"Big" Bunny...

Sawyer often carries around a small pink bunny (actually it's a bear in a bunny suit) which we have lovingly named "crazy bunny." However, there's a new bunny in town.
Preston went out to his friend Jason's house last week, and his mom, Debbie, gave Sawyer a new bunny rabbit, and it has such a sweet little face! It's much bigger than "crazy bunny," but she still manages to drag it all over the house wherever she goes!
As for other Sawyer news...Ive decided it's getting very close to potty-training time. She is showing some pretty clear signs of being ready, so yesterday we went to buy a new potty chair (and stickers to decorate it!), some big girl undies, and mom chipped in on the effort with a new "potty-time doll" which actually goes to the bathroom! The things toy-makers come up with...
Tomorrow, Sawyer and I were supposed to be going to the the zoo on one of our church play-dates, but the weather isn't supposed to be great (bummer) and she's already got a little bit of a cold. Hopefully, we'll get some more nice weather sooner than later!

Cant Believe I Forgot to Mention This....

I can't believe I forgot to tell you this in my post earlier...
Today, I had to pull another "mission impossible" stunt. It's true, I locked myself (along with Sawyer) out of our home once again. I tend to think I'm not at all a forgetful or "scatterbrained" person, so I don't know how this keeps happening to me! My theory: I think when you have a child you lose a small portion of your brain. I'm my case, it was the part that helped me to remember the small things, like for instance, my house key. I had taken it off my key ring yesterday, and so when I left the house today then came back home to get in, I was locked out, because I'd forgotten to put it back on last night.
I discovered we were locked out 10 minutes before Sawyer's nap time, so this of course made me freak out even more...I'm all about keeping schedule. But what really did it for me, was that there was NO ONE who had a spare key! So I'm running around my house to all the doors like a mad woman, and Sawyer is patiently standing on the side porch eating away at her pretzels. I'm praying OUT LOUD, "Please, give me a way in, Lord! PLEASE don't let this happen today!"
The previous time we had locked ourselves out we had to break open a basement window to get in, which was very messy business. I seriously would have broken it again, but I didn't have a key to our shed either, so I had NO WAY of using something to bust it open. So, I started barely pushing on the edge of the window, and all of a sudden, it just popped open! Now, I just had to climb through, which, guys...I'll admit, It wasn't a pretty sight. At least I didn't have to replace yet another window! All is well...but Preston will still have to put that window back up when he gets home later!

Lots of things to tell...

Yesterday was the BIG day...Preston and I officially put our home on the market! My sweet family came over AGAIN to help us finish some small projects we needed to get done before we put it up for sale. We got all the outside doors re-painted, and the basement is clean and in order (thank you Mamaw, for slaving away down there for so long! And of course for making time to take a break and play with Sawyer in her bouncy for a while!) There are still a few things left to do, but nothing huge. We're excited to see what happens...and if nothing happens, well, that's okay too. We put our sign in the yard last night, and of course Sawyer wanted to get in on the action, while wearing her "Elton John" glasses (as you can see in the picture...I'll never know why she likes walking around wearing those things.) She just wanted to be a big girl and walk around holding it! She's quite independent these days...well, except when goes to church nursery. However, HOPE is on the horizon! Yesterday, I began my women's Thursday morning bible study at church, and I was getting really anxious because I knew I would be leaving Sawyer in the nursery for TWO HOURS. Normally, I would have just not signed up for something like that because I'd have to leave her, but I knew I needed be there, so I decided (with much encouragement from other women) that I wasn't going to let her "nursery meltdowns" hinder me from being where I should be. The days leading up to Thursday I prayed so hard that she would be okay, and if God wanted me to be there that He would make it alright for Sawyer. So, Thursday morning rolls around and when we walk in church she starts crying, like she does every Sunday morning for the past 3 weeks, because she knows whats coming next. I told her calmly that I was coming back to get her in just a little while, gave her a kiss, and then quickly handed her over to the nursery worker. When I was walking down the hall to class, I could still hear her screaming, so I was just waiting all through the study for them to come and get me because she was so out of control.
But you know what happened? Nothing. She did great! After class was over I went to get her, and when I peeked in her room she was sitting there at a tiny little table with about 8 other children having a snack! The workers said she did "tremendous!" They told me it only took her about 10 minutes to calm down, and then she played the rest of the time! Praise the LORD! God answered my prayers, and I left church feeling so thankful, encouraged..and of course proud of my Sawyer-girl!
Tonight, Preston and I are planning on going to a small get-together at a couple's house from our new Sunday school class. We'll be having dinner there, and then the girls are all going to a kids consignment sale while the men stay home and watch the kids for a little while. Hopefully there will no no major catastrophes! I made chocolate covered strawberries to bring, and they turned out yummy. Preston actually helped me make them last night...he's a wonderful assistant chef!
Lastly, I had posted a few days ago my dread over Sawyer's shots she was going to get at her well check-up with the pediatrician. It turned out she only had to get one shot, which was bad, but not horrible. She was such a little trooper. The visit mainly consisted of them checking her cognitive skills, asking her to do certain tasks. Later that day she kept saying her leg hurt, and she was limping around a little, which was pitiful, but overall it went well! Okay, so I'm not big on bragging about my kid, because honestly, I don't like it when other people do it, but I have to say this one thing...Her doctor said that she was "significantly advanced" for her age. She said she couldn't believe how articulate she was...and of course, those things make EVERY parent as proud as a peacock!
This must be the longest post in the history of blogs, so I'm going to go now. I have so much to do in the next few hours! I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL weekend!!!

