The Petersen Family

Five Years...

2010-10-10T17:56:00.000-07:00

Preston and I went away this weekend to celebrate our five year anniversary while mom and dad kept Sawyer.
We went to Nashville, Indiana (Brown County) and stayed at a new place called Hotel Indigo. The hotel was really eclectic, with lots of bright colors, unique furniture and neat art...we LOVED it!!! Somehow, the woman working at the front desk found out we were celebrating our anniversary and she brought a big tray of goodies up to our room!
We got to the hotel Saturday afternoon and we just hung around there and relaxed until it was time for dinner. That night we made reservations at a restaurant called Smith's Row and it was sooooo good! We drove around downtown for a while after we ate and then we went back to the hotel so we could get in their hot tub. After that, we were both tired so we just laid in bed and watched a movie (we were spoiled by all the cable channels we don't have! ha!)
Sunday (today) we had a late breakfast at Cracker Barrel and then we headed into Nashville to look around. As you can see in the pictures, this little town is a lot like Gatlinburg, TN, if you've ever been there. Its full of ice cream parlors, fudge shops, antique stores and boutiques....so, so neat. We bought a candle (my all-time favorite, Woodwick's Rum Raisin) and a few little things for Sawyer from the Toy store. It was nice to just walk around, and I think we only got through half of the shops because there was just SO much too see!
We got back this evening, and we were both excited to see Sawyer. Mom and Dad said she did great while we were gone, which was nice to hear because last week was a rough one for her!
Now, we're back home and we feel rested, rejuvenated, and ready to start our week!
HAPPY 5 YEARS, PRESTON!!!!! I love you, and I cant wait for the next 50 years with you. I'm so proud to be your wife, and I wouldn't want to be on this crazy journey with anyone else!!!!

She's got Style...

2010-10-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

In the words of Sawyer Paige, "This outfit is ROCKIN!!!!!"
I'm not sure if it's the mismatched plastic shoes or the huge red and pink bows that perfectly coordinate with the lime green dress...but whatever it is, she sure thinks she's the stuff in this getup! And I must agree.

Three...

2010-10-07T18:19:00.001-07:00

Ive had a couple of months to get used to the fact that we now have a THREE YEAR OLD...but it still seems so surreal to me. Our baby's not much of a baby anymore, and while it makes me a bit teary-eyed knowing she'll never be that "little" again, I'm totally lovin' the stage she's in right now! Every day is something new...she's so full of energy, imagination, adventure, curiosity...and the things that girl says, oh my!!!
She keeps me in an almost constant state of laughter. She is loving, compassionate, and quick to forgive me when I mess up. She keeps me young, and somehow at the same time, causes me to grow a few new gray hairs every day! She is the brightest, sweetest, quirkiest little thing...and I'm just crazy, head over heels in love with her.

Sawyer Paige,
Now that you're three, you've got your own opinions about EVERYTHING and you love sharing them with anyone who will listen! You're a social butterfly, talking to everyone, everywhere we go. You LOVE LOVE LOVE to sing and dance, and lately you're very into rhyming! You're my favorite little side-kick, and what a big helper you are!
Just for Mama's memory...
Some of Your Favorite Things/Toys: Playing outside (riding your bike, jumping in the trampoline, going to the park) swimming, playing dress up, painting, playing with my point-and shoot camera (you're becoming quite the little photographer!) helping out in the kitchen, play-dough, playing doctor, Polly-pockets, playing with makeup/nail polish, and anything related to princesses.
Your Favorite Foods: Ice cream, watermelon, Sunbutter and jelly sandwiches, cucumbers, french fries, oatmeal, muffins, broccoli, crackers, grapes, cookies(along with anything else sweet!)
Your Favorite Books: Thumpity-Thump Gets Dressed, Mr. Brown Can Moo, The Giving tree, The Tooth Book, Stomp, Along Came You
Your Favorite Movies: Robots, Finding Nemo, The Wizard of Oz, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Cars, Shrek
Your Favorite Songs: You are my Sunshine, Please Come to Boston, Stand by Me (the old school version,) Soul Sister, Amazing Grace, Everybody Wants to Love, Jesus Loves Me, The Revelation Song, and Baby (yup, ya'll...that one's a Justin Beiber song, and I'm not ashamed.)
Your Favorite Clothes/Shoes: Tutu's, boots, and tights (aka:zing-zing socks!) You wear a size 4t in most clothes, and a 9 in shoes. You're GROWING LIKE A WEED!
HAPPY THREE YEARS, GIRLFRIEND!

Here are some pictures from Sawyer's birthday party this year. We had a blast! And although it was early August (the hottest month around here) the weather turned out to be pretty nice that day. Fun times!

Im Back...No Seriously...Seriously!!!!

2010-10-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

You, along with the rest of the world were probably thinking I'd abandoned my blog! And if so, you were right...that was totally my plan. But with much "urging" (i.e. begging, pleading, threatening) from our family and friends I decided not to be a quitter! I had NO idea how many people read this thing!
I'm not even sure what happened. We were really busy this summer, and then so much time had passed and I felt like I had fallen too far behind on the posts, and I thought there was no way I'd ever catch up. I tend to get overwhelmed pretty easily, so I figured it would just be easier to quit. Great attitude, huh? But you've gotta start somewhere right? I'm planning on doing my best to bring you guys up to speed slowly but surely...I just know you're biting your nails and waiting with great anticipation to hear all about us!
Ahhhhh...its good to be back.
We've been LOVING this fabulous Fall weather! It's always been my favorite time of year. Last week, I just couldn't wait any longer so I put out some mums and pumpkins on the porch. Now I'm just itching to go on a hayride, visit Huber's Orchard, have a bonfire, and eat a big bowl of my mom's famous white chili!
We had some friends over for a play date this morning and Sawyer just now ate her lunch and crashed. I love when she plays hard because that usually means she naps hard. I need to be do laundry and packing...Preston and I are going away for the weekend to celebrate our FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY and I'm SO excited! Five years...I still can't believe it. One thing is for sure though, I love him so much more now than the day I married him, and that was a whole heck of a lot!
Happy Wednesday!
More posts to come later...Really.

Our Long Weekend In The Windy City...

2010-07-01T18:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't been a very good blogger lately, but I'm trying. Really, I'm trying.
Our trip to Chicago this past weekend was FABULOUS!!! I think I've mentioned before that Preston won this trip through work, and he SO deserved it...and I'm SO STINKIN PROUD OF HIM! This was his first year with the company and he made Winner's Circle...quite impressive if I do say so myself.
Anyhow, we had such a good time. It was nice being able to get to know some of the people Preston works with. I think there were about two hundred people (including spouses) who went on the trip, including the Gordon family, which was so neat. We stayed in The Intercontinental right on Michigan Avenue and it was beautiful, not to mention walking distance from just about anything you could want to go do. They pampered us the whole weekend, and the food...OH THE FOOD! We were treated to some of the most delicious meals Ive ever had, and we were also able to attend The Taste of Chicago, which just happened to be going on while we were there!
We spent one day looking around the always super-cool Field Museum (I haven't been since the 5th grade,) and that same night his company rented out the ENTIRE Shed Aquarium for a dinner/dance partaay...I totally got out there and cut a rug. Not really. But I will tell you it was quite fun watching the other people, the much older people (some who may or may not have had a few too many drinks) get down on the dance floor.
I would love to tell you that I took a lot of awesome pictures, but sadly, I only took about four. To be honest, we did a lot of walking and I didn't feel like lugging it around, but of course now, I'm regretting that decision.
The best part of our trip: being able to sleep in as late as we wanted every morning and taking naps every day...In my book, there's not much better than that.
And what would be a vacation without some kind of airport drama? Oh yes, its quite a story, and if I see you soon, I'll have to tell you in person, because its much too long for me to get into right now. I will tell you it was nothing short of RIDICULOUSLY DRAMATIC, like something off of a movie actually...and it does involve Preston and I SPRINTING through O'Hare airport only to miss our flight, getting our next flight cancelled by the airline at the last minute, lots of tears on my part, and having to spend an extra night in Chicago (without any of our luggage) and fly into Lexington (not Louisville) the next day. Oh no...I'm not lying, although I wish I was.
Like I said before...other than our going-home airport drama, we had an amazing time. Chicago...we'll be missing you.

Happy Father's Day...

2010-06-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

To the THREE BEST DAD'S I know!!!!!

Counting...

2010-06-16T19:23:00.001-07:00

Just a few of the MANY things I'm thankful for on this Wednesday evening...

My HUSBAND, who WORKS HIS TAIL OFF EVERY SINGLE DAY to provide for our little family. Really, he's the hardest working man Ive EVER met in my life...and I so admire him for it.

The lovely yellow roses sitting on my counter top, which the previously mentioned young man gave me last week. He still hasn't forgotten they're my favorite.

My CHURCH.

LIGHTNING BUGS. You know when you're little, and they just seem so magical? Well, I got to experience that all over again this past weekend with Sawyer. It was SO awesome. It was just getting dark outside and they were all over the back yard, so I grabbed a bottle and called Sawyer outside...she was SO EXCITED. She ran all over, catching as many as she could, and when we took them inside and shut all the lights off, it got even better...I'd forgotten how neat those little guys are!

AIR CONDITIONING.

My FRIENDS. I know some the sweetest women on the face of this planet.

My FAMILY.

My Sawyer-girl. What a joy she is! She's the brightest, funniest little thing Ive ever come across. She keeps my on my toes...and in an almost perpetual state of laughter. The things that come out of that child's mouth!

GOOD CONVERSATION.

The fact that my car is now out of the shop, and that having it fixed didn't break the bank.

My HOME.

The POOL, and how Sawyer loves it just as much as I do.

And Most of all, for this:
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7

There's A Ham in Our Tub!

2010-06-09T17:44:00.001-07:00

Swim Little Fishy...

2010-06-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

Sawyer LOVES LOVES LOVES being in the water! She's been a "water baby" since she was old enough to sit up in water, and I cant even tell you how happy that makes me. Last year we started taking her to my grandparents neighborhood pool, and from the very start she couldn't get enough. She was too little to really learn how to swim, so I got her a life jacket to wear, but it didn't really do much...I still had to keep hold of her the entire time we were in the water. It was fine, but I could tell- being the independent girl she is- that she wanted to be able to do more by herself.
Fast forward to this year...My grandparents pool opened this weekend, and we've already been twice. Sawyer is even more in love with the water, if that's even possible. Before we went out there on Wednesday, I decided to run to Target and buy some arm floaties and give those a try. She was SO excited about wearing them because there were several other (older) kids who had them on, so she really felt like a big girl. After about 15 minutes of working with her, helping her realize she wasn't going to go under if I let her go, she GOT IT! From then on, there was no stopping her...she was swimmin' all over the place! I honestly couldn't believe I was watching my almost 3 year old doggy paddle across the pool...it was just so neat. so of course I had to break out my camera! (You'll have to excuse the not so great quality of the pictures, these are just taken with my little point-and-shoot. I don't like getting my other camera too close to large bodies of water OR splashy toddlers. Ha!)

The Mini Daredevils...

2010-06-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

Alright, so these pictures don't even do this post justice, but I had to write about it anyways, because it was just too funny. Kendall spent Tuesday with us, and after the girls took their nap, we went outside so they could play in Sawyer's little blow up pool. By this time, Leah had come over and we were sitting on the porch talking while the girls played in the yard. All of a sudden, we hear VERY LOUD splashing, and when we looked, we couldn't believe our eyes. Kendall (aka Evil-Kanevil) was literally FLYING off the top of the slide that goes down into the pool! I don't mean just jumping, I mean full out belly flops (legs and arms out behind her back) into the water. It was HILARIOUS! Of course, Sawyer followed her lead, but she wasn't brave enough for the belly flop...she played it safe and landed on her bottom. Still...I couldn't believe I was watching two little girls pulling those kinds of stunts! They're fearless I tell ya...
I scrambled to get my camera, and I did manage to get a little video of all the action, but of course, I'm having trouble getting it on here. I'm determined though, so wait for it!

Slumber Party, Round Two...

2010-05-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

Sawyer's best buddy Kendall got to come spend the night with us on Friday! Sawyer was SO excited, and they had such a good time playing together. It was really warm out Friday evening, so they got to swim for a while, and later, after their bath we finished the night off with a movie and popcorn. They both went to bed without a single peep, and ended up sleeping later than usual the next morning...probably because they'd worn themselves playing so hard!
We're already looking forward to our next slumber party!

Florida...

