning and discovering the world around them. They change so much during that short 12 month span. From being such a baby and still so dependent on many things, to a little boy who is becoming independent and able to do things for himself. I see the transformation a little bit more everyday and it is very exciting... and brings tears at the same time! :)

Ladies Tea at Church

2009-12-23T06:26:00.002-05:00

In October I was very excited to help a friend of mine plan a Ladies Afternoon Tea at our church. The ladies loved it, and I think were very encouraged by it. It was a refreshing time to sit and sip tea and fellowship with other ladies. Here are some pictures from the special event!

Bonfire Time!

2009-12-23T06:18:00.002-05:00

We love having bonfires and had such a fun time at Chris' mom and dad's house this past Fall. Sitting around the campfire is always such a fun time, and Marilyn always makes some delicious food to go with the hot dogs and roasted marshmallows. We look forward to this every year!

A- A- Apple

2009-12-23T06:06:00.004-05:00

Elliana has had a hunger for learning ever since she was just a toddler. When she came to us and said she wanted to learn how to read, we decided to go ahead and start her with a reading program. The more we looked into the different curriculum choices we decided we really liked a unit study/literature-based approach and that would work well with Ellie's learning style. We have enjoyed using "My Father's World" curriculum. Ellie is doing very well, and has enjoyed it much more than I thought she would! We have school-time three days a week, and it takes us close to two hours to get through all the curriculum. When we're finished Ellie says... "Oh, do we have to be done with school now?" I am so happy she loves learning, and pray that this continues as she gets older and we move forward with homeschooling. I'll try to post our pictures from each unit. I missed the first couple of letters, because my camera was broken and I didn't get any pictures! Oh well... we have the memories, I guess! :) During our "A unit" we learned all about the short vowel A sound, ate lots of apples, read lots of Autumn time/apple books, and visited the Fairmount Apple Orchard on Signal Mountain with MiMi.

Grandmother Tea

2009-12-22T08:58:00.003-05:00

Ellie and I were so excited to host a special tea at our house... Mimi, Granna, MaMaw, and MaMoo came. We had tea and enjoyed a fun time together. Hopefully we can do this every year!

Virginia Trip

2009-12-22T08:38:00.005-05:00

We were excited to take a trip to Virginia to visit my grandparents, Nana and Poppy, and other family around that area. Chris had to work, so we were sad that he couldn't come with us this time. We had such a fun time and are looking forward to our next visit.

Birmingham Trip

2009-12-22T08:27:00.006-05:00

In September, Chris had an appointment with a liver specialist at UAB hospital in Birmingham. The visit went well, and we are thankful that we have our foot in the door there. Ellie stayed here with Mimi and Papa, and Chris' Mom and Dad were able to make the trip with us and help out with Josiah. That was a blessing, and we enjoyed their company so much. We were also able to spend time together and do some fun things as well.

County Fair

2009-12-22T08:24:00.004-05:00

We enjoyed a fun time at the 2009 County Fair. The kids love seeing the animals, and this year we were excited to see our niece, Katie, as she showed-off her horses and participated in her 4-H program. We looks forward to the Fair every year!

Happy First Birthday, Josiah!

2009-12-21T08:36:00.003-05:00

God has blessed us so abundantly, especially with giving us such a sweet little guy like Josiah. He daily makes us laugh, gives great hugs, loves his sister "Ana", and just brings so much joy into our home. Ellie wanted to give him a gift, so she found a box and filled it with things for him. We had no clue what was in it but when she presented it to him inside was his favorite pacifier, his curious george that he sleeps with, the car he always plays with, and a few other toys he really likes. She also got into my card box and "wrote" him a "birthday note!" Elliana is such a thoughtful big sister and Josiah was thrilled with her gifts... more than the ones we bought for him! :) We are anticipating this next year with Josiah, and know that God has great plans for his life!

Campfire in the Backyard

2009-12-21T08:31:00.003-05:00

This past Fall we enjoyed making campfires in our backyard. It gave us a chance to burn some of the brush we have accumulated, and the kids really enjoyed roasting hot dogs and marshmallows!! We used an old wheelbarrow and it worked really well!! I'm sure our neighbors thought we were crazy! Josiah wasn't thrilled to eat the marshmallows, but enjoyed getting his hands very messy and then running them through the grass... lots of fun to clean up!!

