15 months

Dear Anya,
In two days you will be 15 months old!  You are such a joy to be around and make our family more adventurous, exciting, and fun!  Over the last two months you have started lots of baby talk.  You love to copycat us and put on shows for us.  You love clapping your hands, marching, dancing, and trying to jump.  It's cute to watch you spin in circles because you walk in a big circle, but we think in your mind it's a tight spin.  We love your cute smile with the wrinkled nose...and those teeth...and that gap.  TOO CUTE! 

Your favorite toys are your farm set, tower spinner that you put balls down, books, puzzles, and ball-shape sorter.  We can ask you to get us just about any toy and you will find it and give it to us (farm animals by name, balls, shape ball, baby, tractor, book, puzzle, the list goes on and on).  Even the little toys in your water table (bee, fishy, cups).  The other day I told you to "lift up the top of the toy box" and you started to lift up your shirt, because I always say "lift up your arms" when we take off your shirt.  I thought that was really neat to see you understand the words "lift up". 

Anya you are a bottomless pit.  You can eat literally all day if I let you.  When we go to the pool you leave the pool area and walk right up to strangers with food.  They probably think I never feed you!  It's hard to name your favorite foods because you seem to love and try just about anything (yogurt, cheese, crackers, PBJ, spaghetti, mango, avacado, black beans, cuties, grapes, watermelon....the list goes on).  Since 8 months you eat whatever we eat for dinner, which I think has helped you be such a great eater.  Lately you have started to feed yourself with a fork and spoon.  You love drinking out of mommy's straw water bottle. 

You are a great sleeper!  I think it is finally safe to say that!  You sleep from 6:30/7:00 pm until 6:00/7:30, straight through.  You have a morning nap from 9:00-11:00 and an afternoon nap from 1:00-3:00.  I am not kidding when I say you are a great napper and sleeper!  Maybe it's because you are SO active.  You do not to know how to sit still...sorry, you get that from me.  You have never watched a TV show in your life and would much rather play and engage in the world around you...which I love! 

In a week we will be going to your 15 month doctor appointment.  I can't wait to see how much you've grown over the last 3 months! 

Love you,

Mommy



Walk

It has been WAY hot here lately. It was nice to get out this morning before the 90s hit us again.   

 

Charlie Bear, Anya, and I went did our one mile route... with a little stop at our favorite spot.

 We are so blessed to live in such a beautiful community where there are streams, ponds, and swamps all around us. Anya enjoyed running after her brother puppy dog:-) Charlie enjoyed all of the fun new smells of the animals that live down by the pond.  I love watching these two together.

 We picked some wild flowers and grasses. 

 Anya loved her little piece of nature she brought home. 

Happy Birthday Josh!

On Wednesday Josh turned 29!  I still remember when we were in high school and I threw him a Hawaiian surprise party when he turned 18!!!  Too funny to look back at all of the birthdays we have shared together.  We were busy all week at our church VBS program HOT U so I kind of felt like we didn't get to celebrate.  Poor hubby kind of got gipped! Sad!  We did have family come over for dinner, but with being busy with the kids at church it just wasn't up to my birthday fun standards.  For those of you who don't know...birthdays are very important in my book and should be celebrated all week:-)  And for that very reason, I am going to re-celebrate his birthday this Sunday.  Here are some glimpses from dinner and dessert on his birthday. 

 Daddy loves watching his little "Birdie" open her mouth for his pie.  Too cute!

 He started to tease her...

Happy 29th birthday Josh!  I love you!

Happy 4th of July!

Anya's new favorite food....

Happy Independence Day!  Thank you God for blessing us with a FREE country. And for those brave men and women protecting our freedom, thank you for your service!

God bless America!

How are you celebrating?

S.I.X. Years

On this morning, six years ago I woke up to thunderstorms out my window.  The joy that filled my heart that morning will never be forgotten.  After years of waiting and waiting, I would finally be marrying my high-school sweetheart.  My best friend.  As much as I thought the weather on that day would matter, I realized when hearing the thunder that nothing could make that day less joyful and less wonderful to me.  To our surprise the sun did come out right after our ceremony, which made something (I think would normally be taken for granted) that much more special to see! 