2010-05-16T09:35:00.000-07:00

Preston and I had a BLAST in Florida this past week!!!
The place we stayed at was right on the beach, our room was nice, and the weather couldn't have been more perfect.
We spent most of the days laying out at the pool, walking the beach, napping, and eating delicious food...all the makings of a great vacation. While we spent the majority of the time just relaxing, we did get to go check out a couple of the local attractions; the Ponce De Leon Inlet/Lighthouse, which made me feel like a 97 year old woman while trying to climb all the stairs to the top (but I made it!) and The Marine Science/Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center, which was super neat. The Lighthouse was my favorite, just because I'm a big history buff, and there's A LOT of history behind that place.
And what would be a real Florida vacation without someone losing their bathing suit top at least once? Oh yeah, you read that right. It was me. And I really shouldn't say bathing suit top...I obviously don't wear a two piece, but The story went a little something like this: We were walking along the beach late one day, and the waves were pretty high, so we thought it would be fun to go wave jumping. We're a little above waist deep in the water, and the waves are really rolling in...we were getting hammered, and laughing our heads off. Then, it happened. I came up from getting plastered by a monster wave, when Preston turns to me a few seconds later with a horrified look and yells, "Oh!!!! Erica!!!!" while pointing to my top. Let's just say my right "chest part" was hanging completely out of my swimsuit for all the world (or at least the 40ish people who were on the shore) to see. Nice. But, there was a plus: I didn't get arrested by the beach patrol for public indecency, and I learned my lesson. The next day, I was sure to wear my other, more "supportive" swimsuit, just just case we decided to go for another round of wave jumping.
We'd also been seeing previews all week for the new movie, Robin Hood, that was coming out this past Friday. Preston was dying to see it, and I wanted to see it to, but we didn't want to spend our last day there in a movie theatre. So, we did the next best thing and decided to go see the 12:01AM showing on Thursday night! At the time, it didn't really register with me that we wouldn't get back to our room until 3:00 that morning. I will tell you that I was FIGHTING sleep toward the end of the movie, but oh my goodness...I SO WISH I would have taken my camera. Y'all, first of all, the theatre was PACKED, and there were several die hard fans...okay, get ready for it...dressed up like Robin Hood! I don't mean a little dressed up either. I mean full out costumes... swords, shields, hats, and armor. I was DYING! If you know me at all, you know just seeing that alone made my night.
We're glad to be back home with Sawyer. We were able to talk to her on the phone almost every day, but I missed seeing that sweet little face! It always stinks to have vacation come to an end, but it always feels good to be back home. We're already talking about the next time we'll get to go again, and we cant wait to take Sawyer to the beach for the first time.
Florida, you were good to us, and we'll see you again soon!
Oh, and Mothers Day was the best! I never got to post about it, because we were trying to get ready to leave, and we were just so busy. We actually celebrated the Thursday before Mothers Day. Mom, Dad, Preston, Sawyer and I went to our favorite, Bonefish Grille, for dinner...always so yummy. Mom and Dad wrote me the sweetest card, and gave me a gift certificate for a pedicure, which came at the perfect time. I used the very next day before we left! Preston, once again, completely out did himself, and he got me a bunch of my favorite candles and lotions from Bath and Body Works, AND...DRUMROLL...TICKETS FOR NEXT WEEKEND TO SEE...WICKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I almost passed out when I opened them, because he knows (everyone knows! ha!) Ive been wanting to go see it forever! I don't know how he's kept it a secret for this long, because he's had the tickets for months. Needless to say, I'm going to have to do some serious thinking about his Father's Day gift.
Hope ya'll have had a good week! We're glad to be back!

The Only Thing I Have to Say Right Now...

2010-05-11T21:06:00.000-07:00

Is that I'm in sunny Florida, with my best friend (who just so happens to be the the hottest guy around,) and it is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS. Really...just fabulous.

Sweet Girl...

2010-05-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

My heart just about melted (again) this morning.
I was in the kitchen making blueberry muffins, and Sawyer was, as always, right by my side trying to "help" me. We were laughing and talking, and out of nowhere she says, "You're so silly! What in the world would I do without you, Momma!?!" (Of course, with her saying it, it came out more like, "What in the whirl would I do wifout you") So cute!
Man, I LOVE that girl!!!!!

2010-05-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

The countdown begins...we leave for Florida in just THREE DAYS! WHOOOHOOOOOO!!!
Here's the funny part: I just came down with a nasty little cold (or maybe just some horrific allergies, not sure) yesterday, AND I got a phone call today from my bank's fraud department, letting me know they needed to ask my about some "suspicious" transactions made on my debit card! Oh yes. It turns out, SOMEHOW, SOMEONE got a hold of my card number, made a fake debit card, and used it to purchase a ridiculous amount of groceries and alcohol today in NORTH CAROLINA! Is that not the most random thing you've ever heard? I know...crazy.
Thank the Lord, we were able to get it all straightened out. The bank should be putting the money back in our account within the next ten days, and I'll be getting a new card. Honestly, I cant help but laugh that all of this is craziness is happening right before we leave. I'm not even about to complain though...I'm still over-the-moon excited (and thankful) to be going on vacation with with my man in a few days!

Buds...

2010-04-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, Sawyer girl loves her some Cameryn!

Slumber Party...

2010-04-29T19:09:00.001-07:00

Last Friday, Preston went on a men's church camping trip, so Sawyer had two of our best buds, Leah and Kendall, over for a little slumber party!
After we got the girls to bed, Leah and I (in true slumber party fashion) stayed up WAY too late talking... until 2AM to be exact. Five straight hours of girl-talk is my kind of fun, though we were BOTH feeling it the next morning!
I'm sure it wont be long before the girls are staying up WAY too late having some girl-talk themselves!

2010-04-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday while Sawyer was napping, Preston and I cleaned up the house together, and as we cleaned, we talked. I didn't know (at the time) what prompted me to ask him this question, but I asked anyway, knowing full well I might not like the answer he was going to give me.
"If you chose to do mission work anywhere outside the country, where do you think you'd go?"
Without hesitation, he said, "Ive always had a desire to go to North Africa."
Well, that was news to me. We'd just never really discussed it before, so of course my next question was, "Why there!?!"
"Its just a different world there," he said, "Those are people who literally put their lives in danger for believing in Jesus, and yet there are some who still choose to follow Him. They could very well be killed because of they're faith. We've never experienced that here, so spreading the gospel there would be such a unique opportunity, and I'd really like to go...at least once."
I'm foolish, and I wasn't satisfied with his answer. I told him I thought he probably just wanted to go there because it was super risky (therefore, exciting to most men,) and I didn't think he was considering the fact that he had a family that needed him!
And with a smile on his face, and in the most calm voice, he said, "So, you think God could protect me here, but he wouldn't be able to protect me there?"
Of course, that shut me up immediately. I walked away to Windex the bathroom mirror, realizing that I was putting God in a (very tiny) box by saying the things I was saying. Who in the world do I think I am? My husband is telling me he feels a calling on his life to do mission work in a particular area, and I'm basically saying he's insane, and even worse...selfish. Conviction set in quickly, and I knew that was was really the one being selfish.
Our conversation didn't go any further that day. We went on with the rest of our week as normal, and to be honest, I'd soon forgotten all about it...until yesterday morning.
We sat in church together, listening as our associate pastor giving a few announcements, and I cant think of anything else he said except this, "Today is the last day to sign up for our summer mission Trip to North Africa! There are a few spots left to fill."
Ummmm...Okay, God! I hear ya...LOUD and CLEAR!!!!
I could feel my face turning red as I looked out of the corner of my eye at Preston. I knew he'd be looking right back at me because of what we'd just heard...and I was right. We ended up having lunch with our small group later that afternoon and after we ate, Preston said he needed to talk to me alone. I had a feeling this "talk" was coming, but I was going to let him bring it up.
I must have had a "look" on my face, because he let out a laugh and said, "What is it?!? You know I want to go on this trip. But I won't call, until you tell me you're alright with it."
Without hesitation I told him I knew he should go. He lit up, and within seconds he was on the phone, setting up a time that night he could go to church and fill out his application. I don't think I'd ever been so proud of my husband. He was so sure of this, so convinced this is what God wanted him to do...and he took an enormous step of faith, and acted on it, without fear or hesitation. I know Preston will make an impact there, because he already does now, just about everywhere he goes. He has a servants heart, and Ive NEVER met anyone else in my life who has such a love for others. He's SO incredibly giving of himself...he just loves helping people, even people he doesn't even know.
On our drive home, I could feel doubt and fear creeping in again. The realization that he was going to spend a week in a closed, Muslim country, distributing bibles, surrounded be people who hate Christians caused me to become terrified. What if he didn't come back? What if he was hurt? What about the money it costs to go? What if, about a million other things??????
But then, Psalm 121 came to mind and I could feel God telling me to just trust Him! He's so much bigger than all of those "What ifs!" He'd already worked everything out, down the very last detail! He'd planned this, before it was even a thought in my mind! He was in control, not me! "Let Go, Erica," I hear Him say, "Ive got this."
As I sit here typing this, the tears are flowing...I'm just amazed by God's goodness in planning all of this out and guiding us to make this decision.
I've prayed, asking God to give me a peace about this, to protect my precious husband, and to allow me to continue to surrender to his perfect plan for my (and Preston's) life...even if that includes a trip to North Africa!
So that's it, that's our big news...and I'm so excited to be sharing it with you guys! Please be in prayer for Preston and everyone else that will be going on the trip this summer. Pray for their safety, pray that we could raise most of the money to go, and most of all, that they would be effective while spreading the good news to those who have never heard the name of Jesus or held a bible!
What a mighty God we serve! I'm so thankful for all he's done, and will continue to do...I'm always amazed to see him at work, and this situation is no exception!

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done!
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts!
Psalm 105:1-2

I Have No Words...

2010-04-23T10:23:00.001-07:00

A New Way to Water Your Plants...

2010-04-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, while I was grocery shopping, I picked up a little purple water gun for Sawyer to play with. I guess water guns are considered somewhat of a "boy toy," but what the heck...I thought it would be fun!
She LOVED it!!! As soon as we filled it up, she started spraying down everything in sight, paying special attention to the flowers I just planted...which got a BIG "You go girl!" from me. She watered the plants for a good twenty minutes while I followed right behind, cheering her on. She thought she was being such a big helper!
Maybe next, I'll teach her how to help me dust the furniture :)

A Funny for Your Wednesday...

2010-04-21T05:08:00.001-07:00

A few nights ago, Sawyer and I were chasing each other around the house, and it was getting a little wild. We ran and screamed and tickled for a good 20 minutes...until I plopped down in the floor, tired and almost out of breath. Of course, Sawyer was nowhere near finished playing, and this is how our conversation went...

Sawyer: C'mon, Mom! I'm gonna chase you!!!
Me: Oh, goodness...I need to rest just a minute, girl.
Sawyer: Well, You can chase me if you want!?!
Me: Give me just a second, I'm pooped!
Sawyer: (in the sweetest voice) Oh...You need me to get you a wipe, Momma?

When the Weather's Nice...

2010-04-19T10:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday!

2010-04-15T09:40:00.000-07:00

I've gotten a lot accomplished this morning...Its just noon, and Ive run a few errands and planted ALL of my flowers in our front porch pots and hanging baskets.I gave Sawyer a little hand shovel and she enjoyed helping me, but I think she just liked digging in the dirt the most! We were both filthy by the time we were finished, so I gave her a bath when we came inside. She ate a big lunch, and went to bed just a little while ago...I'm thinking about taking a little nap myself...yawn.

Sawyer and I went to the zoo with Jordan and Cameryn yesterday and we had a blast! I decided to buy a zoo pass this year, and I really think we'll get a lot of use out of it...especially with that awesome new water park they have!

Preston and I only have 3 weeks until we leave for Florida, and we can't wait! It'll be so nice to have a whole week to just relax. The only part I'm nervous about is being away from Sawyer, but I know she'll have fun with Mom and Dad. I'm just gonna miss her! I'm so thankful we're able to take this trip, and even more thankful we can leave Sawyer without having to worry about her while we're away. I cant wait to dip my feet in that ocean...

We're Still Here...

2010-04-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

I know...Ive been a bad blogger lately. We've been busy around here, so I'll try and catch you up as best I can!

-We FINALLY got Sawyer's new bedroom suite. It came in last week, and we LOVE it. We re-painted her room, bought her comforter, and picked out some pictures and wall-words to go on her wall. Now, I just have to make the curtains, and add a few decorative pillows for the bed. I'll have to post pictures a little later when its all finished. Sawyer has transitioned to her big girl bed beautifully! She hasn't gotten up in the middle of the night (or during nap) one time...she also hasn't fallen out, which is even better!

-We've been ENJOYING this beautiful weather this past week. I've taken Sawyer to several different parks and we're LOVING spending all this time outside! We went to our favorite park on Tuesday (when it was almost 90 degrees outside) and Sawyer got to sit with me on a huge rock and put her feet in the creek, which of course she loved. There were a few other kids playing near the creek, and two of the sweetest little boys who caught a baby snapping turtle were beyond excited to show us.
Our Yoshino cherry tree (we planted when we moved in here) is just beautiful this year. It's FULL of these white blooms, and while they only stay a little over a week, they're still glorious!

Preston and I had a GREAT date night last Friday! We ate at the always-yummy Chick-Fill-A, went to see a movie, and then headed over to the Summit to walk around for a while. The weather was so nice, we ended up sitting out on the patio and talking until 11:30 that night! I love spending time with that man...

