A Window with a View

I can finally mark something off my "To Make" list! {My most sincere apologies to those of you who are waiting for something that is on that list... it might be a little while longer before it gets to you....} The weekend that Ben and I were in Oklahoma, we found this painting:

We had been looking for something for the kitchen/dining room wall and when Ben found it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond {on clearance, nonetheless!!}, he knew it was perfect... and I agreed! Especially since I wanted to go with a "persimmon" color for the accent pieces. However, finding curtains and a window seat to match was proving to be a daunting task. So, being the "do-it-yourselfer" that I am, I took on {yet another} project. And, finally, I can show it to you!

Oh, but first, look what I did:

I bent a needle! I can't remember the last time {if ever!} that I've done that....

Anyway, here's a close-up of the window seat - I've never done a project with so much cording or where the cording turned out so well... I'm happy to say that cording {handmade at that!} and I are now friends.

The picture makes it look far more orangey than it really is, but this is the best shot that I could get. The valance has pleats and inside the pleats is the same fabric that the seat is made from and the pillow is the same fabric that the cording on the seat is made from. I plan on making another pillow just like the one in the picture and then a pieced one with the scrap fabrics. {I ran out of cording or they would be in the picture too.} Yeah for being finished with the kitchen!

***

The post for the day would not be complete without a couple of Noah pictures... so, here's the messy little kid with his "war paint" on:

"Writing" on his high chair tray with his spaghetti.

If you look closely, you can even see the teeth that are giving us some trouble on the top.

Daddy's Toes

The kid has tons of toys and yet the one "toy" that keeps him laughing and entertained....

is Ben's toes.

Go figure.

Bedtime Indicator #1:

Noah starts "chewing" on his blanket.

Fun Times.

I know Buddy. I hate teething too.

Balloon Fest {and a little shopping}

On our way home from Best Buy tonight {see below for what we got!}, we stopped by the Big Country Balloon Fest at Red Bud Park. I've seen signs all around town that it was this weekend and all week I've been looking forward to going to the "balloon glow". It did not disappoint.

And, even though Noah was pretty tired, he was interested and wasn't cranky.

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In other news, we bought a laptop!

We've been wanting to get one so that when Ben goes TDY, he'll have access to a computer {especially now that he doesn't have one issued to him from the base AND since he'll be TDY for three weeks soon}. We've been keeping an eye out for a good deal and tonight, when we went to compare what we had found online with what was available in the store, we found a great deal! And what's even better.... no debt! ;)

Our Little Reader

We're not sure if he's trying to kiss Cookie Monster and Elmo or just eat them. Either way, he thinks this book is hysterical - every time!

Those Moms

I admit it. I'm one of "Those Moms". One of those moms that can't stand for her little one to touch anything that potentially has germs. One of those moms that always puts her child in a shopping cart cover. That at least wipes down the restaurant table with a diaper wipe {but wishes she could use a Lysol wipe} before pulling the {covered!} highchair to the table. That carries hand sanitizer in the diaper bag {and car and purse}. I'm sure you know at least one of those type of moms {I mean, if you are reading this you at least know one - ME!}.

Well, when we moved into our new house, one of my new "toys" was a carpet cleaner... I knew that by the time we moved in, Noah would be close to crawling and I couldn't stand to think of him crawling around on the carpet {especially since he tries to eat it} where people had been walking around with their shoes on! {I mean, seriously, think about it.... where all have your shoes been just today??} And, finally, today, I was able to use it for the actual carpet! I've used it a couple of times for the tile floor, but hadn't had the time to start on the carpeted rooms.

The carpet is new, so it's still "shedding"... I have a ball of it the size of a baseball... and that's just from a 5' by 5' area in the nursery!

Currently, I have half of Noah's room finished and half of our room finished... and once they dry, I'll do the other halves. So... just a forewarning... when you visit our new house, be prepared to take off your shoes! :)

P.S. To any of my friends who are "Those Moms" too, I highly recommend this carpet cleaner!!

Happy Fall!

Evidently camouflage pajamas means that Noah *thinks* he can't be seen when he tries to crawl into the kitchen. Good thing Mommy has eyes in the back of her head.

***

When Carol sent me this book, she {jokingly, mind you!!} said that she better see some finished products! I finished my first project from the book today and while there are a few mistakes, I think it looks pretty darn cute! It's called "A Squirrel's Best Friend". Pretty fitting for fall, don't you think?

And, unfortunately, I think he's getting to that "I-know-there-is-something-on-my-head-and-I'm-not-sure-I-like-it" stage.

Can I brag?

{Is it really bragging though, if you state the truth??}

I've joked before, that I've married my Daddy-Man - Ben is so much like him, in so many ways, that it's often uncanny {and some times a little weird}. And it's totally not a bad thing. Especially when he does something like this:

Tonight Ben installed our new range and we just love it! But the best part, was that Ben did it all himself and he even cleaned up the mess that was left by the previous owner behind the old stove. So not only is he an amazing Mr. Homeowner, but he's also really good at cleaning too!

