Happy Thanksgiving

We had a busy but happy Thanksgiving Day and I hope you did too!!

I stayed up the night before making two huge green bean casseroles for the two meals we were attending. I ended up not feeling well and not sleeping well the night before, but all in all, it was a great holiday.

My husband's grandmother lives on a farm. Our little guy got to see a cow, a horse, a dog, and ride on a Power Wheels Jeep with another 2nd cousin buddy who is about to turn three. Then we went to my Mom's family get together just to say hello in passing (but not to eat again). Our little guy was most interested in playing football with the big boys! And he got to swing and try some home made pumpkin pie! He loved the pie!! Last, we went to a big family dinner on my Dad's side of the family. My Grandmother has 4 kids, 9 grand kids, and now has 4 great-grand babies and counting. We enjoyed seeing everyone. One of the cousins brought their new chocolate lab puppy and out little guy really enjoyed seeing him. They also had a pool table, which meant he got to play with a new kind of ball and they had a little in door slide! After eating WAY TOO MUCH through out the day... and seeing just about everyone who loves him... he was ready to come on home. We were all sleepy and it was not even 7pm yet. We watched some semi-cheesy, "B" Christmas movie, on ABC Family and then went to bed.
It really was a great day!!!

I have a post from last year's Thanksgiving that was crazy... Happy Thanksgiving ...because my little guy was a newborn and I did not have my act together. Read it when you have time. = )

I'll close this post with a list of
the things I'm very thankful for:
-that Jesus loves me and pursues me
-my husband and my sweet 15 month old son
-my family (as in my real family)
-my church family, alpha family, and mom's playgroup family
-the new found hope God has so faithfully renewed
-extra family time around the holidays
-being a mom
-great deals
-my 1st year of business
-God's faithfulness and constant provision

- Happy Thanksgiving -

My New Blog

Please visit my new blog site to see my 2008 season.

If you like what you see, you may choose to become a follower of th new AnnMadePhotography blog. ENJOY

boys against block towers

boys against block towers

Our son could become the new club leader!

my husband built the tall tower inside the gatemust knock down block tower

Victory!

Happy 15 Month Birthday!!

Happy 15 Month Birthday
sweet love


Month 14 Highlights:
-can point to all of Noah's animals correctly
-learning so much more from reading (a lot) with us
-you got taller
-2nd time in the Fall Costume Parade
-more discipline issues... testing and learning
-saying "no" a lot
-putting words together.... "no, take it out" "I get that" "I got car, vroom-vroom" "thank you" "that please" (said: "dat peas") "no that"
-size 18 mo clothes / size 6 & 1/2 shoes / still size 4 diapers
-the best toys are not toys: coat hanger, paint stick, plastic hanger, hair brush, cans of food, boxes, sticks, Daddy's big shoe, paint brush, mom's cell phone, and more
-first time on antibiotics (ear infection), sick this month off and on -- but all better now!!
-stayed home a lot more
-played on the back porch for the first time, hung light with Daddy, & read books with Mama on the little sofa
-no new teeth this month... still just 8
-Still nursing - Eating well most of the time: loves crackers (kak kak's), now eats cheese, still eats almost anything green but does not like things that are orange, loves spaghetti sauce, still likes Yo Baby and we've started drinking it thru a straw, loves an apple, but not cut up.... still loves black olives and cheerios!
-Entertainment News: introduced Winnie the Pooh & he likes it, got a new ELMO DVD from KK and he LOVES it... brings me the DVD box and kisses it and begs "peas, peas" to watch it 18x

My Pregnancy Journal

You are 15 month old tomorrow!

Here's a look back...

My Pregnancy Journal

View >>

I'm also posting My Pregnancy Journal from BabyZone.com in honor of our friends who just had their baby girl tonight http://thegladieuxs.blogspot.com/ So click on the link and read my journal and see my baby belly over a year ago!

Let me know what you think...