I did something totally out of character last night and bought a coupon (just 29 dollars for an unlimited 2 month pass) to Jazzercise! Ive never done it or watched anyone else do it, but I heard its great, so, why not? I need to exercise...bathing suit season (shudder) is almost upon us.

The pictures I posted are totally random, just like this post. They're just a few I took over the past week or so. Hope ya'll have a great weekend!

Sweetness...

2010-03-31T19:25:00.000-07:00

I was looking through some old videos earlier, and I came across this one so I thought I'd share. It makes me smile...Sawyer had just turned one, and she was PRECIOUS! Its kind of crazy, because its almost hard for me to even remember her being that little. As you can see, she was already quite the chatterbox, and if you're around us much, you know that hasn't changed a bit!

Free Manicure...

2010-03-31T19:12:00.000-07:00

You heard right. Just drop by and see her anytime, and you too can get your very own unique, one of a kind manicure...free of charge! Only primary colors available :)

Tired...

2010-03-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

Man, I'm tired.
We put Sawyer's bedroom suite on Craigslist three days ago...someone came to look at it yesterday, and they ended up buying it. I wasn't expecting it to sell that quickly, which left us putting a full sized mattress on Sawyer's bedroom floor last night so she'd have a place to sleep! Her room seems way bigger without her crib, chest and changing table and she's liking the extra play-space. I was wondering how it would go last night, and I was a little surprised when she went to bed without an ounce of a problem.
Preston and I stayed up way too late watching a red box movie...and at midnight, I heard her crying. Not getting out of bed, just crying and saying her leg hurt. I went in tot check on her and bless her heart, her face was soaked with tears and she was rubbing her little knee (I think its just growing pains.) I got her up and let her come sit with us for a little bit, but of course, when it was time to go back to bed she started crying again. By this time it was almost one o clock in the morning and I gave up and told her I'd come in there and sleep with her, but assured her it would just be for tonight. Once we lay down, she was still whimpering and rubbing her leg, so we finally got up again so I could give her some medicine. I'm SUCH a stickler about not sleeping with your kids unless they're sick, but I just wasn't sure if she was crying because of her "new" bed, or because her leg really did hurt. I gave her the benefit of the doubt. We didn't fall asleep until 2:30 and she woke up this morning about an hour before she normally does.
I was not my happy-morning-self when she woke up. I was so tired and I knew if we stayed home it would be REALLY hard for me to stay awake, so Sawyer and I made a trip to the mall to hang out for a while, and of course to look for furniture.
We ended up having a good time...we split a Cinnamon crunch bagel from Panera, walked our socks off, rode the elevator a dozen times-just for fun, and looked around at our favorite place-Pottery Barn Kids-for quite a while. Still didn't find any furniture, but that's alright.
Sawyer's taking her nap right now, and she's been asleep for a long time, so that makes me feel better. I think I'm gonna lay down for a little bit myself...yawn. After nap, the furniture hunt continues!

Good News...

2010-03-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 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.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing
Zephaniah 3:17

Too Cool For School...

2010-03-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

I have a two year old who thinks she's a ten year old. She loves all things "grown up," including wearing my sunglasses instead of wearing her own. I love having a little girl...and I especially love these pictures.

I LOVE this Man...

2010-03-18T18:58:00.001-07:00

Randomness...

2010-03-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

I have lots of thoughts swirling around in my head right now, and if I just started rattling them off, it probably wouldnt make much sense. Sooooooo, I'll just do bulit points. You know I love some bulit points.

-Today Im feeling SO overwhelmed with thankfulness. I'll never know why God has chosen to bless me with all of the amazing things, experiences, and people he's placed in my life, but, wow...He's so GOOD! This past week, the Lord has graciously opened my eyes to a few things I desperately needed to see, humbled me in the most loving way, and answered my prayers. Im so grateful for my family, my friendships, and most of all for my Heavenly Father, who's promised He'll NEVER give up on me.

-Im so looking forward to the womens conference at our church this weekend! The theme this year is GPS (Gods Providence in Suffering,) and Im excited to be able to spend time with all the sweet women at Ninth and O.

-Is anyone else a little sad that Alex Lambert was voted off American Idol last week? He was my favorite this year and man, I was bummed!

-Im determined to make a pillow case dress for Sawyer. I think they're so cute! I watched a few tutorials on youtube and I really think I can do it...after I learn how to use a sewing machine. Ha!

-The other day, Preston asked me what my all-time favorite movie was, and I told him there was no way I could EVER name just one. I compiled a not-so-little list of all my favorites and I thought I'd share...because dont lie, Im sure you're dying to know.
In no particular order: The Notebook, How to Lose a Guy in 10 days, Remember The Titans, The Blind Side, Ben Hur, The Green Mile, Big Fish, A Leauge of Their Own, My Best Friends Wedding, The Passion, The Painted Veil, Pearl Harbor, Cinderella Man, The Wedding Singer, A Time To Kill, Pretty Woman, Gone With The Wind, Meet the Parents, Father of The Bride, The Sixth Sense(I like pretty much every M Knight Shimylan movie,) The Others, Gladiator, The Usual Suspects, Runaway Bride, Hitch, Somethings Gotta Give...Those are just to name a few. I really like movies.

Hope ya'll are having a happy Monday!

TP...

2010-03-13T13:58:00.000-08:00

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves on this one...

Polly Pool Party...

2010-03-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

Ive been MIA the past few days because we've been SOAKING up all of this GLORIOUS weather! Its been so great to be able to let Sawyer run around and play outside...I think Spring has almost sprung.
A couple weeks ago (when it was still frigid and we were trapped inside) we cured our boredom by throwing a pool party! I gathered up all of Sawyer's little Polly-pockets, laid a towel down, filled a bowl with warm water, and voila...instant entertainment. I'm not even kidding, Sawyer played by herself for at least an hour. She was loving it! So here's my tidbit of advice for the day: if you want to keep your kiddo occupied for a while, give them a little (and I mean little) bit of water and a a few toys to throw in. You'll thank me later.

More of The Things They Say...

2010-03-05T10:49:00.001-08:00

The other day, I was reading Sawyer a book, and on one page there was a picture of a boy running toward a forest. Sawyer looked VERY closely at the boy and said, "Momma, is that Moses runnin' to his promise land?"

Sawyer loves the Wizard of Oz, and she's always talking about how the scarecrow is "her boy." I have no idea why she calls him her boy, but I guess she just really, really likes him. Anyway, the other day she was was once again talking about "her boy," so I told her if the scarecrow was her boy, then the lion was my boy. "No, Momma! The lion's NOT your boy...onlydaddy is your boy."

While Sawyer was taking her bath last night, she laid back in the tub, put a wash rag over her face and said, "Please be quiet Momma...I'm trying to relax."

Sawyer often asks me to tell her the story of the day she was born, and I guess Ive done it so many times, she's just about got it memorized...except now she adds in a few of her own details. Yesterday, while we were driving in the car, our conversation went like this...
Sawyer: When I was a baby, I was sooooooo tiny in your belly! I was this (making a cup with both of her little hands,) big. And when I came, everyone was there to see me...Mamaw and Papaw Well-Well, Grandpa Guy, Uncle Grant, Daddy, Mimi, Papaw, Amy, Jordan...
Me: You're right! All of those people came to see you. And they all held you and said what a sweet baby you were.
Sawyer: Yeah...and Cameryn and Kendall came too...and they both held me!
Me: Well, no, Cameryn and Kendall weren't there because they're younger than you. They couldn't have held you because they weren't born yet.
Sawyer: (after thinking for a minute,) No, Mom...they WERE there. An they said, "Oh, what a geeeorgeooous baby!"

Dreaming...

2010-03-03T16:36:00.000-08:00

Its official. In just 8 (hopefully short) weeks, this is where I'll be...ON THE BEACH. Muahahahahahahahaaaa!!!! Take THAT, nasty cold weather.

Nice Threads...

2010-02-28T11:30:00.001-08:00

Think I should let her dress herself from now on? Man that girl's got taste.

GUESS WHAT?

2010-02-26T08:45:00.000-08:00

The weekend is almost here!!! Happy Friday, from our family to yours!

Raising A Streaker...

2010-02-25T19:20:00.000-08:00

My girl is in the oh-so-fabulous toddler stage of ripping her clothes off at random and running around the house in her birthday suite. You've gotta love it. You've also gotta pray she never does it anywhere else, but still...its sort of funny for now.
Sawyer is completely convinced that she cant really play "dress up" properly until she is completely stripped down from head to toe, and once she is stark "nekked" (as they say down yonder,) she then puts on just ONE dress up item of choice...usually her white tu-tu, but sometimes her cowboy boots or her princess crown.
When Sawyer's running around in all her glory, I'm reminded of the many (absolutely hilarious) home videos my parents have of me when I was her age...strippin down, mom and dad repeatedly telling me not to do it anymore, mom betting dad he wouldn't do anything about it, me getting into trouble for doing it again, and then... me strippin down again!
I think this little "nudist phase" she's in will pass soon. Let's hope so. It would sure be a shame if she was still doing it when she's fifteen.

Weekend Recap...

2010-02-21T10:42:00.000-08:00

What a weekend!
Friday, I had to run a few errands and once I was finished, I decided to take Sawyer out for a treat. I'd been hearing about this neat little place called The Cupcake Shoppe, so we headed over there to try it out and...YUM!!!! I let Sawyer pick out which one she wanted, and of course she chose a pink one, which was strawberry. She devoured that thing in no time! Once we got home, as a result of her sugar high, she stripped down totally naked and ran around the house like a madwoman! Preston got home late from work, so we ordered Chinese take-out (our stove was broken) for dinner and spent the rest of the night just relaxing.
Saturday, Preston and I dropped Sawyer off at Mom and Dad's at noon because it was our DATE NIGHT!!!! We got started a little earlier than usual and went downtown to the to Center for the Arts and saw the Kentucky show. I had no idea about it, but its this little (very short) film they have every day on the hour all about Kentucky. We thought it was very cool...made me proud to be a Kentuckian! After the show we rode around for a while, looked at a few houses, and just talked. After our drive we headed home to get ready for dinner at our favorite restaurant...Bonefish Grille! We both agreed it was the BEST meal we'd had in months, and we followed it up with dessert at the Homemade Pie Kitchen. By that time, we were both stuffed so we went to Haverty's to "walk off" our dinner and look for Sawyer's bedroom suite. We think we found the one, but we're going to keep looking at a few other places this week before we decide. Later that night we came home and watched part of a movie that was on TV and then crashed...we were so tired from our long day!
Sunday we went to church, and then to lunch at Jason's Deli. When we came home Preston and Sawyer took a nap while I picked up the house, but as soon as I felt the GLORIOUS WEATHER outside, I woke Sawyer up a little early so we could go to the park! We were BOTH so EXCITED to be outside, and it made me want Spring to come even more than I did before. We played for a little over an hour and then went to the grocery while Preston stayed home and FIXED our stove!!! I'm so lucky to have married such a handy-man...he really can fix just about anything.
I hope ya'll had a great weekend...hopefully you were able to get out and enjoy the fabulous weather we had. Spring is on its way!

One Little Monkey...

2010-02-18T19:17:00.001-08:00

Yup. I totally let my kid jump on the bed like a wild animal...at least when they're unmade. Every time I change the sheets on our bed, its Sawyer's cue to hop up there and bounce like crazy. Fun times ya'll, fun times.

Because Im Bored...

2010-02-15T09:39:00.000-08:00

I saw this little questionnaire on another blog and since I'm bored, Sawyer's sleeping, and all this snow has me trapped inside (again)...I thought I'd fill it out- just for kicks.

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while your blogging?
I don't really snack while I blog, but lately my snack of choice has been wheat thins and Pepsi

2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?
My Bible.
My non-spiritual answer is my camera AND my flat iron... but there's no way I could chose between the two of those.

3. Beach, Mountains, or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?
Ummmmm....farms are A LOT of work (although that would be my husbands choice, hands down) so I'm going with the beach.

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?
Laundry. Its not so much the washing, but the folding, ironing and putting away. Blah.

5. Who do people say you remind them of?
My Mom or Dad. People say I look just like my mom, but I have a lot of my dad's personality.

6. Do you prefer parties and socializing or staying home with the fam?
I LOVE going out and doing things with friends, but I also LOVE relaxing at home with Preston and Sawyer. I cant chose.

7. What's your all time favorite movie?
Oooooo man, that's a hard one. I'm gonna have to say the Notebook.

8. Do you sleep in your make-up or remove it like a good little girl every night?
Ive always taken it off every night.

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?
I think it would be neat to learn how to play the guitar.

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?
Not sure I have any really strange talents...I'll have to give this one some more thought.

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?
He was so friendly and SUCH a gentleman! Everyone always wanted to be around him, and he seemed way more mature than other guys I'd dated- I loved that.