Reminiscing....

I posted these pictures for one reason only...I LOVE THEM.



I have HUNDREDS (probably thousands) of pictures of Sawyer, and these are just a few of my favorites. Isn't she sweet? I like to look back at her when she was "little" and see how much she's changed...God gave me such a precious baby girl.
(Notice in the last picture her cute "bubble horns" I gave her while she was taking her bath...this is when she was still small enough to bath in our kitchen sink!)

Spring Cleaning...and Docter Appointments

First off, let me say that the day before yesterday I read the post my husband added last week, and how sweet is he? I'm so blessed to have him...I just love that man.
Today was FULL...
Mom, Mamaw, and Papaw surprised me and came over to help me start on my Spring cleaning...a big job! I also decided (a couple of weeks ago, actually) to re-paint our living room, so we also got that accomplished! Dad came over and got Sawyer for a few hours and took her to the park while we worked (another beautiful day) and that was of course a HUGE help! I'm SO tired tonight, but we got so much accomplished. I cannot even tell you how much I appreciate my family, and all the help they give us. They are so precious to me, and I don't know what I'd do without them.
Tomorrow is another full day, but with doctor appointments. Sawyer's dreaded well-check with her pediatrician...which means...SHOTS. UGGGHHH. I absolutely hate it every single time she has to get shots, and the worst part is that is NEVER gets easier. It actually gets harder the older she gets, and I feel like she's looking at me thinking "why are you sitting there letting them do this to me?" I know we have to do it, but I don't like it...AT ALL. Wish me luck. Later tomorrow Mom is watching Sawyer, because I have a chiropractic/massage appointment. The rest of our week will also be pretty busy...but we have a bunch of fun stuff to do too!

My Second Blog.....

Well, it's late and I haven't blogged in some time so I figured my wife blogs about me and our little girl so much, that I need to blog about them some.

The reason for this particular entry is due to the fact that I have the BEST wife in all the world. She is perfect for me. The one thing that is hard though, is to NOT take her for granted sometimes. Every day she does so many things that I do and don't see, that make our family run smoothly and without fail. Sometimes when things are so easy and they "just happen", you forgot that somewhere, someone has made sacrifices and worked hard to get it to be that way. Within our family, that someone is my wife, Erica. Lately, it has been me forgetting that without my wife, 100 percent of what goes on around here would never get completed without her focusing day in and day out on all that she has to accomplish. I am not sure why it is so hard for me to keep her hard work and dedication at the forefront of my mind, but sometimes I just screw up. The only reason I say all this, is to point to Jesus Christ. He has created me, forgiven me, and freed me from the bondage of sin. He also is working in me to be a better husband, but sometimes the flesh messes up, saying and doing things that are not Christ-like, and seeming to be only for selfishness sake. My wife has helped me through the roughest and best of times, but without Christ, I would not be able to look at her and say "will you forgive me"? I hope that she knows that I love her more than any other person on this planet, and that she is the only person for me, because God created her with me in mind.

So, I say all that to say this: I love Erica. I love her with all of my being. I love her in a way that few people ever experience, and whats better, she loves me in a way that only God our father could dream up. I am eternally grateful to her for hard work and sacrifice, and for her willingness to do whatever it takes for our family to succeed. She is the glue that binds us together as a family,and did I mention she is an awesome mom. Sawyer loves her mom so much that sometimes it amazes me. I never knew that a nineteen month old could love someone that much, but I remember, that it is my wife who has nurtured that relationship to this point.

