What these two have been up to!

I just love these two crazy kids. And they love each other. Melt. My. Heart.
We have been busy bee's lately with homeschooling and church activities and the like. Kyley's been working hard on learning to read and is loving MATH in school. She MUST be her daddy's child. She starts ballet again this week and she cannot wait to see all of her friends and teacher. She's also been working hard on the drama for church that the BOMB drama team is performing in big church this week! I can't wait to see them! They performed it (while missing a few kids) last night at CiCi's pizza and did a great job! She loves playing outside and is so excited that the weather is cooling down so we can go out more often without sweating to death or being eaten alive by mosquitos!

Elijah is pure BOY! He loves all things guns and cars. He got new shoes this weekend (thanks grandma!) and they have Lightening McQueen on them and he loves them! We are working on potty training but so far we are slow going. He knows when he has to go, but getting him to the potty on time is almost always a fail, and he will NOT use it if I just sit him on it ever so often, even with bribing. He's stubborn but that's ok! This kid can talk your ear off if you let him. My favorite things to hear him say are "looove looo" and "walk away." He's recently spent a lot of time telling Kyley to 'stop it sissy!' and 'SIT DOWN' is another favorite. 

We had a WIC appt yesterday and Elijah is now 32 lbs! and Kyley is 43 lbs! (she's not technically on wic but she got to get weighed to show Eli how to do it haha) They are both growing so fast!

Kyley is counting down the days until her birthday and Christmas. She can't wait for more than one reason. She's excited about being six for starters, she cannot wait to be a "big girl" and not five anymore.  But also she is looking forward to her Uncle Jared coming home, anytime we talk about Christmas she gets excited that he'll be home (he's in the AirForce and we get to see him about once a year).

I can't believe how big and smart my babies are getting! Someone make it slow down!

Milestones in a girl's life.

My baby is growing up way too fast.

Last night I took her and she got her very own library card, and checked out her first books all on her own.

She picked out some princess books and some fancy nancy first readers. Then mommy helped her pick out a fun book about nouns to use with our schoolwork this week and next.

I'm looking forward to many more trips to come and fostering her love of reading more and more through this!

14 weeks!

How Far Along: 14 weeks

Size of baby: Your baby is 3.42 inches (8.7cm) long and weighs about 1.52 ounces (43 grams) - approximately the weight of a letter!

 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: none

Maternity Clothes: trying not to wear them, but I've pulled a few things out.

Gender:well... it's too early to know for sure :)

Movement: Feeling a few more rolls than last week, but nothing significant yet. 

What I miss: I think it's finally hit me that things are getting real. eek. overwhelmed.

Sleep: some nights I sleep well, others not so much.

Symptoms: stuffy nose and a few aches here and there, nothing major. Still a bit nauseous here and there.

Best Moment this week: not really sure

What I am looking forward to: the kids and Derek being able to feel the babe move and it becoming more real

13 weeks!

 Ok, because Jen mentioned this on last weeks post I felt like I needed to "preface" this with the fact that under the "size of baby" answer, I typically copy/paste the short paragraph on size that week from a parenting website so the fact that I used the words "Junior" and "he" last week have no indication of what we are having.  Just so ya know :) (and the fact that it says "she" and "her" this week is totally not indicative either, just copying from babycenter.com

 

How Far Along: 13 weeks

Size of baby: Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: none

Maternity Clothes: trying not to wear them, but I've pulled a few things out.

Gender:well... it's too early to know for sure :)

Movement: Feeling a few more rolls than last week, but nothing significant yet. 

What I miss: not having a stuffy nose. yikes. I can't breathe!

Sleep: some nights I sleep well, others not so much.

Symptoms: eek my hips. ok but I think thats an alignment thing and not a baby thing.

Best Moment this week: Elijah kissing my tummy <3

What I am looking forward to: the kids and Derek being able to feel the babe move and it becoming more real!

3 weeks in.

 (this post contains no pictures *gasp*)

Homeschooling that is.

We are officially done with our 3rd week!

The first week was rough. On both of us.

I think we just needed that week to get used to the idea of working together to make this work.

The first day was the worst. I literally cried and asked God why on earth we came to this decision.

Thankfully, it HAS gotten better.

As the first week went on, we got more and more in tune with how we wanted things to work.

The second week was awesome. We didn't have any meltdowns, nor did we have any days she ended up in her room for lack of patience on my part for her attitude. (I'd call that a VERY good week!)

This week has been more of the same. We've been trucking through and learning a lot about each other and how this dynamic is going to continue to thrive.

I've finally found an efficient place for her to work without Elijah distracting her. She gets distracted sooooooo easily.  We've set up our own little corner in my bedroom away from him and his toys where we retreat to when we are working. He definately still comes in and out but it's not the constant distraction of being in the same room constantly. (and of course I still go and make sure he's fine throughout this time, I don't let him just fend for himself)

Anyways, so as far as everything else, we are working towards putting some field trips together with some friends who are homeschooling as well. I cannot wait to delve in deeper and continue to watch Kyley learn and grow! 

part 2

To be salt and light.