12. What is something you love to smell?
Fresh Paint, Murphy's oil soap, and Woodwick's Rum Raisen candles...I actually have one burning right now. DIVINE.

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.
I can be really bad about returning phone calls sometimes.

14. When you have extra money, what's the first thing you think to do with it?
Go shopping!

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?
LOUD!!! Its way more fun to laugh out loud...
There are way too many things to name on here that make me laugh. Just a few...seeing people fall or falling myself (not when they get hurt of course,) the things Sawyer says, my friend Jordan-we usually end up laughing quite a bit when we're together, my parents-they're both HILARIOUS, funny movies, being tickled... and the list goes on. I laugh all the time.

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?
TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Steinmart

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?
Read.

18. Are you a big spender or frugal?
Frugal...I love me some good sales and discounts.

19. Would you want to be famous?
Never.

20. Can you fake any accents?
Absolutely!

21. What was the least favorite job you ever had?
I worked at a telemarketing company once, for a grand total of THREE DAYS. It was horrific.

22. What is your favorite sound?
Sawyer's laughter

23. What was your worst ever dating experience?
Oh goodness...a blind date I went on my junior year of high school with a guy named Garrett (aka: Garrett the Ferret.) I'll keep it short and sweet: He wore Vans, a gold dangle cross earring in one ear, and he loved drag-racing. Our "date" was so terrible that we barely spoke two words to each other the entire evening, decided to skip dinner after our movie, and after that night I never heard from him again.

24. Are you a good cook?
I think so. Although, I'm not very good at branching out and trying to make new things.

25. Are you a collector of anything?
Pictures/cards/notes and Pandora charms

A Valentine Story...

2010-02-13T19:41:00.001-08:00

For as far back as I can remember, I have always really liked Valentines Day...but I didn't love it until I was in the eighth grade.
I was in gym class when the principal came over the intercom and called me down to the office, which of course, scared me to death. After all of my classmates were finished doing their "OOOOOHHHH-YOOOUU'RE-INNNN-TROOOOUUUUBLE-ing," I headed slowly down to the office.
When I walked in, the receptionist had a HUGE smile on her face and said, "A very handsome young man just dropped this off for you!" My eyes sat fixed on a stuffed bear wearing a leopard outfit, and a little bouquet of red carnations with a note attached from a secret admirer.
I was completely surprised and confused, but most of all excited. You can imagine how proud I was to walk back in that gym and show off all the goodies from my "secret admirer!" My friends couldn't get enough, and for the rest of the day, all I heard were questions as to who my admirer might be. After school, I couldn't wait to get home and show my mom and dad...I mean after all, this was serious business for a thirteen year old.
I must have read and re-read the note attached to those flowers at least a billion times. After that, I smelled the flowers a billion more times...I was in love! With who, I didn't know yet- that was but a small detail....ha ha ha.
In the weeks following that Valentines day, every chance I got I would try and closely examine my guy-friends handwriting while they weren't looking, and I told ALL of my girlfriends to do the same!
I let the flowers sit in my room, right next to the bear, until they were completely rotted...and still, I hadn't the slightest clue as to who my secret admirer was.
Eventually I just forgot about it, because as we all know, 8Th graders have a lot of other "social drama" to keep them busy. HA!
Then, my freshman year of high school came, and wouldn't you know, that Valentines Day I got another note (this time accompanied with a rather large box of chocolates) from the same secret admirer. All the excitement was back! And this continued...the notes, the flowers, the candy, the stuffed animals...without fail, every single Valentines Day...all the way up until my senior year of high school. I kept almost everything they gave me (see love notes picture above!)
I figured my admirer was the (tall and handsome) shy type and he was probably never going to come clean, so again, I eventually just forgot about it.
One day, after high school graduation had come and gone, my parents and I were sitting around talking and laughing (as usual) in our living room and somehow my "secret Valentine" came up. They very casually told me that THEY were my "secret admirer" for all those years! After the initial shock wore off, I started laughing uncontrollably, and so did they. And I still think its SO FUNNY. I mean, what parents do that? At first I couldn't decided whether this was just a really sick joke they played on me, or if it meant I was the luckiest girl in the world because my parents cared so much about making me feel special. I decided on the latter. I could just imagine them sitting their together, giggling the entire time they were thinking of what to write me in those cards. I asked them why they did it and they just said, "Because we wanted you to feel good about yourself and we thought it was fun and exciting for you!" I laughed some more. A LOT MORE.
After I thought about it, I guess they were right. It was fun. And it did make me feel good about myself, even if it was all made up...I think every young girl should feel that way at least once.
So that's it. That's how my love for Valentines day began. And ever since Preston and I have been together, we've always celebrated sort of big. Why not?
I'm just waiting for Sawyer to get her very first "secret admirer" Valentine gift. I know she'll be tickled pink, and the first phone call I'll make is to my parents...to tell them thank you.

Tea Parties, Baby Momma, and A Few Other Things...

2010-02-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

On a trip to TJ Max last week I bought Sawyer her very first tea set! When I noticed it was glass I was a tad scared, imagining it broken in tiny pieces all over the house, but it was way too adorable (and cheap) to not buy. I'm glad I got it because she LOVES it, and no broken pieces yet! We've had a tea party almost every day since I brought it home, and she's actually very careful when she plays with it...quite the proper young lady :)

Sawyer has also become a great little momma to all of her baby dolls. She feeds them, changes them, gives them medicine and sings them to sleep. She's also invented a new "game" she likes to play where she talks in this super-deep voice and says she's Dr. Church (which just so happens to be one of her pediatricians names) and go's through a list of questions with her babies to find out why they're sick. Then she proceeds to try and gently ram a tongue depressor in their mouths to check out their sore throats. SO FUNNY.

Okay, this is where the post gets really random:

-I saw something absolutely hilarious last week while waiting in line at Target. There was a woman checking out in front of me, who was at least 70 years old, and the clerk was trying to scan a greeting card she was buying. Well, the card didn't want to scan so he turned it over and on the front it said (in enormous letters) "I LUST AFTER YOUR BODY." I held back my laughter...barely. For whatever reason, seeing that that just made my day. I love the idea that an "older person" could still have such a good sense of humor and give a card like that to their husband/wife. I hope I'm like that when I'm old.

-Its been over a month since Ive been to the gym. I know, it's pathetic. But really, I'm planning on going back soon. Really. No, really...Really.

-I was reading in Acts again last night, and I came across a name that I'm now in love with. If we were ever to have another child (boy or girl,) I would give them the name Silas.

-I'm SO EXCITED...Valentines Day is Sunday!!! I know a lot of people think its a silly holiday, but Valentines has always been one of my favorites. I'll have to tell you why later, but I'll save it for another post.

I hope you all have a great weekend...I know we will!

Cardboard Testimonies...

2010-02-09T10:21:00.000-08:00

Ive seen this video before, but it was a while ago. I came across it again today and cried my eyes out as I watched. Its awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ

What an encouragement to see how God works in the lives of others...how he turns sadness to joy, weeping to dancing!
Our God is so good. His timing is so perfect, and He gives us more-much more-than our hearts could ever desire.

I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself... O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you. Psalm 89:2,8

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Psalm 36:5

Another Snow Day...

2010-02-09T09:40:00.001-08:00

This morning we woke up to lots and lots of SNOW!
Sawyer and I bundled up and headed outside to play for a while and we had so much fun. I attempted to make a snow man until Sawyer came running out of nowhere, full speed, and pummeled it. Its okay though...he looked pretty pitiful anyway.
After playing outside we came in for a warm bath followed by lunch and a movie. She just went down for her nap and I'm betting she'll sleep for a good while. Preston's coming home from work early today, so I'm thinking we may take a little nap ourselves! Tonight I'm making my mom's famous cheesy potato soup for dinner...perfect when the weather's cold...
You know, I'm still ready for Spring, but I'm also thankful for days like this one. Its beautiful outside, warm inside, and snow days always make me feel like a little kid again...and I like that.

Choo Choo...

2010-02-04T09:33:00.001-08:00

While I cleaned the house last Friday, Sawyer got creative and made a little train for her Polly-pockets to ride on! The things you can do with a few rolls of toilet paper!

Momma's Helper...

2010-02-01T10:14:00.000-08:00

Sawyer has really become quite the little helper lately...which, as all mommy's know, can be good and bad. Good, when they happily help pick up all the toys strewn about the house...bad when they get a hold of the Windex bottle and "help" by spraying down the entire couch. Oh yes, that happened.
I'm trying my best (most of the time) to foster her helpfulness, so last Tuesday I let her help me make oatmeal cookies! She was beyond excited, and she did a terrific job, if I do say so myself.
Oh, and please ignore her nappy little head of hair...she just woke up from her nap :)

My Latest Project...

2010-01-30T18:00:00.001-08:00

I think I mentioned last time I was trying to make these little monogram shirts for Sawyer so I thought I'd show ya what they look like...
Ive done two so far and I'm really liking the way they've turned out!
Here's the best part: I had a gift card to Hobby Lobby, so all my fabric and other supplies, which weren't really expensive anyways, for free. Then, I found these little tee shirts on clearance at Target for two bucks a piece! Man I love a good deal...

Random Thoughts For Your Thursday Afternoon...

2010-01-28T09:26:00.000-08:00

First, I just need to get this out: I'M SO STINKIN TIRED OF THIS COLD WEATHER! I'm ready for some warmness...
Okay, I feel better now. Sort of.

-This week has been one of those weeks that I'm just feeling extra-happy to be a mommy. Sawyer has been SO good, and we've had SO much fun together! Ive really enjoyed her company and most of all her conversation! Oh man, the things she says! I'm also loving the way she makes a song out of the most random sentences. I'll say something like, "Sawyer you have to go put your shoes on," and the next thing I hear is her repeating what I said, but in a song. So funny! There's one thing she's certainly not lacking any of, and that's personality. The other day, Preston was in the shower and she knocks on the door and yells, "Daddy! Are you in there shaving your legs!?!" I was ROLLING!!! Yesterday, we made a batch of oatmeal cookies together, and while she' mixing the dough she says, "Momma, I'm a good chef. When you eat these cookies they're so good you would die! Am I kidding? No, I'm serious!" Even as I sit here typing that one, I'm laughing out loud.

-I'm also feeling particularly thankful for girlfriends today. I was fortunate enough to have a girls night out with my bestest bud Jordan this past Saturday while Preston and Sawyer had some daddy-daughter time. We had so much fun! We went and had dinner at the always-yummy Calistoga, shopping at Gymboree, then to see a movie. While we agreed the movie wasn't the best we'd ever seen, it was still great to just be out of the house and do whatever we wanted! Jordan and I also got to hang out yesterday when we took the girls to play at All About Kids. Cameryn and Sawyer played their little hearts out and then we took them back to my house for lunch and naps. The really great thing is that they nap at the same time, so it gives Jordan and I a chance to just relax and talk for a couple of hours! Mommy-time is just great.

-Last night I was looking online at Etsy, and I got this idea to make some fabric-monogram shirts for Sawyer. We ventured out to Hobby Lobby and Target this morning to gather all the supplies, so we'll see how they turn out. I'm feeling fairly hopeful, so If I get a good result, I'll post pictures. If not, we'll just act like I never said any if this.

-I read this verse for the first time the other day and I was SO encouraged:
"The LORD your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."
Seriously...how awesome is that? To read that the Lord- maker of the Heavens and Earth, God over EVERYTHING- will take delight in me! Wow.

Tomorrow is the start of another weekend, and for the first time in I-Don't-Know-When, we really have no plans. I sort of like the idea. Hope you're all having a good week and staying warm!

It Makes Me Better...

2010-01-23T20:32:00.001-08:00

Everything is back to normal in our household, and thank the LORD, because it was starting to feel like we were never going to get our girl well!
Okay, this is funny...
A couple of days ago, I was cleaning up the kitchen and I could hear Sawyer playing with her dollhouse in her room. I wasn't about to go in and "disturb" her, so I just went on with what I was doing and let her play. A few minutes passed, I got a phone call, and by the time I got off-about five minutes later-I realized I couldn't hear her playing anymore. I walked into her room to see her sitting in the floor running her little hands all over her bookshelf.
Hmmmm....strange.
As I walk closer, the smell about knocked me down. Sawyer found the pot of Vick's Vapor Rub and was going to town. She had it EVERYWHERE. Her hands were COVERED all the way up to her wrists. It was on the floor. On the books. On the storage bins. In her hair.
She just looks up at me and says, "It makes me better Mom!"
I just had to laugh, because it's true...Vick's always makes it better. I had a big mess to clean up, but the good thing was that we were both able to smell quite well for the next few hours!

Still Here...

2010-01-18T19:30:00.000-08:00

I haven't abandoned the blog, we've just had a rough week.
Sawyer's been sick since last Monday. Eight days, lots of crying, worrying, two doctor and one urgent care visit makes for a very, very long week.
The good news: no swine flu, they didn't admit her to the hospital, and I'm starting to feel much better (I got sick a few days ago too.)
Hopefully Sawyer will get to feeling better in the next couple of days and everything will be back to normal.
Until then, keep us in your prayers!