My wife and daughter are both the best things that God has given me, second only to my salvation. I just pray that one day, I can be to my wife, all that she is to me, and that I can show her the most awesome love she has shown me: a love without fail.

Erica, I love you, always and forever.

A Big Imagination...

So, its completely true when they say that you could buy your child the most expensive toy ever, but they'll probably still just want to play with a piece of Tupperware! Children have such big imaginations, and I learned this first hand when I gave my daughter the empty box our new printer came in. She smiled so big you would have thought I gave her a million dollars...and then she proceeded to play with it for what seemed like at least an hour! I mean, it was like the best toy I'd ever given her. So far, she has called it her "horse," "tub," "bed" and "boat." Who knew a cardboard box was so functional! We gave her the "beloved box" 4 days ago, and it's still sitting right next to her toy bin in our living room...we can't bear to part with it yet...it's just too much fun.
Our church's Women's Conference was AMAZING! I was so glad I was able to go, and it was SUCH a blessing to be around so many SWEET, GODLY WOMEN. It just makes me really happy, thankful, and proud to be a part of a church has those kind of women. Heather Payne (former member of the christian group Point of Grace...she just retired from the group this year) is a member of our church, and she lead much of the conference. She did a beautiful job speaking, and especially singing! Heather has SUCH an incredible voice, and if you've never heard of Point of Grace (I'd be surprised) you've got to give them a listen. They're awesome! We had a wonderful time meeting new people, getting to talk with friends, learning, eating, laughing, and fellow shipping with each other. Probably one of the neatest things I heard about at the conference was that our preschool program is going to be having "preschool play dates," throughout the summer once or twice a month. They will be having days at the zoo, picnic lunches at the park, water play days, and inflatable bouncer days at the church! I'm really excited to be able to take Sawyer, and that she's old enough to join in on the fun! I also signed up for a Thursday morning women's bible study, so Im really looking forward to that. Im not looking forward to dropping Sawyer off in the nursary for that, but even though she has such a hard time, I know it's good for her...and me.
You're probably wondering about the random picture of the bag. I was looking for a new diaper bag for Sawyer, and I found this one at TJ MAXX (not in the diaper-bag section,) but I loved it because it had TONS of room for all of her stuff! Then, I decided I wanted to monogram it with her initials, so with mom's help we did it ourselves! I think it turned out pretty cute!
Well, Im off to bed. I had to get up super-early this morning, and will be doing the same tomorrow, so I need some sleep! I hope everyone has a great Sunday!

Hot Browns and Bread Pudding...

Wednesday, Mom treated Sawyer and I to lunch at a place called the Bluegrass Bistro. It's actually in the basement of the Derby City Antique Museum, and what a neat little place it is! It's very quaint, only about 20 or so tables, and the menu is pretty small...but oh my, was it ever DELICIOUS! I actually decided to try one of their specialties...The Hot Brown. Supposedly, you aren't supposed to be allowed to call yourself a true Kentuckian until you've had one, and although Ive lived here my whole life, I had yet to try one. It was so yummy! Now, I will say that it's not exactly the healthiest things Ive ever had...Okay...so, I could almost feel my arteries clogging with each bite I took. But it's one of those things you just have to try at least once (followed by about 4 hours on the treadmill!) Although I have the biggest sweet tooth ever, I never order dessert when we go to restaurants, but Mom insisted! So we split another one of their "house specialties," the Bourbon Pecan Bread Pudding. This almost put me into comatose. I could go on and on about how WONDERFUL everything was, but you'll just have to go their sometime and see for yourself!
After we ate, we wandered around the Antique Museum for a while, and Sawyer really enjoyed looking at (ad experimenting with) some of the "old time" toys. There was so much too see, and they had some really neat stuff! I know antique browsing probably isn't for most people, but we had a really good time...I told Mom I could have stayed and looked for hours!
Tonight, I am going to a Women's Conference at Church, so I'm super excited about that. It will continue tomorrow from 8-3, so Sawyer will be spending the day with her Daddy! Who knows what kind of adventure they might go on...I'll have to post later about some of the things they've already done on their little "father/daughter" days! I hope everyone has a great weekend, and you're able to spend some time with the people you love! I'll leave you with a picture of my sweet Sawyer-Bug...I played with it for just a second on Photoshop.