Matthew 5:13-16 (Amplified Bible)

     ¹³You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality), how can its saltness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.

    ¹⁴You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

    ¹⁵Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.

    ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men that they may see your  moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.

12 weeks!

How Far Along: 12 weeks!

Size of baby: Junior has doubled in size over the past two weeks and now weighs almost ½ ounce. He's also now around 2 ½ inches long, about the length of your pinky finger or a Vienna sausage, which, in a few months, will be indistinguishable from one another.

 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: none

Maternity Clothes: trying not to wear them, but I've pulled a few things out.

Gender:well... it's too early to know for sure :)

Movement: I can feel the babe roll around ever so often but not more than once a day so far. 

What I miss:feeling good!

Sleep: some nights I sleep well, others not so much.

Symptoms: Slowly coming out of the first trimester fog. Thank you Jesus!!! I have a little more energy and am only nauseous periodically instead of all day long.

Best Moment this week: Being able to start to feel little flutters even though I know it'll be weeks before I feel anything consistant.

What I am looking forward to: feeling little sweet pea move and having a baby bump instead of chub hehe

His mercies are new...

my boys

I love these two silly boys.

9 weeks

How Far Along: 9 weeks!

Size of baby: Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months.

 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: none

Maternity Clothes: trying not to wear them, but I've pulled a few things out.

Gender:well... it's too early to know for sure :)

Movement: I've felt a flutter or two but not every day or even every other day. and only once or twice.

What I miss: feeling the need to lose weight.

Sleep: some nights I sleep well, others not so much.

Symptoms: I'm still exhausted. I'm not as nauseous as I was even into last week but still having some nausea everyday.

Best Moment this week: Being able to start to feel little flutters even though I know it'll be weeks before I feel anything consistant.

What I am looking forward to: feeling the babe move and feeling like the weeks aren't dragging by so slowly!

8 weeks!

I'm hoping to do one of these posts every week until I deliver...  so here goes the first!!

How Far Along: 8 weeks!

Size of baby: By now, your baby is really using his bean - his brain is developing connections and, speaking of beans, he is now about the size of a kidney bean.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: none

Maternity Clothes: trying not to wear them, but I've pulled a few things out.

Gender:well... it's too early to know for sure :)

Movement: again, too early.

What I miss: eating normally

Sleep: I get up about 3-5 times per night.

Symptoms: Extremely tired and nausea most of the day still.

Best Moment this week: Today! Reaching 8 weeks!

What I am looking forward to: March!

a lot of news...

I have been such a terrible blogger.

 There are plenty of excuses I could throw out there but truth is, I just haven't known what to blog about recently. Not a thing has felt "right". So, I've remained silent.

July was full of craziness. We were mostly busy getting ready for VBS and there was about 2 weeks where at one point or another we were all sick. We are finally getting back to normal around here. Well as normal as things can get with all the changes going on in our lives!


I'm stoked, that as of this week I am now officially going back to children's ministry! It's been a long time coming, and I wish I could share the whole journey but I just don't need to write it all out here.

By the end of this month, I  plan to be in full swing with the homeschooling as well. I still have a lot of prep work to do, so I have to get on the move with this.

This week, Derek and I celebrated our 7th anniversary! I'm so excited about the things God has in store for us this year!

And for those of you who don't already know this (though I'm sure most of you do)  We are going to welcome a new addition in our family in MARCH :)  We are super stoked about this and know that this is a huge blessing to our family. God is working indeed.

Anyhow. I leave you of a few pics of the baby giraffe I snapped this weekend while Kyley was feeding her. :)

Dragonfly

So I saw this little beauty on my candle off my front porch and thought of Courtney.

Cowboy Elijah

*disclaimer: This post was not purposefully placed right after the last one. My kids just afforded me that opportunity with their cuteness*

Cowgirl Kyley

My little cowgirl :)

Guess Who!?!?!?!?!

Guess who is now officially pap-pap free!?!?!?!?!

We've been 5 whole days without it so far and not a complaint!

A mini shoot with Kyley & Lily

So, Saturday evening we spent some time playing at my mom and dad's house since Michael & Amy and the kids are in town for a few days.

We hadn't been there long, when I heard Lily run up to Kyley and say... "Kyley! Come over here and let your mommy take a few shots of us" lol

It was too cute NOT to take them :) So here are some of my faves. :)

A boy's gotta do, what a boy's gotta do!

Apparently, Elijah was hungry.

Derek and I were out back working in the yard, and on the deck. Elijah was sleeping, and Kyley was playing outside with us. Next thing I know, I see Elijah walk across the kitchen with a bowl. Ok no problem.

I go inside a few minutes later to this.



Apparently, he was hungry. And took matters into his own hands.

Summer Fun

Last week we went to the spray ground with the kids and my niece and nephew.

This is Kyley



Elijah






We saw these people let off these balloons so I snapped a pic



Parker



My brother Michael



and my neice Lily