If You See My Husband, Dont Mention This...

2010-01-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

Im Kidding...He really wouldnt care.
Yesterday, while I was making my grocery list Preston took Sawyer in her room to play for a little while. About ten minutes into my list-making, I hear Sawyer doing her "evil-giggle," so I had to go see what they where up to. When I walked in, this is what I saw...
Sawyer was giving her Daddy a makeover!
Really, what could look better on a man than pink sparkle chap stick?

Cameryn's First Birthday...

2010-01-07T18:59:00.000-08:00

Saturday, my second favorite little girl celebrated her very first birthday!
Jordan and Josh had a little get-together at their house, and everyone had a good time eating, visiting with each other, and most of all...watching Cameryn open her presents and dive into her yummy birthday cake! In was a fun afternoon, and of course, Sawyer asks to "go see Cameryn at her birthday party" almost every day since then.
I took some pictures, and while there are way to many to put on here, I'll show ya some of my favorites...

Snow Day...

2010-01-07T17:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday evening we went over to Mom and Dad's house for a little while, and out of the blue, Mom says, "Why don't you just let Sawyer spend the night with us tonight? You can just sleep in tomorrow morning!"
Let me think about that for a sec....
Ummm, YES!
I ran home to grab her some PJ's, dropped those back of at Mom and Dad's, and then headed over to Border's to look around before meeting Preston for dinner. We ended up eating at Taco Bell, but it was SO nice to sit there (for almost an hour) and just talk! After we ate, we went to look for a lamp for Preston's desk, and then came home and hung out a while before going to bed.
It was a great mid-week, impromptu mini-date. And it came at just the right time, since Preston's been working SO much this week.
So, this morning I went to get Sawyer and the snow was really coming down! Once I got there, Mom suggested we just spend the day there, since she wasn't going anywhere. If we were going to be cooped up inside all day, we may as well be cooped up together! I'm so glad I decided to stay, because it ended up being an AWESOME day. Everything a snow day should be. We bundled Sawyer up and took her out in the snow for the first time ever, and she absolutely LOVED it! Unfortunately, I only had my phone to take pictures, but I'm sure we'll go out again tomorrow, so I'll get more with my camera then. After we played outside for a little while, we came in and gave her a hot bath, followed by a sippy-cup full of hot chocolate and a new Veggie Tale movie (with popcorn, of course.) Mom made the most delicious soup Ive had in a long time, and Dad "braved the elements" to run out and get us a loaf of Great Harvest bread and McDonald's cokes to go with it. We stayed in our pajamas all day, played, laughed, and just relaxed...It was by far the best snow day Ive had since I was a little girl.
Hope you and your family had a great snow day too!

On a Trip To Walmart...

2010-01-04T10:09:00.001-08:00

Sawyer and I got out and about early this morning to go run some errands, which included a trip to Walmart.
We walked in the front doors holding hands, and there to greet us was a severely handicapped man siting in a wheelchair. As soon as he saw Sawyer, his face lit up, and though I could barely understand what he was saying, I heard one thing very clearly through his slurred speech, "Hi there, pretty girl."
Without one bit of hesitation, Sawyer walked right up to him, smiled, and took his hand and held it in hers. I'm sure this man typically never gets a "hello," or even so much as a look in the eye. The sad truth is, he's probably just ignored most of the time. I stood there and talked with him a second before going to get my shopping cart, and when I walked away, a light bulb (yup, just like the ones in those cartoons) went off inside my head.
Sawyer didn't see a handicapped person. She didn't see a "disability." She didn't see anything wrong with this man at all. What she did see, was someone was was genuinely happy to see her, and spoke kind words to greet her. She felt comfortable around him, because he was just a very nice, gentle person...so comfortable that she went to embrace him.
And then, I had a thought: Isn't that just like Jesus?
So, as I plop Sawyer in the front of the shopping cart, I start to think some more, and tears start to stream down my face. Yes, right in the front of Walmart. Luckily, it was early enough in the morning that it wasn't crowded at all, and I only passed one woman who saw me crying. She probably thought I was crazy, but that's okay. Actually, it might have been nice if she'd asked my why I was crying because I could have told her it was because I was happy. Without knowing it, my two year old just showed me a perfect example of what Christs love for us is like.
Even though we are sinners, when Christ looks at us he never sees a "handicap," or a "disability." He just loves us. I think that's what Jesus meant when he said we should become like little children. For the most part, children are quick to forgive, and (especially the younger they are) they rarely hold grudges. They are unprejudiced. They are joyful. And most importantly, they have a blind faith.
I so desire to be more like that. To look past age, color, disability or whatever else and just love on people. Because everyday, that's what Christ does for me, even though I don't deserve it.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18:1-4

New Year...

2010-01-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

First, let me just say...Happy New Year to you!!!!
Preston and I stayed up past our bedtime (we're old folk) last night to watch the ball drop, and of course to share a little new year's kiss! Isn't that just so newlyweddish of us? I thought so too.

Since Preston's been off work for the past three days, we've gotten SO much accomplished around the house! I cleaned out Sawyer's closet, toy box, all kitchen cabinets and drawers, the pantry (man that was bad,) and best of all... our ENTIRE basement. I was so proud I was going to share pictures with you guys, but you really couldn't appreciate the "after" photos unless you'd seen the "before." Just trust me, it looks way better. We cleaned out every shelf, tossed out all the junk we'd been hanging on to for way too long, and started to organize all of the yard sale and donation stuff. The pile of Sawyer's clothes (along with some toys and shoes) is gigantic, so if anyone wants to come take a look and see if you want anything before I sell it, just call me :)

I'm sitting here right now, thinking of how glorious it feels to have everything organized. Well, everything except the dining room hutch, but that's for another day.
I'm also thinking about how quickly this year has flown by! When you have little ones the days are long, but the years are so short. As I sit and reflect this past year, I'm overwhelmed with how much the Lord has truly blessed our family. How good he's been to me...how he's protected me, guided me, and most of all loved me. I could never praise him enough for all he's done for me. Every good thing I have (or will ever have) has come straight from him.

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
Psalm 105:1-2

A few highlights from this year I don't want to forget:

-Preston getting his NEW JOB! Looking back on that whole (long) process from beginning to end, its just SO clear that God had his hand upon the whole thing the entire time. We are beyond thankful for his position at such a great company.

-Celebrating Sawyer's second birthday! What fun she had!

-Our four year anniversary...still cant believe its already been that long.

-Our Valentines Day Getaway.

-Our family trip to Tennessee.

-Our trip to Gatlinburg with Jordan and Josh in October. Those two are yet another thing Preston and I have to be thankful for...friends that bring us so much fun and laughter every time we're together.

2009 has been a good year indeed. A few goals I have for this upcoming year...

-To shed some of this baby weight I'm still holding on to for what, 2 1/2 years now? I thought seriously (for maybe 10 minutes) about giving up all soft drinks, cold turkey. But I then decided against that idea. Because if I did that, someone might have to check me into some sort of mental facility for my withdraws, and we wouldn't want that. Yes, I love them that much.

-To be more patient.

-To work on memorizing scripture. Not just reading the Word, but memorizing it. I really believe its so important to have Gods truths tucked away in your heart and I already have a plan in place that's going to help me with my goal (thank you Topical Memory System,) so by the end of 2010 I should have around 100 verses memorized.

I hope all of you can look back at this past year and think of at least a few things you're thankful for. I know I am.

Right Now, I'm headed to bed. Its way too late, I'm so tired from all the cleaning! We have a full day tomorrow...an afternoon with friends, celebrating Cameryn's first birthday, and then dropping Sawyer off at Mom and Dad's because its DATE NIGHT!

Have a Happy Weekend everyone!

The Gingerbread Girl...

2009-12-31T16:58:00.000-08:00

Last night we went over to Mom and Dads for a little while, and they had quite a treat for Sawyer. A gingerbread-man making kit. As you can see from the pictures, she really went to town. She consumed more icing than I thought was humanly possible, spilled tiny candies everywhere, used the mixer to sling powder all over the floor, decided her gingerbread man should have green eyes...and then ate some more icing. Basically, it was one of the best nights of her life. I think we're going to make this cookie decorating thing a tradition...its a mess, but its oh so fun!

Just In Case You Were Wondering...

2009-12-31T16:53:00.000-08:00

Lobster Buddy is still with us. Alive and well.
I know, Im just as shocked as you.

All the Same Reasons...And Then Some

2009-12-29T09:23:00.000-08:00

I dug up a little treasure today.
I was cleaning out our dining room hutch this afternoon (which at the moment is sort of like a bottomless junk pit) and I found the book I made Preston for our one year wedding anniversary.
I smiled when I saw the corner of it sticking out from beneath a huge pile of papers, and I cut my hutch-organizing short to sit down and look through it. I honestly didn't even know it was lost until I found it...we have a lot of stuff around here.
I remember working on this book every single day, for weeks leading up to our anniversary, and I couldn't wait to give it to him. When he opened it up to look inside, the first thing he said was, "No way...are there really 365 in here!?!?"
"Yup...Go ahead, read em all," I said. Because there really were 365 reasons why I loved him, written down in the pages of that book. One reason for every day we'd spent together as husband and wife. Surprisingly enough, all of those reasons weren't hard to come up with at all, and if I were writing that book again today, I know I could easily come up with 365 more.
Some of my favorite reasons were....

Because of your uncompromising belief in God and his word.

Because you have such a servants heart.

Because you're so good at fixing things...a real handy man.

Because we always laugh at the same things.

Because you're you re the best Math tutor Ive ever had (this made me laugh. I wrote this was back in the day when I was still in college, and Preston helped me with my Math work almost every night. He was so patient with me...I just don't get Math)

Because all of my friends and family adore you.

Because of the way you make small talk with people at the drive through window...ha ha ha.

Because you never get frustrated when I ask you, "Does Dateline come on tonight?" every night of the week. (that one made me laugh)

Because of your determination. You never let anything hold you back.

Because you always try and make the best out of a bad situation.

Because of your willingness to forgive.

Because you tell me I'm beautiful, even without makeup on.

Because of your generosity.

Because you've never gone a night without kissing me before bed...even when we're mad at each other.

Because you've made me the luckiest girl in the world.

You know, I'm not sure if Preston ever sat down and read every single reason I wrote. BUT, it still makes me happy...knowing that if he ever wants to, they'll be there.

2009-12-28T10:18:00.000-08:00

What in the world could be better than a bed FULL of balloons? In Sawyer's book: absolutely nothing.

Today...

2009-12-26T19:36:00.000-08:00

Today I...

Got a hair cut. Finally.

Blew up 20 balloons for Sawyer to play with, and came to the conclusion that balloon fights are way better than pillow fights.

Lost the left nose-piece on my new glasses. Don't you just hate it when that happens?

Listened to Pandora for hours. Michael Buble, Need To Breath, Jason Mraz, Ray Lamontagne, Nora Jones...Good stuff.

Had a wonderfully fabulous steak dinner at our house. Yum Yum.

Played Aggravation. Sadly enough, Preston and I were no match for Mom and Dad.

Bought Sawyer a few goodies from the dollar store. A few stickers, magnets, and plastic dinosaurs later, I became the hero of the day!

Thought about going to the grocery.

Decided to put it off until tomorrow.

Enjoyed some of the home-made cookies Preston's dad made for us last night.

Downloaded anther new song to my ipod. Gosh, I love music.

Thought about how incredibly blessed I am to have such a sweet family...felt so grateful that my little Bug is finally feeling better...and smiled, a lot.

2009-12-23T13:51:00.000-08:00

I seriously don't think Ive ever been so mad in my life.
Preston is sick. Sawyer is also very, very sick...like, the sickest she's ever been in her life.
Why?
Because on Sunday we had to work in the nursery at church and at least two of the kids in there were sick.
Preston started getting sick late Sunday night, and Sawyer started feeling bad yesterday. She had a fever of almost 104 and was only awake about 2 hours the entire day. I called her pediatrician and they told me what to give her, and thankfully my Mom was with me, because we almost had to make a trip to the emergency room. Today, the fever is almost gone (praise the Lord) but her throat is hurting so bad she can barely swallow and she wont eat anything.
I'm just waiting to get it myself, because it seems like that's always how it happens.
I understand people wanting to go to church, but if you have a sick child, its in their (and everyone elses) best interest to STAY HOME. This isn't the first time this has happened, and I'm just honestly so angry. Bringing your sick kid to church so they can get everyone else sick is just plain inconsiderate and selfish. I know that might sound "harsh" or whatever, but its the truth. I understand not wanting to stay home on Sunday morning, and having to miss church to be home with a sick baby stinks, but what in the world would make someone think it would be best to bring them around other people who might catch what they have!?!?!? I'm just so tired of it. I told Preston yesterday that Sawyer and I are taking a little (indefinite) hiatus from the church nursery.
Tomorrow, we're supposed to be hanging out with my family, but I guess that all depends on how Sawyer is feeling. Ugh. Did I mention I'm mad?
This Sunday, I'll be staying home with Sawyer EVEN IF IT SEEMS LIKE SHE MIGHT BE FEELING BETTER, and I really wish everyone else would do the same if their kids are sick. Because I'm sick of getting sick...sick of taking care of other people who are sick (especially an inconsolable, over-tired, ultra-emotional 2 year old)...just plain sick.