I love you Josh!

Bragging about my sisters

Saturday was Tommy's graduation party, and Katie was in charge of the decorations.  This post was just going to be about the party, but then I thought about how much both of my sisters are amazingly talented.  So  I thought I'd introduce you to them.  And also share pictures from the graduation party.

Meet Cindy a.k.a. Cindy Lou Who...The middle child:

Cindy is a self-taught baker, cake decorator, and home DIY master.  This girl made her own wedding cake.  Really?  Yes, she is that amazing!  And it turned out perfect. She also made her own wedding bouquet too!  Which brings me to another talent...she could totally be a florist. 

I love her bouquet!

Aunt Cindy made Anya's yummy birthday cake!

She can cook anything and make it taste TO-DIE-FOR.  Her stuffed shells...my mouth is already watering.  Her and my brother-in-law just bought their first home and made some awesome transformations.  I never thought I'd see Cindy holding a power saw (I think that's what it was) laying wood flooring.  She continues to impress me.  

Cindy is the most compassionate person I know.  She cares deeply for those around her and shows Christs' love to everyone.

Now for the baby sis, Katie...a.k.a. Auntie Kates or Kid Sister (as Josh likes to call her)

Meet Katie:

Katie is a hair stylist ROCK STAR! She takes my hair from drab to fab everytime I walk into her adorable salon. No joke. I walk in looking like a lion and walk out looking like Carrie Underwood. Now if I could only borrow her arms to do that magic on my locks every day, I'd be set. Not only is she unbelieveably talented in the hair department, but she is a party planner extraordinaire! On Saturday she decorated for her BF Tommy's graduation party and it turned out so awesome. It was at a nearby park pavillion so the theme was rustic-shabby-adorableness.

Isn't she talented? 

She is so humble, you would never hear her admit it!  Everything you seen, she made...by hand.

Katie recently discovered a talent she didn't even know she had.  She makes unique and creative cakes... owls, football helmets, soccer balls, camp sites, whatever you want she will make.  I wonder what she will do for my birthday?  This was the owl cake she made for Tommy's birthday!

Katie is a true sweetheart.  She goes out of her way always to help others.  She is very dependable and loyal and the list goes on and on. 

God has truly blessed me with amazing sisters.  I pray that one day Anya will have a sister or two.

Decorating for the 4th

July is my favorite month, and I can't believe it is almost here!  I have been spending some of my down time crafting and decorating to make our home more festive. 

Welcome to my home!

I created a simple wreath for my front door.  A few years back I bought very cheap 4th of July fabric at Walmart.  I tore the fabric into long strips; tearing gives it a frayed look which I love.  I hot glued the fabric around a straw wreath I bought from Goodwill for $1.  Then I took white fabric and made rosettes and hot glued them on.  The twigs and berries were from a Christmas decorating I almost gave to Goodwill, but am so glad I didn't!  I like the organic feel the twigs give to the wreath.   

My fireplace mantel is my favorite place to decorate for different seasons and holidays because you see it when you first walk into my house.  The gumball machine was Josh's when he was growing up.  I love the red that it brings to this space.

I had leftover scrapbook paper from a Christmas pack that I used to make this simple banner.  I tied it together with scraps of red fabric. 

My lime green pillows needed a transformation for July...so I made easy- peasy
pillowcase slipcovers!

 Yes, I raided Anya's toybox for some blocks.  I don't think she minds if I borrow them for the month!  Fortunately they were all red and blue!  I just scuffed them up with sandpaper to make them look not so new.  Yes, I had to get creative with the "M".

 I love this printable "God Bless America...Land that I Love".  It went perfect in this frame my mother-in-law gave me.  My talented sister Katie made the book page flowers. Isn't she great?  I love them!!!

 Miss Anya Violet begged me to get a picture of her.  Eating cheerios and rocking in her chair...I love that girl!

Add some RED, WHITE, and BLUE to your home.  I dare ya!