My Little Dirt Devil...

It's no secret that I LOVE putting Sawyer is frilly dresses, big hair bows, bracelets (when she doesn't decide to rip them off,) and all other things GIRLY! But, I admit that I also LOVE letting her play outside and get really good and and dirty every once in a while. I have mentioned before that lately, our weather here has been beautiful, and yesterday was no exception. I took Sawyer to the park to play, and then when Preston came home from work we took her outside again to play for about another hour or so. Actually, I served dinner (complete with sweet tea to drink, of course) on our porch last night, and Preston and I just watched Sawyer play in the yard...it was GREAT.
Sawyer has recently re-discovered her love of playing in the dirt the past couple of days. We really had nowhere to go, so I just let her dig away! I was slightly regretting that while I was scrubbing the fire out of her fingernails during bath time, but she didn't seem to mind. She has way too much fun exploring outside for me to stop her any time soon. It's true when they say that having a child often brings out the child in you all over again. She is intrigued and entertained by the simplest things, everything is new and fresh to her. It's just precious to watch her learn, and and I have a lot of fun exploring and re-learning right along with her...my sweet little dirt devil.

Too Quick to Judge...

Our pastor, Dr. Cook preached a wonderful sermon this morning...one that really hit home for me.
His lesson was on the meaning of being a servant, and how important it is to be slow to judge others. At the end of his sermon he said something that really got to me... "You have absolutely no right to judge someone for anything they are doing wrong, unless you have been CONSISTENTLY praying for them."
OUCH...I'M GUILTY. Like most people, I'm all too often quick to judge others for their shortcomings, because in many ways I believe I've got it all together. Who in the world do I think I am?
In reality, I am nowhere near perfect, or ever will be...I'm a constant, ever changing work in progress (thank the Lord that He hasn't given up on me yet!) But perhaps its easier for me to judge others because many of my mistakes aren't as "out in the open" as theirs are. Yes, it's so very easy to pass judgement when most of our own mistakes stay hidden. The things is that, to God, my sin/mistakes are no different (or better) than anyone elses! As a believer, it is my responsibility not to judge, but rather to pray (without ceasing) for other people no matter WHO they are or what situation they may be in. I desperately want to have the heart of a servant and a true love for others, but I will admit that it isn't always easy! I struggle to remember that God's greatest commandment (after loving HIM with all our heart, mind, and soul) was to LOVE OTHERS...even those people who aren't so lovable.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:44
I want to be salt and light in a dark world, and I pray that I will continue being convicted when I start thinking too highly of myself! My hope is that God would continue molding my heart, and giving me the desire to point others toward Him...
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Matthew 7:1-5

Chocolate Chip Pancakes...and Other Fun Things

This weekend has been great! Yesterday morning, I made a little "treat" breakfast...



HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES. YUM. I know, it's not the healthiest thing, buy hey, it's only every once in a while! Oh, and ALL ingredients were organic...does that even matter when you're eating something like chocolate chip pancakes? I doubt it. Anyhow, I must admit they were delicious...Preston and Sawyer really enjoyed them...as you can see in the pictures! Needless to say, she got a bath right after she finished eating.
After Sawyer's nap (Saturday), we went to pick up Mom and Dad and we all headed over to Huber's Orchard for lunch (we had gift certificates.) It wasn't the best weather, so we didn't get to spend any time outside, but we still had a good time. If you're from Louisville, I'm sure you already know about Huber's Orchard...and if not, you have missed out and you need to make a trip there(preferably in the Fall)...ASAP! It is probably one of my favorite places ever. My family had been going there every single year since I was a little girl, and it has yet to get old. Actually, in Sawyer's short little life, we have already taken her 4 times. Yes, to say I love it would be an understatement.
Last night, Preston went to a men's get together at church, so I was able to spend some time on the computer of course! This morning we went to church, and although Sawyer had a little "meltdown" when I dropped her off at nursery, she made it all the way through without me having to go get her! Tonight, Jordan, Josh and Cameryn are coming to visit us and have dinner...yey! I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend!

Mini PhotoShoot...

Tonight, Sawyer let me do a little mini photo session with her in her new "spring" dress. She was PRECIOUS! We were telling her how to pose, and she actually followed our instructions pretty well! I took a bunch, but I'm only posting a few of my favorites...I just got Photoshop(I'm SO EXCITED) so I'm planning on editing these pictures...hopefully they turn out well!