Weekend Recap...And Some Other Things...

2009-12-21T09:22:00.001-08:00

Let's see...
Friday night Preston came home with some goodies from work (the perks of having a husband who works in the food business) which included some of the most delicious boneless chicken wings Ive ever had in my life. Usually every Friday night we have pizza, followed by a red box movie after we put Sawyer to bed. We rented two movie's and ended up watching one called Nights in Rodanthe. When I saw the movie was based on a book by Nicholas Sparks, I got excited, because he wrote the book that was later turned into my favorite movie, The Notebook. Let's just say Nights in Rodanthe was NO Notebook. It was so depressing! I know my poor husband was about to die while we were watching it, and I'll be surprised if he ever lets me pick out a movie again. At least we got to spend some time just relaxing together. After the movie, we decided to go on to bed...we were both exhausted from staying up way too late almost every night last week!
Saturday morning, I went to a friends baby shower while Preston and Evan took Sawyer and Kendall to play at Incredible Dave's. The shower was great...sweet women, wonderful food, and its always so fun to watch someone open cute little baby things! I came home around noon and Preston and Sawyer came in about ten minutes later. She was exhausted, and ended up taking a three hour nap. Later that day, we dropped Sawyer off at Mom and Dads because it was DATE NIGHT!!! We went to an early dinner at Macaroni Grille and it was SO GOOD! After dinner we ended up going to a furniture store to look around because we've officially begun the search for a bedroom suite for Miss Sawyer. After the furniture hunt, we decided to go to the new Gigi's Cupcakes for dessert! Unfortunately, we when got there (at just 7:45) it was already closed! We ended up going to the always yummy Homemade Pie Kitchen for an upside down cupcake :) After dessert, we went to a friends house to visit for a while before heading back home.
We had SUCH a fun night together, and I'm already looking forward to our next date!
This week we don't have much of anything going on. Today has been very low key, just picking up the house, playing with Sawyer, and a little bit of laundry. Thursday night, we're all going to stay the night at Mom and Dad's, and as always there will be lots of food, games, and fun followed by a HUGE breakfast the next morning. I'm SO excited.
Preston is off work a few days next week because he had some vacation days he had to use before the end of the year or else he'd lose them. I think I'm going to talk him into taking me and Sawyer for a little day trip up to the Newport Aquarium. We'll see. I think the weekend after that I'm going to plan a girls night...my friend Jordan and I have been talking about having one for a while, so I think we're going to try and make it happen.
In other news, Sawyer learned a new bible verse, Psalm 118:1, "Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." I got a really sweet video of her last week singing her new song in the tub, so I'll have to post that soon. She's precious.
I guess that's it for now...Hope everyone has a good week :)

Lookin at Lights...

2009-12-18T12:40:00.000-08:00

After dinner Wednesday night, Preston and I decided we should go for a drive and look at lights! We bundled Sawyer up, and were out the door within 5 minutes after I suggested we go.
We go to the same neighborhood every year...the houses are beautiful and some of them have a crazy amount of Christmas lights, which is always neat to look at.
Sawyer was super excited about our adventure. She kept saying, "Ooooohhhh, Loooook! Mama, take a picture! Those lights are gorgeous!"
This year, I just so happened to bring my camera with me so I took a few pictures of our favorites. (I like the first one the best.)

Still More Boots...

2009-12-17T18:18:00.001-08:00

I think Ive mentioned before Sawyer's love for boots. Lately, the only shoes she wants to wear are her pink polka-dot boots, and most of the time I just let her. Last Friday while we were playing in the basement, Sawyer found herself a little treasure...a pair of her Daddy's work/rain boots. As soon as she saw them she started begging to put them on, and they just looked so funny on her I had to get out my camera!

Introducing...Lobster Buddy

2009-12-14T10:12:00.000-08:00

Friday night, Preston and I went to another one of his work dinners so Mom and Dad took Sawyer out on the town for a few hours while we were gone. They told us before we left that they were going to get pizza and then to look around at the pet store (which I didn't think anything of because we always go to the pet store to let Sawyer look at all the animals.)
We were in for a surprise when we came home.
When I saw Sawyer the first thing she says to me is, "I have something to show you Mama!"
"What is it?" I asked.
"Lobster Buuuddddyyyy!!!!!" she replies, as she grabs my hand and takes of running for our guest room.
When I opened the door...to my horror....there sat a hamster in a cage. Sawyer was so excited her little eyes were the size of half dollars. I about threw up. I tried to sound excited because I didn't want to spoil her fun, but still. A hamster. I gave Mom and Dad the evil eye and they were laughing their heads off. They really thought it was hilarious (they would NEVER let that thing in their house.)
If you know me at all, you know I'm not really an "animal person." I mean, I don't mind them, if they belong to someone else and I don't have to be around them for an extended period of time, but I would never want a pet of my own.
I had a few pets growing up, although my mom wasnt much of an animal lover either. I even had two hamsters of my own once when I was bout six, but that didnt last long. I'll save that story for another post, but I'll just let you know it ended with my Dad throwing one of my over-sized hamsters (that had escaped from its cage in our basement months before and turned into a wild beast) across the street into the woods after he finally captured it in one of my play-purses. Now, for whatever reason, I'm deathly afraid of them. Like, seriously, seriously scared.
We got "Lobster Buddy" out of his cage (we let Sawyer name him, and I have to no clue how she came up with that one, but we just went with it) and Sawyer was so sweet. She said, "Oh, Hi Buddy! You're cuuuute! You're a cutie! You don't have to be scared now...I'm your Mommy!"
Well that completely melted my cold little anti-animal heart and I couldn't bear to tell her that he wouldn't be staying around for long.
I don't know how long this is going to last. Sure, Sawyer likes him, but when we're home alone together (which is the majority of the time) I cant even get him out of his cage to play because I'm too scared to hold him. And she wont pick him up by herself either. Preston, however, is quite the hamster wrangler. I just keep thinking she needs to be a little older to have a pet, one that she can take care of herself. She hasn't asked to see him all day today and its almost two now, so that's a good sign. Maybe she's already forgotten about him. Probably not. But when she does, Lobster Buddy is moving to a new home. Don't judge me :) No two-year old needs a pet!
So, if you know anyone who wants a FREE hamster with the cage, food, and all that other good stuff, let me know! Until then, we'll be enjoying our new furry friend when DADDY comes home.

Are You a Big Man?

2009-12-13T18:20:00.001-08:00

This morning, When Preston went to get Sawyer out of her bed, I could hear them talking as he carried her down the hallway. This is how the conversation went...
Sawyer: Daddy, I want soooooommmmmeeeee....cheerios!
Preston: Okay, cheerios it is...
Sawyer: Daddy?
Preston: Yeah, Bug?
Sawyer: (In the most serious tone) Are you a big man?

I heard Preston giggle a little under his breath, and I just started ROLLING!!!! Where in the world does she get this stuff? Her question alone was funny, but the way she asked it was even more funny. Needless to say, her "are you a big man?" comment has definitely been our quote of the day, and I think it will be for a while.
Absolutely HILARIOUS.

What We've Been Doin...

2009-12-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

This past Friday night my friend Amy and I went out for a girls night! We decided earlier in the week on dinner and a movie, and while we knew what movie we'd be seeing (The Blind Side,) we still were undecided on where to go eat. We left the house and headed toward the theatre, both hungry, talking about all the places we had to chose from. Would it be Rafferty's, BW3's, Panera, Mcalisters, Tumbleweed????? The options were endless.
Here comes the funny part and its almost embarrassing...
We ended up having dinner at the always-delicious...Taco Bell. After discussing all of our options, we both remembered (at the same time) there is a Taco Bell right by the movie's and it sounded good to both of us! Amy and I have been friends since the 4Th grade, and as she would say, "we've always been taco-bell partners." We really do love it that much. As we ate that night, we sat and talked about all the math classes we skipped in college (we went to the same school,) to go shopping and eat Taco Bell! It was great spending the evening with her...just like old times.
So like I said before, we saw The Blind Side after our gourmet dinner. We both agreed it was the best movie we'd seen in years. Really, if you haven't seen it, you should. Its awesome. So awesome in fact that Preston and I went to see it again the very next night!
Saturday, we had an all-day annual meeting at the downtown Marriott to attend for Preston's work. We had to be there at 2:30 that afternoon and it didn't end until 9:30 that night! They had award ceremonies, a dinner, and the entertainment this year was a comedian who was hilarious. It turned out to be an excellent date night!

Some other random things...

I made crock-pot lasagna for the very first time last night. Mom, Dad, Mamaw and Papaw came over to eat with us and everyone LOVED it, so I'll post the recipe soon!

Mom and I are thinking about having a cookie swap. I really like the idea, I guess it's just finding a day amongst all the busy-ness to schedule it.

Ive been a real slacker about going to the gym. I haven't been since Thanksgiving...I know, shame on me.

Sawyer is loving The Bernstein Bears right now. We just bought four more of the DVDs on eBay, and they're on their way!

This might be the saddest thing ever. We went to Oxmoor Mall last week so Sawyer could play on the big boat, and IT...WAS....GONE!!!!!! You should have seen her little face as she looked at the big empty space it used to be in. She was so confused, and disgusted...as was I. What in the world are we going to do this winter!?!?! How is she going to burn off all that energy!?!?! I guess this just means more trips to indoor playground at Chick-Fill-A.

I guess that's just about all we've been up to lately. Hope every one's doing well!

Pretty Pretty Princess...

2009-12-07T09:41:00.001-08:00

We like playing dress up around here! Jordan gave Sawyer this play-dress for her birthday, and she loves it. What a little "priss" my girl is...

It's a Bird...It's a Plane...

2009-12-07T09:35:00.000-08:00

It's flying Sawyer!

Slumber Party!

2009-12-01T18:06:00.000-08:00

Last Friday night, I kept Sawyer's best buddy Kendall overnight so her Mommy and Daddy (Evan and Leah) could go out on a date! I knew the girls would have a blast together...
We ordered pizza for dinner, which they both enjoyed, played in the bouncer, read books, had fun in the bath making bubble-cups, and finished the the night off with watching a little bit of our new Tinkerbell movie. I think the highlight of the night though, was when the girls discovered the spray bottle filled with water in Sawyer's room (hence, the damp hair in some of these pictures.) Mom was there with us for a big chunk of he evening, and we just let them go to town with it! They actually took turns squirting each other for about 10 minutes, and the whole time they were both ROLLING! It was too funny. You would know that a squirt bottle would be way more fun than any of the other (hundreds of) toys they drug out to play with.
As always, the girls had a big time together, and they actually both started bawling -bless their little hearts- the next morning when Evan and Leah came to pick Kendall up. Its so fun to watch them play together, and we're already looking forward to the next slumber party!

Thanksgiving...

2009-11-30T18:57:00.000-08:00

This year, our holiday was spent with lots of food and family!
On Thanksgiving day we went to Mom and Dad's house around noon and stayed until late that evening. We, as always, had enough food to "feed the entire neighborhood," as Mom would say...and it was all delicious! We ate entirely too much, and spent the rest of the day just lounging around. As of the past few years, its become a family tradition that everyone exchanges "secret turkey gifts," on Thanksgiving, and we all got some pretty neat things!
We celebrated Thanksgiving with Preston's family on Saturday, and unfortunately I forgot my camera. Preston's dad, who is an excellent cook, made a huge meal for us that afternoon, and after we ate, I was able to burn off a few calories playing Wii for the very first time! I decided that I don't think I could own for two reasons: One, I think I could very easily become addicted to the bowling game, and Two, Preston would for sure break something (or someone) in our house playing the tennis game. He is absolutely nuts. I actually made Sawyer come in the other room with me and watch from a distance because he's so far in his own world that he doesn't pay attention when she happens to walk in front of him, and I think he almost knocked her out twice...ha ha ha. His new nick-name is Andre Agassi.
I'm sad Thanksgiving (and Fall in general) are over, but this year has gone by so quickly that it'll be here again before we know it. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and were able to spend it with the ones you love!

Give Thanks to Him...

2009-11-25T12:18:00.000-08:00

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his [a] ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Saturday...

