long weekend...

Happy Memorial Day!  We are back from the Lake a little earlier than expected...the weather didn't cooperate with us :( 

A good night's sleep and sunshine were no where to be found, but a good book and fun times with the fam were definitely on the agenda!  I can honestly say that I'm coming home just as pale as I was when we left (what's a girl gotta do to get a little color?!) and unfortunately, I may be a pound or two heavier due to all the delicious food we ate and the fact that I never once had to get into a bathing suit!

We had high hopes for Libbi to enjoy the lake since both Jeffrey and I do, but she didn't seem too keen on the actual "lake experience."  It could have been the fact that she resembled Chris Farley's "Fat Guy in a little Coat" while she was in her life jacket or a distant relative of Jaba the Hut. Needless to say, she enjoyed playing on the boat more than she actually liked riding on it.  Maybe she was just a little too upset about not being able to get her tan on or being able to sport her red, white, and blue bikini for Memorial Day (I tried to tell her that she still has the 4th of July, but she wasn't having it).

 Libbi's Top 5 Lake Fave's:

1. swinging (can you blame her? look at that view!)

2. eating

3. walking around

4. playing peek-a-boo

5. hanging out with her momma and daddy

Libbi's Top 5 Not So Fave's:

1. boat rides...or at least the life jacket she was made to wear during the boat ride.

2. sleeping

3. long car rides

4. rainy days

5. not getting to show off her bikini body that she's worked so hard for ;0)

We're back home today just enjoying the Memorial Day Holiday and trying to get all the laundry and unpacking done.  I can't believe that LAST YEAR on Memorial Day we were celebrating, but not with our sweet girl!  It's hard to imagine what our life was like without her.  This is a picture of Jeffrey and I last Memorial Day....please, no comments on my size or his hair - ha! ;)

Since Jeffrey is golfing today, us girls might try to get in a little bit of shopping...after all, we do have a first birthday to get ready for....only 23 more days!

Happy Memorial Day!

Hosted by Krystyn

the origin of the stink face...

While looking through some pictures, it has become painfully clear to me that Libbi has been throwin' out that stink face for a while now.....

one month old...

two months old...

three months old...

four months old...

five months old....

6 months...

Now, fast forward to today...

Now, before you start hatin' on the "stink face", let me be the first to tell you....

she really is a friendly baby....

and if I'm being honest....

 

I have NO idea where she learned that face from....

wordless wednesday; lazy river...

We got the biggest kick out of Libbi the other day.  She was just chillaxin' on her Boppy pillow.  Jeffrey said it looked like she was "shootin' the Hooch" or floating down a lazy river - ha!  Either way, she really enjoyed herself and got quite comfortable as you'll see. ;0)

my favorite :)

my other favorite :0)

And if you think about it, will you please pray for my dad and his mission team in Indonesia?  They departed on Monday and arrived in Indonesia this evening.  They will begin seeing medical patients tomorrow.

Thanks and Happy Wednesday!

weekend re-cap and prayers...

We had a pretty relaxing weekend....which is always nice if you ask me :)

Jeffrey took us girls out to breakfast on Saturday morning.  Libbi enjoyed her first IHOP pancake and only slightly offended the waitress by giving her the "stink face" every time she attempted to speak to her - ha!  I feel so bad when she glares at people....I feel like I have to explain that she's really a sweet girl, and that they shouldn't take it personally, she's just trying out new expressions....hopefully she will move on to a new (kinder) face soon ;)

While Jeffrey played golf, Libbi and I did a little bit of shopping and then went to pick up Aunt Missie.  We enjoyed having her over for dinner and as our spend-the-night guest for the weekend!  Libbi slept late on Sunday (I guess she wore herself plumb out from all that standin' she did on Saturday!) and after a breakfast of apple-cinnamon-pancakes (made by yours truly) we were off to church.

Libbi did her usual screaming/crying/please don't leave me routine while Jeffrey dropped her off in the nursery.  Again, I always feel so guilty that she causes such a stink.  I feel like I need to explain to the sweet ladies in the nursery that she's really not usually like this, and that I don't know what on earth gets into her, and that she really is a sweet girl.....oh well, if she can't be the cute, smiling baby in the nursery, at least she can be the fashionably dressed one :)

After church, our whole family met for lunch.  My dad is leaving in the morning to go to Indonesia for two weeks.  He will be on a medical mission trip as well as hosting vacation bible schools while he is there.  My dad has such a heart for missions and truly loves spreading the gospel of Christ.  He is one of those people that just radiates the love of Christ.  He always has a kind word, a funny joke, or a hug and a pat on the back to share.  He has never met a stranger. 

If  you think about it, will you please pray for him over the next two weeks as he travels and resides in Indonesia? Please pray for his health, his safety, his mission team, and that the hearts of the people they come in contact with will be receptive and open to the message they are bringing.  And while you're at it....please pray for my mom as she spends the next two weeks without him.  I am trying to talk her into taking a "stay-cation" at my house :)

After lunch we took a few pictures (which Jeffrey just loves! ha!)