My odd week Update

For over a week now my son and I have been quarantined in our house. It was my choice to do so because he's been sick with RSV (an upper respiratory virus/wheezing) and an ear infection. It's our first time dealing with this... and he's been such a trooper. To add to the odd nature of the week, my husband ended up working from home all week too. We have had a lot of family time and we've enjoyed living in our pj's. He is doing better... I am just praying for complete healing and for the cough to GO! We were about to go crazy watching the same 4 or 5 videos over and over again. My sweet mom came by to check on us and brought a NEW ELMO DVD and really blessed our lives! We've now watched the new one at least ten times!! We worked on our porch some and babylove helped Daddy staple up some white lights that look so nice. He got so excited -- thinking he was helping. We have read all of our books over and over again because we have to sit down for about ten + minutes while doing the breathing treatments (three times a day). We have had to be creative about staying home and still enjoying life, so last night my husband made the empty Huggies box into a toddler train... and then, into a slide (there are some pictures of it below) and our little guy really liked that. We are ready to be 'all done' as my son would say, and to be totally well again. At least the low-grade-fever was gone after the first few days. Almost there. Jesus, heal my baby.

funny money

Hope... posted by YOU

Here are some of YOUR Hope Posts that have blessed my socks off when I really REALLY needed words of encouragement,... and stories of HOPE! Thank You!


1.) Good Mom, Bad Mom, Good Mom...
posted Oct. 8 by: It's A Wonderful Wyatt Life
2.) HE KNOWS HER NAME - KAIRA
posted Nov.3 by: OUT OF DEEP WATERS
3.) Onward to Becoming - Part 3
posted Oct. 28 by: Becoming Me
4.) 2 months=)
posted Oct. 19 by: letters to catherine
5.) Transformation.....
posted Oct 1. by: Life at K -Homes!

These are worth the time to blog around and check out!!

Hope... Even

when you can't see where your headed.
when the world seems uncertain.
when life is moving and you feel you don't have control.

(i shot this photo at Berry Patch Farms)
No matter who our next president is... No matter what is going on with the economy... No matter how stressed you have felt this past week...
Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
He is the one in our drivers seat and he is fully in control.

Post # 110

Hope, from a dear friend

One of my best friends sent an e-mail filled with words of profound hope. I want to share with my blogger world, in hope, that it will encourage you in the way it has blessed me.
Lamentations 3 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." 25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
Psalm 34 17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
2 Corinthians 4 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
You are such a special creation. God has blessed you with so many gifts that you have used for Him and that He will continue to use through you. I know that this season of being a mom is tough. It is a constant shaping of ourselves and a constant opportunity to serve. Be encouraged! He has loved you with an everlasting love!!! In Christ, Kelly

Thank you Kelly.

Fall Parade Photos

A Hope Post

I'm going to post a series of things on hope and encouragement as a Mother.
This one is from Pastor Mark Nysewander (the auther of No More Spectators, Spiritual DNA, and several other titles).

What is something in your personal life you hope will be different a year
from now?
Pastor Mark’s message this week about hope was taken from I Cor. 15: 20-28. In this massage,Paul gives us a picture of hope – a hope for the present as well as a hope for the future. No other religion has this kind of hope. How does hope (or the lack thereof) affect how we live? This passage is not the easiest chapter in the Bible to understand;so read through it, and then discuss these three statements about our hope.

1. We hope in a God of ever-increasing transformation.God is taking what we see now and in waves of transformation is making something new.Some people are hoping in escape–looking at creation and its problems and wanting to get away from it. However, God is not finished with this creation. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is testimony that God wants to bring heaven and earth together.Are you hoping for escape, or are you believing in transformation? How do your beliefs affect your actions, your marriage, your family, etc.? God wants us to believe Him for more.

2. We hope in a God of ever-increasing breakthrough. In v. 22-24,we see a series of resurrections.First is the resurrection of Jesus. Next is the resurrection of believers when Jesus returns.Then, there is the resurrection of the earth at the end of this age. Many Christians want to rely on themselves (through education, technology, etc.) for change in their own lives and in their communities.What do you rely on for change in your life? Are you depending on your education,accomplishments, or other people?

3. We hope in a God of ever-increasing partnership.God still wants people to have authority over creation.Some Christians want to let God do everything because they believe we’re not worthy to be involved (fatalism).But, God wants us to partner with Him. We must partner with God for our families, our church, our community, etc.This partnership gives us incredible hope! Do you see this kind of partnership in other religions? Why does God want to partner with us – why does He even bother? We have a God who deeply loves us – there is none like our God!

If you click the title of this post it will take you to an audio podcast of the sermon.