I am one blessed girl.

New Things for Noah {and for Mommy and Daddy}

While we were in Oklahoma, Noah's Aunt KK gave him a Baby Einstein DVD {Baby Noah} and he loves it! We watched it together today and he simply loved the animals and songs! Thank you KK! And, Grandma Lucy sent him a fun little CD with songs that have his name in them... every time it said his name, he looked around for the person who said it! Thank you Grandma Lucy!

I also got something in the mail today:

My new Dave Ramsey wallet and coupon organizer - it brings together two of my favorite things: Financial Peace and the Grocery Game! For those of you who haven't ever attended this life changing program, we HIGHLY recommend it. We took the course before we got married. It completely changed mine and Ben's life and we believe that it has forever changed our family tree {even my parents and sisters have taken the course now}! We no longer carry debt {except for our home} and will be teaching our children to do the same thing. We live in financial freedom as a result!

And, one other new thing, this one is for both Ben and I.... the Wii is now hooked up to the Internet! If you have a Wii, email me and I'll send you our console number so that we can play games together online!

{Not Just} Another Monday

This little guy cracks me up every time I put him in the highchair to eat. His favorite thing to do, once he gets in it, is to stick his feet up on the tray:

We did way more things today than just eat, but I didn't take any pictures of those things! Hopefully I'll add some of them in tomorrow's post.

***

Welcome to the World Ethan Gregory! We're so happy you are here, cannot wait to see you, and simply cannot wait to see how you bless your Mommy and Daddy's lives!

Home Again

After spending the day in Oklahoma yesterday, Ben, Noah, and I headed back home early this afternoon so that we could attend our new small group in Abilene. But before we left, Noah took a quick nap in Aunt BB's and Aunt Jessie's arms:

{He's not loved or anything.}

He also loves Papa's ears!

We hope to see you again soon!!

A Day in Oklahoma

It's been a hard week. And this Oklahoma Girl seriously needed some family time as a result. {Not to mention I had REALLY wanted to go to OKC last weekend, but after the events of Saturday, we're glad we had changed our plans to this weekend.} Ben, Noah, and I arrived in OKC just after midnight and finally went to sleep around 3:30am {well, NOAH AND I went to sleep around 3:30am....}.

Since we likely won't be back up to OKC until after Halloween, Mom and Daddy-Man went ahead and gave Noah his Halloween basket {is that what it's called?}. He LOVED the ball and once he saw the book, he had a hard time choosing which to play with! Thanks Nana and Papa!

We also spent some time with Grami and Papa Snow... they came over for dinner and to love on their Great-Grandbaby!

We had a very good {and busy} day.

Mom took a bunch of really great pictures too, so, if she sends them to me, I'll add some more! {hint, hint Mom!!}

O-k-l-a-h-o-m-a

We're on our way to visit my parents... so I totally forgot to take any pictures!

I see you!

Tonight after dinner, while I was getting Noah's bath ready, Ben was keeping Noah very entertained... at one point, his face was red from laughing so hard!

{And yes, he's still wearing the same clothes that he wore to bed last night... }

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He's trying to cut his top teeth, and both of his bottom teeth are almost fully in!

9 Month Well-Baby Visit

Noah had his 9 month Well Baby visit today and we were in for quite a shock with his measurements! We had thought for a while that Noah was big for his age {afterall, he was HUGE at birth and has been growing as such}, but, well, his current percentiles say something different... he's now 17lbs 8oz {11%}, 27.5 inches long {31%}, and 18.5in head circ {96%!!}. Basically, he's just a skinny, somewhat average length kiddo with a big head. :) And, after expressing concern about his weight to the doctor {I LOVE his new pediatrician!}, he said that there was no need to be worried, that it was likely that he's just bound to be a skinny kid - which we are not complaining about!

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And, look at what his new favorite thing to do is:

That's right, the kid is pulling himself up to standing! Most of the time he just goes to his knees to reach what he wants, but sometimes he decides that he wants something bad enough to pull up all the way.

He's just so proud of himself! {And we are too.}

A Game of Cat and Mouse

Noah's favorite thing to do: drop things and wait for Mommy to pick them up. He dropped his sippy cup, his toys, his puffs, his chicken, his yogurt melts... you name it, he dropped it today. I just thought everyone could use this little laugh today. :)

***

We're all doing better around here - as much as can be expected.... thank you to everyone for your outpouring of love and support through your emails, phone calls, and comments. It means so much to us.

Uplifting.

I thought today was going to be a very difficult and hard day. And, to a certain extent, it was. The morning was filled with calling our lawyers and home study agency, {re}explaining the events of the weekend {meaning: tears} and asking the question, "Where do we go from here?" {meaning: more tears}. It's a hard question to ask and to answer, but at the same time, it's a necessary one. {And, for those of you who are wondering, here's our {current} plan: finish the home study, pray, and wait. We're not expecting her to change her mind, but we want to be prepared just in case she does or if another opportunity to adopt presents itself. The home study is good for a year and then only needs updates after that.}

The afternoon, however, was pretty good. Noah and I met Ben on base and we ate lunch together. Seems perfectly mundane, I'm sure, but it was pure bliss and exactly what I needed - a little uplifter. We were even able to share some of our food with Noah... he loves french fries and chicken nuggets now-a-days.