My sweet mom and dad :)

Mom, Dad, and Missie (aka...Auntie Biotic)

Justin, Mandie, and Blakeley :)

Our little family

Poor Libbi did NOT like the grass....she kept trying to lift up her legs so they wouldn't touch it. She is such a girl ;)

The rest of the day was spent just relaxing and catching up on some laundry (thankfully, I think Libbi is FINALLY over the stomach bug - woohoo!!!) We are counting down our last days of school....only TWO LEFT!!!!

Have a great week and thank you for praying for my dad!

I love you dad and I am so proud of you!!

Mark 16:15
"He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.'"

Hosted by Krystyn

"two sticks" aka....11 months

Libbi Jane, you are 11 months old today or as Daddy likes to say, "two sticks!"  I know I say this every month, but I seriously can NOT believe that in one month we will be celebrating your first birthday!  It doesn't matter that I have been planning it for months, it still feels like it snuck up on me :)

This is what you've been up to this month....

*You still wear a size three diaper and you are wearing size 12-18 month clothes.  You wear a size three shoe (when you will keep them on your feet) and you still love to pull out your hairbows :) Although, you did sport your first set of pigtails this month and you left those in for a while....maybe you just like things to feel even ;0)

*As we all know, you have really been working on those facial expressions.  You have turned into quite the little crowd pleaser - ha!

*You love your Daddy, but you are definitely a Momma's girl.  I know that this may change one day, so I am just soaking up every bit of you that I can!  I love when you reach for me and when you say, "Mama."  There is no sweeter sound on this earth.

*You have really started to enjoy reading books this month. You love to snuggle up with me and read. You will go get books off your shelf and bring them to me to read.  Some of your favorites are "Whose Teddy?" "Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes" "Olivia's Opposites" and "You are My I Love You"

*You have started giving "sugars" and blowing kisses.  We are working on giving "closed-mouth-sugars" but for now we all enjoy your open-mouth-sloppy-wet-kisses :)

*You say Ma-Ma, Da-Da, Bye, Hey, Night-Night (Ni-Ni) No, no, no, no and some form of Uh-Oh...you usually get the "uh" or the "oh" but not both.

*You have started to take a few steps and I know it won't be long before you are walking everywhere! You stand up on your own for a good period of time and just the other day you turned and started walking.  I about passed out!  Luckily, your Mimzy was here to witness it and then you did it again when Daddy came home...otherwise I'm sure everyone would have thought I was exaggerating (I may be known for doing that juuuuuust a little - ha!) ;)

*You have a little toy that you love to push around.  It looks like a buggy from the grocery store.  You look so cute when you are walking around with it....we call you our little bag lady.

*You still do not nap, which can make for some exhausting days, BUT you are a fantastic sleeper at night!  You will usually take one early afternoon "catnap" for about 15-20 minutes and that is it.  On the days that you do not nap AT ALL....you are ready for bed around 5:45.  You will go get your lovey and your paci and lay your head down.  That is how we know you are ready for "night-night."  I take you upstairs and we read two books and sometimes a Bible Story, too.  Then we say our prayers and I lie you down in your bed.  You burrow up and are asleep before I even make it downstairs - no crying!  You sleep around 12 hours until I have to wake you up for school.  But....in just three more days we will not be waking up for school anymore!!!!  Maybe you will decide to sleep in until 7:30 or 8 (hint, hint) :)

* You had your first stomach bug this month, but according to Daddy you are MUCH tougher than I am.  Stomach bugs (or even the THOUGHT of them) put me out of commission for days....you on the other hand went right about your business.  No bug was gonna slow you down.  You did live in pajamas for a few days because you couldn't be trusted in any other outfit and you didn't have much of an appetite, but other than that you were still your happy, bubbly self.

*Today you started going from the sitting to standing position without pulling up on anything!  You were so proud of yourself, you kept laughing and clapping your hands!  Or maybe you were just trying to cover your ears because I was squealing so loud - ha! :) For some reason, you thought that your little book helped you stand so you kept crawling over to it and using it as a "prop."  (I will post a video of you standing at the end of this!)

You are learning and growing every day and it is amazing to watch you change right before my eyes. Even though it seems like this month you have become such a "big girl," it is still hard for me to believe that in just one month we will be celebrating your first birthday!  My prayer for you in your eleventh month of life is that you will know that your Daddy and I will always, always love you.  No matter what you decide to do with your life, no matter what choices you make, no matter who you become....I will always be your Momma and I will always love you!  

Thank you Lord for our sweet, sweet baby girl!  What a blessing you have been to us these past eleven months!  I love you Libbi Jane!!

Look what you learned to do....TODAY!!! :)