Happy 14 Month Birthday

Happy 14 Month Birthday

Month 13 Highlights:
-26.3lbs, 33", size 6&1/2 shoe (fully walking now & running!!)
-Lots of reading... The Going to Bed Book, Things That Go, ELMO, Noah's Crew Came Two By Two
-Lots of watching ELMO (we also watch Baby Einstein, Let's Make Music, & Winny the Pooh)
-Shots (yuck!!)
-More words and more communication
Cookie= Cook Cracker=Kak Kak Cow=Cah & Moo Owl=ahwl
and more... "all done", "up", "out"... Juice="Joo"...
(these are just the new words he's added this month to the ones he already had like "this", "that", "dog", "cat", "sock"...etc...)
-Loves learning about animals
-Good eater, kinda on a green food kick, still nursing
-Pumpkin Patch (it was fun to see you walk & point)
-Shakes head for "no" & "yes" (says "no" now too)
-Pretends to talk on Mama's phone
-Knows the points of his face and other body names
(eyes, nose, ears, mouth, tongue, fingers, toes, belly button, hair)
-Dances on cue w/ some new moves, including knee bending
-Stays in the nursery some/more now than than he had in the past & does well
-Very sweet personality... shares, thoughtful, compassionate, still does sign for "please"
-His favorite time of the day is seeing "Daa" at the door coming home from work
-LOVES to brush his teeth and LOVES the toothbrush from Grandma!!
-Loves bath time

Pumpkin Patch Pictures

Bonus Quirks

Bonus Quirks: Not that you wanted MORE... but I couldn't sleep last night so I thought-wrote a blog in my head. (you know you do it too!)

1.) Twirling my hair and often touching it to my lips.
2.) I strongly dislike feet. I don't really like my own and I don't want anyone elses' to touch me. I do not like to pick up dirty socks. If one drops from the pile, I'll use something else (a shirt or a towel) to pick it up with and tuck it into the pile. Especially if the dirty socks are moist... it kind of makes me want to throw up in my mouth a little bit.
3.) I almost always consolidate trash after eating or while cooking. If I'm at Chick-fil-A, I'll end up stuffing all napkins, sauce containers, straw wrappers, and any other trash into the bag that my sandwich came in. In middle school I would use the milk carton to stuff all of my trash into. My aunt remembers everyone waiting on me at Miss Winners because I had to carefully fold the hand wipe back the way it was before I used it and return it to it's pouch before throwing it away. I also do this with gum wrappers. I don't like things that won't fold, like my granola bar wrappers, so I am forced to tie them in a knot. I do this folding and stuffing without thinking about it. Clean up - Clean up.
4.) Cans... I'd like to post about Cans. (you know, food cans) My father writes the price he paid for that can, on the can, with a marker. He will use that price to bargain shop the same item once he uses it. My husband, on the other hand, washes every can before use. He fully believes that rats have run across the tops of all cans in a warehouse somewhere. He made me adopt the washing technique... a.k.a. his OCD quirk. But we have clean can lids!

Please read my original Quirk post below this one and Please leave a comment about which one is the quirkiest quirk.
Please read the folks I tagged who have also posted funny and odd quirks. (If you were not tagged and want to blog this, let me know and I'll link to you too.) Happy blogging!

My 6 Quirks

So I was tagged by KATIE to jump in on this blogasphereic ban wagon. The Quirks:

1.) I'm very odd about germs and I do things in certain ways to avoid germs. The quirk gets even more odd because I'm not consistent... it's more of an issues w/ public germs or other people's germs. I guess I"m Ok w/ my own?!! (See past blog post: Clean and Dirty
Is is just me?)
2.) Going natural. Ever since the day I saw two lines on the pregnancy test, I sought ways to be healthy and natural. I avoided toxins, ate well, and even changed the way I cleaned the house. I had a natural (non-medicated) labor with God's help! Now that I have him -- I try to be all organic with him and choose wisely. The quirk is a quirk even more, because it's only about certain things. I still allow myself to eat at Chick-fil-A!! (See past blog post: Be a Healthy Mom
What to Inspect When You're Expecting)
3.) My house plants have a personalities (yea, I know) and they have to be in certain places and can't be moved around because they like the amount of sun they receive where they are!!
4.) I like to be outside, especially when my son wants to play, but I don't like grass to touch my skin. Itchy!!
5.) I do not like turtlenecks and will not wear them. In fact I have an intense dislike for anything to touch my neck or to feel tight around my neck. I can't breath. But please don't use this information against me!
6.) I love hand-sanitizer, Neosporin, and eating breakfast cereal as often as possible.
Passing it on... Chip was already tagged... I tag
1.)Writefully So POSTED Quirks!!
2.)Zambia Mom
3.)Chronicles of a New Mom (who may not do this right away because she just had #2 - check out newborn photos)
4.)Wyatt Mom of 3 (who may not do this right away because she just had baby #3 - check out newborn photos)
5.)I should be doing laundry POSTED Quirks!!
6.)Mother to Many, Tammy POSTED Quirks!!
Link to me and Be sure to leave a comment when you stop by!