Wicked Step Sisters!

2009-12-21T08:27:00.002-05:00

I was excited to find out that the cast of "Cinderella" would do a short musical at the library. After church, Ellie and I headed downtown to see them and she was absolutely thrilled! Well, while all the other little girls were lined-up to have their pictures with Cinderella, Ellie said "Oh, Mama... Let's go see those wicked step sisters!"

Hiking

2009-12-21T08:18:00.003-05:00

We enjoyed a fun trip to the Pocket Wilderness Hiking area in Dayton on Labor Day. Elliana loves hiking, and Josiah enjoyed riding in the backpack, although I think Chris was pretty exhausted by the end of the trip! We enjoyed seeing a beehive, a "bear cave", a gorgeous area where the kids could wade, and God's amazing creation in general. What a fun day!

Shucking Corn With Papaw

2009-08-22T17:35:00.003-04:00

Tim (Chris' brother) brought a ton of corn to us and I was more than thrilled to realize that Ellie and her PaPaw shucked it while they were at their house one day!! Talk about a timesaver... shucking corn is not my favorite thing to do! Grana commented that Ellie enjoyed finding the worms in the corn... that is so like Ellie!

Friends...

2009-08-22T17:26:00.003-04:00

Here are some pictures from a fun evening at the home of the Mattheiss family. We had so much fun visiting with them and the Calloway family and can't wait to get together again! I love it when Ellie has a bunch of kids to play with... she had a blast!

How Does Our Garden Grow?

2009-08-22T16:14:00.006-04:00

How exciting it has been to begin gardening this year! We began planning our garden last winter and purchased heirloom seeds from Bakers Creek Rare Seed Company. We started our seeds inside the house in February, then in May we planted them outside in a raised garden bed that we made. Our goal was to do everything organically and we were able to manage that! We used all organic fertilizer and soil and no pesticides or chemicals. Chris made two huge rain barrels that are attached to the downspouts of our home so we wouldn't have to spend as much money watering. We have learned so much this year and can't wait for next year - already planning!! Squash, Zucchini, and tomatoes seem to be our thing as we have picked an abundance of them! We planted watermelon and cantelope and have harvested several and have many more left to pick... it's so hard waiting for them to ripen! We've also picked a good amount of okra. Our packed freezers are a testimony to how much God has blessed us through our garden this year! Thank You, Lord!

Seth and Lora

2009-08-22T15:48:00.005-04:00

Lora and Seth's engagement pictures were so adorable. They turned out great - thought we would share some of these with you.

Lora's Bridal Portraits

2009-08-22T14:49:00.004-04:00

I thought these pictures were so beautiful and decided to share them!! My sister was such a gorgeous bride!

Lora and Seth's Wedding Day!

2009-08-20T00:06:00.006-04:00

May 30, 2009 was their special day! We had such a fun trip to Winston Salem, North Carolina for the wedding. The wedding was at Calvary Baptist Church - a HUGE church! We found out that Gary Chapman, the author of "The Five Love Languages" is the senior pastor there. Too bad we didn't get a chance to see him! Poor Ellie - we swam at the hotel pool the night before the wedding, and she woke up with a rash on her face and neck from the sunscreen we put on her... her face was swollen, and it only got worse on the way home. She was so miserable, which is the reason we didn't get many good pictures of her! What a beautiful and memorable flower girl she was, though! I was honored to stand, along with my sister Shannon, as the matron of honor. Chris and I also had the priviledge of singing at the wedding, and it was an incredible experience for us. We are so excited for Seth and Lora as they begin their life together. We love you guys!

Our 6th Anniversary!

2009-08-19T00:28:00.002-04:00

The past six years have been such an adventure! I am so very thankful that God picked Chris to be the man I would spend my life with. I could not have found a more loving, silly, sincere, handsome, discerning, faithful husband. I've enjoyed watching him grow in the Lord and in his role as a father. Elliana and Josiah are so blessed to have such an incredible Daddy! God has truely blessed us and I look forward to what He will do in the coming years. Chris had a beautiful arrangement of flowers for me, and we went to the Blue Orchid Bistro - it was very good! We also enjoyed going to the Homeschool Conference looking at curriculum to use for Ellie... yes, I guess you can call that romantic! :)