And in the mail, was another little uplifter: a package from my mother-in-law, Carol. She had found the most adorable little jean jacket for Noah and a perfect crochet book for me. At the time she mailed it, she thought she was mailing it "late", but really, it arrived just in time. I'm already looking through the book and my yarn stash to decide what to make first. Thanks again, Carol, for everything! ;)

And then, after dinner, we went to GroupLink at Beltway Park in hopes of finding a{n uplifting} small group to get plugged into. We loved our old one and we know that we need the fellowship of other like-minded believers. It was kinda neat, the way it worked - they had the worship center set up like mini-living rooms {complete with couches, coffee tables, and even lamps!} and the small group leaders are just sitting around, waiting for you to come talk to them. It's a great and easy way to find out if the dynamics of the group are what you are looking for/needing. We sat down to talk to a leader at one group and as soon as she said, "No kids", we said, "See ya!" However, we think we've found a great group of young marrieds and we mesh well already with several of the couples. The funniest part is, that with the addition of our Noah, there will be three kiddos named Noah in the group!

Comfort Things

Some things just make me feel better, things like:

* Talking with my family on Skype first thing in the morning {Happy 50th Birthday Momma! We can't wait to see you and hope you enjoy your train ride!!}.

* Coldstone Ice Cream and The Office with my hubby.

* Noah's excited face when I picked him up from the church nursery.

* Spending extra time with my favorite boys.

Decisions.

Just when we had made a decision on Baby #2's name, the Birth Mom made another decision... the decision to parent. She just called this morning to let us know. We're heartbroken. And while we know it's her decision to make, it still doesn't make it any easier. We know that while she could possibly change her mind again, we're not holding out hope. We know that we're amongst the lucky few that already have a baby to hold, but it still hurts knowing that we were going to have two. We're going to go ahead and complete the home study {we've already paid for it}, and perhaps talk to the lawyer about other options {since we've also already paid a non-refundable retainer}. Just please be praying for us and please continue to pray for her.

The Office

Since we don't have the cable set up yet, Ben and I have been enjoying watching episodes of The Office on DVD. We've watched at least one episode each night! It's become apparent that Noah likes The Office too....

{Sorry that it's sideways!}

A Moment of Silence.

No pictures today.

Nine Months Old.

Happy Nine Months Noah!

You are growing up so very fast!

***

I didn't take Noah's nine month pictures today because, well, of this:

This afternoon, while playing, Noah fell over and bumped his cheek on the coffee table. He cried, I cried, and 10 minutes later, after we both stopped crying, he had this little red mark on his cheek. I know he is a kid and a boy and that this is going to happen, but when it's the first time and Mommy feels like it's her fault {I knew he was too close to the table and that I hadn't put the other pillow back}, Mommy guilt is bound to take over. So, I'll take his nine month pictures in a couple of days.

***

Things You enjoy doing at nine months:

* Eat some table foods, like french fries and chicken. {He hates mashed potatoes though!}

* Beginning to crawl, but still often prefers to roll, to his desired destination.

* "Read" books.

* Trying to pull up to standing.

* Watching "The Office" DVDs with Mommy and Daddy:

The Funniest Baby Ever

Look what he started doing today:

Our favorite part is when he trys to carry Ben's slippers in his mouth!!

The Case of the Missing Flowers

Yesterday I recieved an email from Brenda, Ben's Dad's wife, asking if we had recieved the flowers they sent us last week. Umm... no. No flowers around here. I let her know that we hadn't recieved any flowers. Then, this morning, our next door neighbor dropped off a box from FTD. FedEx {and we ALL know about my love/hate relationship with FedEx} had delievered the package to our neighbors who have been out of town for the past 10 days! I guess the only FedEx guy that delievers packages properly is my uncle!

Thank you for the flowers!!

Still unpacking...

I'm still unpacking boxes... and it's partly because of this little cutie here:

He's just so darn adorable that I can't help but stop what I'm doing and take a picture or play with him! At this rate, the mover's will be here to pack us up for our next move before we get everything out of the boxes!

Breakfast with Noah

This is how our morning routine goes:

Noah plays while I make my coffee and gather whatever it is that he is going to have for breakfast. I scoop him up, put the happy {though sometimes crabby} kiddo in his highchair and he {generally} scarfs down his food. This morning, he had a couple bites of a cereal bar, a handful of puffs, and half a tub of fruit. We also practiced with the sippy cup. And then, he lets me know when he is finished by eating his clothes {or bib} instead the food.

Then it's either off to his nap or off to whatever errands we need to run!