I'd Rathing be Swimming...

Yes, Swimming...Or doing anything else outside in the warm weather...
even...(scary background music) YARD WORK. The few days of nice, warm weather we had came and went all too fast. I knew it was just too good to be true. Now, I'm missing being outside and Spring/Summer can't come soon enough! I was looking back at some of our pictures from last summer, so I decided to post some of my little "bug" in her cute bikini. I'm sure she can't wait to get back into her swimsuit and splash around!
Oh, and a side note: Let me tell you why my Papaw is one of the neatest, sweetest men you'll ever meet. He went to pick up my cousin Kelsea (she's 11) from school today and took her to see the Jonas Brothers 3D concert movie (which she has apparently wanted to see for quite some time!) That's right, a 64 year old grown man was willing to go and sit in a theatre full of screaming little girls, droolong over 3 teenage boys for over an hour. Now that's sacrifice! Ha ha ha..

Busy Busy Busy...

We had a FULL weekend! Saturday we had absolutely gorgeous weather, so Preston, Sawyer and I headed over to Mom and Dad's to have a little cook-out and wash our car. Sawyer had such a great time being outside, and so did we! Later that night, Mom and Dad watched Sawyer and Preston took me out on a "hot" date...ha ha ha. We went and had dinner at Macaroni Grille, and then drove over to the Summit to hang out for a while. It's always nice to get away for a few hours alone, and I'm SO thankful we have Mom and Dad to help us with Sawyer.
Sunday, Sawyer seemed like she was getting a little bit of a cold, so Preston went to church (we were supposed to be working in Nursery,) and I stayed home with her. Later that afternoon Guy,(Preston's dad) came over to visit with us for a little while. Sawyer now often refers him as "Sweet Guy," which is just too cute. Mom and Dad stopped by for a little bit after he left, and then Grant (Preston's brother) and his girlfriend Rachel came over to hang out with us for a while...we had company all day!
Our weekend was packed, and most importantly, we got to spend some much needed time together.
The picture I posted may seem a little random, but we are working on Lighting/Night Photography in my class right now, so this is the photo I chose to use for my assignment! Sawyer was playing with the light box her Papaw got her, and I thought it was a neat picture.

Lately...

I feel like we've been so busy the past couple of weeks, but mainly just doing every day type of things. Preston started his NEW job this past Monday, and he's loving it! The new schedule is wonderful, and it feels so good having him home with us every evening!
Sawyer has been busy being her sweet and funny self. I'll tell you what though, sometimes she can turn from sweet to "sour" in the blink of an eye...ha ha ha. I know that her little tantrums, while most often few and far between, are all apart of her being a toddler, and wanting to "test the waters" and learn how things work around her. But I cant deny, there are also some simply because she wants her way! I am trying to learn how to pick my battles, not to sweat the small stuff, and make Sawyer aware that my will is stringer than hers. I want to help her understand that my love for her is unconditional, that she can always trust me, but also to know that I will follow through with what I say Im going to do...whether that be with punishment or reward. Im praying DAILY that God would give me wisdom and discernment in raising, loving, and disciplining her. Being a parent of a toddler is tough sometimes, so Im still learning just as much as she is. One thing I do know without a doubt...she is such a joy, and Im so grateful to have her for my daughter. My heart is filled with so much love for this little girl that words cannot even begin to describe.
I often get caught in the trap of trying to do everything PERFECT...but then I remember that Im only human, and that we need help...from THE ONE who knows us best, Our Heavenly Father. If I ever have done, or will do anything right as far as parenting goes...Its all because of Him! I hope that over time he will continue to shape and mold my life, and my heart, so that I'll be able to become more like the Proverbs 31wife/mother!

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
Proverbs 31:28-31

On another note...today was much warmer than it has been these past few weeks! SPRING IS ALMOST HERE! I took Sawyer to the park today, and we had so much fun that we ended up staying there for almost 2 hours! She really wore herself out...and I got some neat pictures. Speaking of pictures...My Photography class is going really well. I'm a little overwhelmed with everything I still have to learn, but I enjoy trying all kinds of new things with my camera!
Tomorrow is the start of the weekend...Preston's first weekend off with us, so we are pretty excited about that! And another bonus: We are supposed to be having some more beautiful weather! Hope everyone has a great weekend!