2009-11-21T20:29:00.001-08:00

Our day has been a full one, and I'm sitting here still amazed at everything we accomplished! Its funny, because we had nothing in particular planned, but we ended up doing a bunch.
We stared our morning off with a trip to our favorite park! I thought it was going to be freezing outside, but it actually ended up being nice. We bundled Sawyer up (as you can see in the pictures, she insisted on wearing her scarf,) and headed out about 9:30, which I know sounds early, but we'd been up since 7:30! We had the whole playground to ourselves, and we had so much fun!!! We stayed at the park until it was time to go home and make lunch, and let me tell you, Sawyer was not happy about leaving today. Not at all.
Once we came home and got Sawyer fed and down for her nap, Preston and I decided to forgo our plans for a nap and do some yard work. We figured since the weather was so nice and we didn't know when the next free day we'd have to do it, that we'd just go ahead knock it all out today. And knock it out we did! I trimmed every single one of our bushes (I trim them in the spring/early summer and fall) and cut back all of our monkey grass, while Preston used to blower to get most of the leaves out of our landscaping before he cut the grass. We worked all through Sawyer's nap, which was about three hours and we didn't get done until about an hour and a half after she woke up. I was so glad when it was all finished...everything looks SO much better.
After finishing up the yard work, we had to make a trip to Walmart to return something, and we decided to buy a couple of new DVDs while we were there. Preston got a new Blue Ray DVD player after ours went out a few weeks ago, and so we (well, more Preston than me) were anxious to see it in action...with a Blue ray DVD. We ended up buying two movies for Sawyer. Go figure. We got the new Tinkerbell movie, and my all-time-favorite-childhood-movie, The Wizard Of Oz, which Sawyer is now obsessed with. Alright, so I'll just go ahead and tell y'all...I'll admit being a little skeptical about the "Blue Ray" thing. Like, would it seriously make that much of a difference? Well, it did...really. The picture is UNBELIEVABLE.
Anyway, after our trip to Walmart, Mom and Dad came over for dinner! Mom had made some of her famous white chili (one of the best things ever) and she also brought these huge baked potatoes and toppings for those. SO SO SO yummy. Dessert: the delicious no bake cookies Leah sent us home with last night. So good! After dinner, Preston took Sawyer out to grab some ice cream and mom and I worked on cutting about a gazillion pieces of burlap for the church Thanksgiving dinner decorations.
Yes, full day indeed...
Right now, I'm up way too late and we've gotta get up bright and early for church in the morning! I'm off to bed...Oh, one more thing. This is neat. The past few days Ive been working with Sawyer on learning her first bible verse, and she's got it down! I'll say, "Colossians 3:20..." and she says it all, "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord!" I'll have to get it on video (I'm so bad about posting video's) and put it on here. It's so precious.
Hope you ALL had a wonderful Saturday! I'll leave you guys with some pictures from our morning at the park...

I Love My Job...

2009-11-17T10:22:00.000-08:00

I could list hundreds of reasons why I'm convinced that staying home with Sawyer is the best career I'll ever have, but for time's sake, I list just a few...

This morning was cold and rainy, so instead of running our errands we made sheet tents, read books, and danced around the house to our new "Joyful, Joyful" CD.

I am privileged to be able to be the first person to witness every single milestone she has ever had. I love calling Preston during the day and telling him something new she's saying or doing. Its even better when she's awake, so I can put her on speakerphone and she can tell him herself :)

I know her deeply and intimately. All of her quirks, likes, dislikes, habits...every single teeny tiny thing about her.

I'm able to get things accomplished. Sawyer will happily run several errands with me, as long as I have snacks and a few books on hand, of course.

She makes me laugh (hard) every day with her hilarious-ness. I mean, I'm not even being partial...she is seriously FUNNY. There's nothing I like more than sitting with her, singing silly made-up songs at the top of our lungs, making funny faces, or trying out some new dance moves!

My husband. How does Preston make me realize how much I love my job? Because he is the one who is out working so hard every day to allow me to be here. Without EVER complaining. And this is the part I really love: Me being at home with Sawyer is every bit as important to him as it is to me. Before we ever had children, he expressed how important it was to him that I stay home with them. He is so incredibly supportive and appreciative of the work I do. It can be easy to get a little overwhelmed when you spend everyday from 7am to 8:30pm with a two year old, but he makes my life so much easier by doing his part with Sawyer. He helps me (in ever aspect) with her when he's home and he (more than willingly) gives me a break whenever I need one. He takes her out to do things by themselves, so I can have a "breather", and tells me to go out and do things by myself or with friends, which is awesome. He's just great, and I'm so thankful to have him by my side to raise Sawyer.

Because our days are filled with routine (which I like), but there are also days we can do whatever we dream up, which is fabulous!

I guess Ive just been feeling extra thankful these past few days. I know there have been times that I've taken for granted the opportunity I have to be home full time with Sawyer, and I don't want that. What a precious gift Ive been given. Lord, please keep reminding me what a truly awesome responsibility you've blessed me with!

Operation Christmas Child...

2009-11-14T19:23:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I'm dropping off my Operation Christmas Child box at church...
Getting this box together was so much fun, and I wish so badly I could see the little girl who'll be getting it!
Operation Christmas child is an awesome program, and if you've never participated, you should! Basically you put together a shoebox(s) filled with items for a boy or girl (you can pick the age you'd like it to go to) and they send all of the boxes to children in need around the world. Another neat thing is that you can track your box and see exactly where it went! It doesn't cost a lot of money, and its a great way to give back. Can you imagine their sweet little faces when they open these????
Check out this to learn more...http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/index/

Sunflowers...

2009-11-14T10:42:00.000-08:00

Ive always said the best reason to get flowers is no reason at all...
Today, my sweet husband came home and surprised me with a bunch of sunflowers he bought for me, and I love them. I love flowers in general, but I think sunflowers are beautiful in a different sort of way than other flowers. They're unique, and I really like unique.

Rambling...

2009-11-12T17:40:00.001-08:00

I seem to be in a bit of a blogging rut, but I'm trying to get my act together.
This post is just some of my ramblings, so I apologize for the randomness...

-As of today, Thanksgiving is just two weeks away!!! Its always been my favorite holiday, and I start getting excited about it several months in advance. Mom and I are planning our menu this week...fun stuff. Mom and I are also decorating the church for our Thanksgiving dinner there. We've had a lot of fun getting stuff together for that, and I think its going to turn out really pretty so I'll have to remember to take pictures!

-I bought an ipod tonight! I never really needed one before, but Ive been going to the gym (I know, gasp!) and I like to listen to music while I'm working out, so Preston and I went to Sam's to pick one up. He refused to let me get the pink one, which only tells me he's planning on stealing it from me. ha ha ha...

-I've discovered a new park close to our house, and Sawyer and I L-O-V-E it!!! I'm not sure exactly why I like it so much, but I think it's because it sort of feels like you're in the woods, but you're not. They have such a nice playground, and there's a creek running near it with a neat bridge...just lots of space to run around and explore. The weather was unseasonably warm this past week, so we went there three days in a row and it was great. I wish I would have known about this place a year ago...

-Oh, and I cant not tell this story. This past week Sawyer said something quite hilarious. At the time I was embarrassed, but the more I told the story, the more funny it became. We were on the swings at the park, and there was a woman there who was pushing her little boy in the baby swing right next to us. All of a sudden, in her loudest voice, Sawyer yells, "Hey lady! Are you a pooter!?!?!?" I about died. Luckily, the woman had a good sense of humor and responded with, "Well, I'm not a pooter, but my son here is!" Sawyer could tell the the lady thought it was pretty funny, so she said it about five more times. The things they say :)

-This is super exciting...Preston and I are going to start having regularly scheduled date nights twice a month! We are so fortunate to be able to have my parents to watch Sawyer while go out, but we've been so busy lately that its hard to plan a date. Preston and I are both big planners, so we decided this would be the best way...just put in on the calendar for the first and third Saturday of the month. We can look forward to it, plan around it, and our time together remains a priority. Mom thought it was a great idea (she's a planner too) and we're so grateful to have her and Dad watch her for us.

I guess that's it for now. In case you forgot (which, I doubt you did,) tomorrow is FRIDAY...Whoooohooooo!!!! Have a spectacular weekend!

This Post Deserves a Big Tardy Slip...

2009-11-08T18:14:00.000-08:00

This post is a little overdue, but still way worth posting about!
Last Saturday (not yesterday, but the week before that) our friends Evan and Leah invited us (and several other families) over to their house for a Fall Celebration!
We had such a fun time! The weather was warm enough for the kids to play outside, and Leah made chili and hot dogs (aka, the perfect fall food) for dinner. Each family also brought a bag of candy, and they set up a little candy bar so all the kiddo's could fill a bag and take some home. Most of the kids had on costumes, and they all looked adorable.
We're thankful the Smith's invited us over for such a fun little get-together...we had a blast!

Every Girl's Best Friend...

2009-11-05T19:06:00.000-08:00

Sawyer experienced her very first Lindt Milk Chocolate Lindor Truffle last week. I would say she enjoyed it...thoroughly.

Happy Birthday To My Better Half!

2009-11-04T09:04:00.000-08:00

Preston
Happy 25th old man!
What in the world would I do without you??? You're God's greatest gift to me, and I thank him every chance I get for choosing you to be my husband. I love you more than I could ever put into words.
Look how far we've come together! I'm so blessed to have for my husband and my closest friend, and I cant wait to share a million more birthday's with you! Thank you for making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.
Love,
Me
PS...I just couldn't resist putting some of your old pictures up. What a sweet little boy (who, in a few of these look like more of a little girl...ha ha) you were! I love them. Please don't kill me :)

Playing In The Leaves...

2009-11-03T09:27:00.001-08:00

Sawyer and I played outside in the leaves all day Friday...we had so much fun! What made it even better was that the wind was blowing like crazy. Wind plus falling leaves is always a good thing!

Under The Weather...

2009-11-02T10:03:00.000-08:00

This has always been my favorite time of the year, but there's one thing I absolutely HATE about it. It seems everyone gets SICK! ugh...
Sawyer started feeling bad Friday, and it only got worse overnight. She was running a low fever, has a horribly runny nose, and a little bit of a cough. She is just pitiful. Every time she tries to sleep her nose starts running and then she coughs, which wakes her up and she starts crying. It's awful.
What's also awful is that Preston and I haven't slept in the same bed for three nights. Ever since Sawyer started getting sick, she's been sleeping in our bed. Poor Preston tried to stay in there with us, but Sawyer moves SO MUCH when she's sleeping and there's just not enough room. I suggested he relocate to the spare bedroom for a night or two so he could get some rest because he has to get up for work so early. Sawyer and I finally headed to the pediatrician this afternoon. After checking her out, her doctor was sure it was her allergies. He asked me what we were doing the day she got sick and I told him we'd been outside playing in the leaves all day. He said since the weather had been so crazy with all the rain last week that the mold count was really high, so playing in the leaves was exactly what did it. Her nose and throat were pretty raw from all the drainage, and we were sent home with a prescription for Zyrtec, which should help her a lot.
So, no more playing in the leaves again anytime soon for Bug. I did get some really sweet pictures of her that day though...I'll post those later.
Right now, I'm just feeling SO thankful that she isn't sick with anything worse than allergies, and I'm also hoping she sleeps better tonight...in her bed.

Gatlinburg Getaway...

2009-11-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

The week before last, Preston and I took off to Gatlinburg for a mini-vacation with our friends Jordan and Josh!
We planned this trip back in July and as it got closer I was even more excited, because there's nothing more perfect than Gatlinburg in the Fall. Our cabin was called the Stargazer and it was beautiful. Preston and I had actually stayed there a few years ago when we went with my family, but since then he had done some updating, which was nice.
We had such a blast!!! I was going to go through each day and tell you exactly what we did, but I don't want to bore you so I'll just say this...
Our time was spent mostly just relaxing, playing games (Jordan and I beat the guys pretty badly in our Aggravation tournament) talking, watching movies, visiting some neat restaurants, shopping (they have a great outlet mall) and even horseback riding!
It was nice to be able to stay up late, get up late if we wanted, and even take a few naps...all those things you don't really get to do with a "little one" at home! After horseback riding on Saturday, we came back to the cabin and the guys threw some wood in the fireplace before turning on football, so Jordan and I decided to blow up the air mattress! We put that baby RIGHT in front of the fireplace (we were still freezing from being outside), got a few pillows and blankets, and before long we were OUT. I think we slept for almost two and a half hours...it was fabulous.
We came home Sunday afternoon well rested and more than ready to see our two little girls! I'm so glad we were able to take that trip, and so thankful for such sweet friends who went with us. On our way home, we were already talking about the next vacation we could take together!
I posted some pictures from the trip, but unfortunately I didn't bring my camera the day we went horseback riding! Jordan did however remember to bring hers, so if you want to see them, she may post some of them on her blog sometime...so check it out.
Oh, and you're probably wondering about a couple of my pictures. Those raccoons are some "friends" we made while were were down there. They visited our cabin every single night hoping to get our food, and while Jordan and I thought they were pretty cute, I don't think the guys were too fond of them. And the picture of Jordan and I on the floor...well, that's us, after we "shopped till we dropped!" It was way too funny not to add, but I just wanted to explain it because it sort of looked like a crime scene photo to me.
Okay...I think that's it. Gatlinburg, we hope to see you next year!

Im Still Here...

2009-10-28T09:03:00.000-07:00

I have not gone MIA...
We're still here, we've just been dealing with some computer issues this week and I'm unable to load any pictures from my camera on here. boo.
Hopefully we'll have this thing fixed soon, because I have much to tell you. Mostly about our FABULOUS trip to Gatlinburg this past week/weekend...so much FUN.
Wait for it...a real post is coming soon.

"Jesus Will Clean It Up"

2009-10-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

This morning, as usual, I sat with Sawyer at the dining room table while she ate her cereal. We have some of our sweetest conversations in the morning over breakfast. Once she was finished, I got up and started toward the kitchen for a napkin to wipe up her little milky mess, and she said, "Momma? Are you gonna clean this up?"
I said, "I am, I just have to get a paper towel first."
She then says, without even a hint of a smile, "No, Mom, Jesus will clean it up!"
I about died laughing, but I contained myself long enough to call Preston in the room and have her tell him who was going to be cleaning her mess up that morning. She told him the exact same thing, and he of course thought it was the funniest thing ever.
I suppose I could have informed her that Jesus could definitely clean up a lot of other "messes," but that her milky cereal mess wasn't going to be one of them. I didn't though. Just hearing her even talk about Jesus is the best thing EVER, and I like the idea of her thinking he can do anything.
Anyhow, that just made my morning...
The things they come up with!

Why Im Extra Happy Today...

2009-10-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: " For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sawyer Loves Her Some Cameryn...

2009-10-16T18:41:00.001-07:00

Wednesday, Cameryn came to spend the day with Sawyer and I! Her momma (my best friend, Jordan) was trying to recover from a surgery she had last week, so we were happy to whisk her away to come hang out with us for a while.
As Cameryn gets older, its even more fun to watch them play together...it's just neat seeing them literally grow up together!
Mom even came by for a little while to visit with us after nap time, which I greatly appreciated, because its a whole different ball game with two little ones! We had a great afternoon...the girls were so good, and I even got to take some sweet pictures of them together! Oh, and I also discovered that Sawyer is obsessed with helping Cameryn put her "binky" back in her mouth...so cute.

Why "Sawyer"...

2009-10-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

This past week I had three different people ask me how I decided on the name "Sawyer."
It's actually funny because I didn't choose that name until very late in my pregnancy, and I'm a real planner. Ive said before how I was convinced it was a boy, so we had all the boy names figured out pretty early on. We had it narrowed down between Maddox, Grayson, Beau, Hayden, Reid, and Pierce...and we finally decided if we had a little guy his name would be Pierce Michaux (that's Preston's middle name) Petersen.
When we found out she was a little girl, we had picked out several names including Paisly, Raegan, Piper (although I never got Preston to like that one,) Lily (Preston's favorite,) Adair, Paige, and Ava. It was pretty much set that her name was going to be Paisly Adair Petersen...until I went to the bookstore one day, when I was 35 weeks pregnant. I was sitting there looking through baby books, and in one particular book under "unisex baby names" I saw "Sawyer." I thought it was different and I really liked it, so I called Preston (and Mom) right then to see what they thought. They both loved it, so that was all I needed to hear. Paige was one of the other girl names that Preston really liked so we finally chose, Sawyer Paige Petersen.
Why Sawyer? Because its different, and I like that when I call her name, 10 other children don't turn around. Because it has a sort of "southern" feel to it, and I'm one of those girls who loves all things southern. Because I could see her with that name when she's 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years old, not just when she's a baby. Because It doesn't rhyme with anything obnoxious. And because as soon as I saw her for the first time, I knew it was just "right" for her. Preston and I have said to each other several times since she's come along, "I can just never ever picture her having any other name...she's such a Sawyer."
So, like I said, I realize its very uncommon, and when (especially older) people look at me strangely when I tell them her name, I just have to laugh to myself. I used to get offended or upset about them not "getting it," or liking it, but now I could care less. I have just as many people, if not more, who absolutely love her name...and that's great to.
So, for all of those who already read this blog, or who will ever read it in the future... that's the long version of "Why Sawyer?"

Four Years Ago Today...

2009-10-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

I married my very own "prince charming" four years ago today. What an adventure we've had together! Having him for my husband has made my life so much sweeter that I ever thought it could be. God knew exactly what I needed when he placed Preston in my life...I really am so blessed to be his wife.
Happy Anniversary, Preston...I LOVE YOU!!!

Oh, For the Love of Balloons!

2009-10-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

Sawyer woke up in a rotten mood today. Kind of whiny and clingy....just not herself.
After visiting the new Target (which was fantastic) to pick up a few things, we made a stop at one of Sawyer's favorite places...Half Price Bookstore.
We stayed a while and read some books, and everything was hunky-dory until we went to leave. She started crying about not getting a balloon. Not the kind of obnoxious, fake, no-tear cry that kids (including Sawyer) sometimes do when they want something and can't get it. No, this was a pitiful, tears-popping out-of her-eyes, truly heartbroken cry. And I was confused. Why in the world was she expecting to get a balloon at the bookstore? Then I remembered. The last time we were there, probably a few weeks ago, the woman at the counter gave her one of the balloons that were floating on the displays. She loved that yellow balloon...took it everywhere with her until it ran out of helium.
So, I felt bad for her because she was already having a crummy day and there was no balloons at the bookstore to lift her spirits.
Lucky for me (and Sawyer) there is a Factory card outlet right next door to the bookstore, so we went in and had them blow up two helium balloons for us. I let her pick out the two colors she wanted (there were way too many options, but she chose in about 6 seconds) and you should have seen her face when the lady handed them to her. It was great.
She's played with those balloons ALL DAY LONG. Literally, I don't think she's let them out of her sight (or hands) except to take her nap. She even held them when she had lunch and dinner. The balloons seriously brightened her day. Isn't it funny the little things that kids take so much pleasure in? She was happy, and I was happy that such a small thing brought her so much joy. Not that you should always buy your kids things to keep them happy...but you know what I mean.
And that, friends, is why the $1.50 I spent on those two balloons is the best purchase Ive made in quite some time.

All In Knots...

2009-10-12T16:28:00.000-07:00

This is what Sawyer's hair looked like when she woke up Sunday morning...
I know...its atrocious. I'll wait while you scream in horror, because that's almost what I did when I saw it.
Okay, so Preston had just gotten her out of bed, and I could hear him in her room, say "Oh my gosh." Never good. He brought her out to the living room and said, "Re, (that's what he and my Dad call me, but that's another post) look at her hair!"
The back was in huge knots...all matted down. As you can see in these pictures, it looked like the back of her hair got caught in an airplane propeller. I took pictures from several angles so you could get the full effect.
It really isn't unusual for the back of her hair to look a little wild when she wakes up...Ive actually come to expect a small knot and some frizz. Just nothing of this proportion. When Sawyer was about a year old, she started putting her hand on the back of her hair and kind of twirling it almost every time she sucked her thumb...which is usually when she's very tired. She still does it now, and I guess she actually does it while she's asleep, hence the awesome hairdo.
Luckily, the knot came out with a little work, but her hair was still pretty crazy so we rocked the pigtails to church! I'm hoping she doesn't continue in this little "habit" for much longer because I'm afraid all of her hair in the back is going to break of from the twirling and she'll have some sort of reverse mullet. Now that would stink.

Thankful, Yes Indeed...

2009-10-10T20:35:00.001-07:00

I'm thankful at this particular moment because...

Our trip to Gatlinburg is less than two weeks away. I...CANNOT...WAIT.

This Wednesday will mark 4 years of marriage to the most incredible man I know.

I have the sweetest friends around.

Women's Bible Study this back on this Thursday...YAY. YAY. YAY.

Preston and I got to sleep in until 8:30 this morning...muahhhaahhaa!

Fall is finally here....have I mentioned it's my favorite?

It's Saturday, and I got to spend the ENTIRE day with my two favorite people in the world.

I'm reminded, every day, how richly God has blessed my life. How He graciously watches over, protects, and provides for my family...even down to the smallest details. How He has given me more than I could ever ask for...far more than I deserve.

Quiet...

2009-10-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

Right now it's 3:45 in the afternoon, and I'm sitting in my house...alone...in the quiet. It feels strange. Gloriously strange. Sawyer's Mimi just came to pick her up. Preston and I have a wedding to go to tonight so Mom said she would just keep her overnight!
I'll pause now for a...HALLELUJAH!
Right now, I'm going to go sit on my couch and watch Oprah (no Curious George, Sid the Science Kid, or Sesame Street) while I put my makeup on...without having to try and keep Sawyer's little hands out of it!
I'm so thankful for my parents :) I'll be missing Sawyer before long, and driving as fast as I can to get her in the morning...but for right now, I'll enjoy this "quiet time."

Face Lift...

2009-10-07T20:08:00.001-07:00

Okay, so my blog might be looking weird for the next few days...bare with me guys. I needed a little change, a "blog face lift" if you will, so hopefully it'll turn out the way I want it to when I'm finished!

"Look, Im a Baby!"

2009-10-07T18:08:00.000-07:00

For whatever reason, after Sawyer's bath she always wants us to wrap her up in a towel (like this) and pretend she's a baby. Every night she asks her to hold her up and look at herself in the mirror, and then (without fail) she exclaims, "Look, I'm a baby! Waaa! Waaaaaaa!" She just gets the biggest kick out of it. Tonight, Daddy caught us playing "baby" right after bath time...

Raindrops Keep Fallin on My Head...

2009-10-07T17:54:00.000-07:00

We got Sawyer this hot pink umbrella for her birthday this year, and she loves it. She carries it all over the house, but I have to say, I don't think we've ever actually let her use it for its intended purpose and take it out in the rain.
The other morning, it had just started to sprinkle outside, and I thought "what the heck?" We grabbed her umbrella and jacket, and headed outside! Sawyer thought it was just the best thing ever. She played in the yard for a few minutes, until the rain started coming down a bit harder and I told her we had to go inside. Let me tell you...ALL You-know-What broke lose when she had to come in...I mean, she was not a happy camper. Oh, well...it was fun while it lasted!

I LOVE This Girl...

2009-10-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

Here We Go AGAIN...

2009-10-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was great...and what made it even more great is that I finally got to use my gift certificate to Z Spa and get my full body massage that Preston gave me for Mothers Day. As always, it was heaven, and after I left I felt incredibly relaxed.
So after my spa trip I went with mom to grab a bite to eat, and then I headed over to pick up Sawyer. Dad was kind enough to watch her while I got my "zen" on...ha ha ha. Preston had soccer practice last night, and after that he had a work function to go to, so it was just Sawyer and I for the rest of the evening. On the car-ride home, I told her that since she ate really good for dinner she could have an ice cream cone when we got to the house. She was excited, and told me she wanted to eat it out on the side porch...sounded good to me.
Once we came in, I sat all of our stuff down and made her an ice cream cone and we headed back outside. We sat out there for a good twenty minutes, until the weather got cooler and it was almost dark. I went to open the door to go back inside....it...was...LOCKED. I ran to the back door, just hoping that by some chance it was left unlocked, but of course not.
So, I'm sitting there with no phone, no car keys, its almost dark outside, Preston isn't coming home anytime soon, I'd just watched my neighbor leave, and the other one wasn't home. The only thing Sawyer had on was a huge tee-shirt of my Dad's (they had been painting outside when I picked her up.)
I had no option. I went to the same basement window...the exact one that we've had to break 2 other times because of this same thing! I pushed on it a little bit, hoping that it might miraculously pop right out without breaking, but it wasn't budging. Meanwhile, Sawyer is standing behind me, barefoot, in the cold grass saying she has to go potty.
Oh, and did I mention I had on flip-flops? Since there were no bricks (or anything else that would've worked) around to break the window, I had to kick it in. It worked, and I didnt cut my foot off, but there were tiny (and not so tiny) shards of glass EVERYWHERE. Luckily, I found an old shirt in my car to lay across the bottom of the window so my stomach didn't get ripped to shreds while I attempted to shimmy through the window (backwards) down into our basement. There was nothing below the window for me to step down on, so I just kind of hoisted myself down, and let me tell ya'll...I was scared to death, and it was NOT pretty. I pinched a nerve in my back, and meanwhile, Sawyer, bless her little heart, is standing there in the yard looking at me like I'm crazy.
Once I landed in the basement, I yelled for Sawyer to go to the side porch, and I ran up the stairs to meet her. Mission accomplished...
After the third time of this happening, you would have thought that I'd learned my lesson. However, it happened again this afternoon. I mean, honestly, can you believe it? Because I cant. Lucky for me, the window was already wide open, so it was a lot easier this time!
What's on the agenda for this weekend? Getting a spare key made and hiding it somewhere around here...I cannot do this...again. Oh, and I think I need another massage.

Pretty Pajama's

2009-10-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

Sawyer got some snazzy new pj's from her Mamaw "Well-Well" for her birthday, and since the weather was quite chilly the other night, we decided to give them a try! I think she looks way too sweet in them.