The Jones Family Journal

"Blessings"

2012-01-18T08:18:00.002-05:00

This song is called "Blessings" and is written by Laura Story. I have been greatly encouraged and challenged by this song as I think about the words.

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can't satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

The More Entertaining Steeler Game

2012-01-09T11:04:00.002-05:00

Christmas in Iowa

2012-01-07T13:14:00.014-05:00

Praise the Lord we were all healthy to travel to Iowa for Christmas. I went out an extra week early with the kids and Griff flew out the 23rd. We got to spend some great time with family and friends. Griff continues to be amazed at small town Iowa. The kids love Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's. They got way too many toys to possibly bring back in our suitcases and more spoiling of grandchildren occurred than I ever thought imaginable. It was a great time, which made leaving so bitter sweet. It is always nice to get back to our own beds and routine but the kids miss their Grandma and Grandpa and all they get to do there that they don't get to here.

Griff and Riley had their first slumber party together a couple nights after Christmas. I think Griff may have fallen asleep before Riley. :-)
One of Griff's very favorite things in the world is milk and cookies. He was in heaven when he saw all the amazing and different cookies Nicole had made for Christmas. In this picture Riley and Daddy got to enjoy some milk and cookies together.
We loved time with cousin Tyler and Aunt Nicole and Uncle Shannon. The kids still ask about every day where they are and where Kasey, their dog is.
Shannon, Nicole and Tyler were about to leave and Riley and Ellie wouldn't let him go without some hugs.

Riley and Ellie got to explore Lyle's semi while we were back. They loved climbing all over it and pushing all the buttons.

Odds and Ends

2011-12-07T09:22:00.008-05:00

Okay, allow me to brag on my 18 month old Ellie Dawn for just a little please. This girl continues to amaze me with the words that come out of her mouth: colors,trees, movie, elmo, cowboy, elephant, bible, Noah, potty, Hannah, Jonathan, Riley, Grandma, Papa. She's starting to put words together like: no please, want some, what's this, go bye bye. She attempts to do about anything Riley does, which usually means she is climbing up somewhere she shouldn't and falling off. And to our complete surprise she is interested in potty training and actually goes on the potty if we stay on top of it and help her with her pants. This is amazing to us because Riley isn't even potty trained. This morning she asked for a "nana" and she wanted to "hold it". So I gave her the half peeled banana and she proceeded to peel it, eat it and completely finish it off without any problems. It's a proud mommy day today.
The other night the kids came up to me and asked if they could put their coats on and go to the store. We weren't going anywhere but I played along with them. After their coats and hats were on they headed into Riley's room to go "shopping".

On his birthday I asked Riley what he wanted to do and he said, "Stay in my pjs and watch cartoons." So, that is what I he did. This is a picture of him before dinner. Still in his pjs and ready for some chocolate chip pancakes.
. For the boy who loves music we bought him a saxoflute, 16 pieces that can be switched around, lost all over the house and make extremely high pitched noises. He loves it and I love that he loves it.

THREE

2011-11-29T14:51:00.011-05:00

My little boy is three (tomorrow actually, but I might not have a chance to blog tomorrow so I am posting while both babes sleep)! On this rainy day as I think about the fact my little boy is three it makes me sad. Where as the three years gone? It has flown by. I feel like I have missed so much, forgotten so much already. Over the Thanksgiving break I took time to put together three Snapfish scrapbooks, for 2008, 2009, and 2010. As Griff and I flipped through the pages of our 2008 photo album last night we were amazed as we looked back at our little man. My sweet tiny 4 pound 11 ounce Riley David. We had no idea the amount of joy, delight, laughter, frustration, excitement and concern this little man would bring into our life. I asked Griff what two words he would use to describe Riley, strong and musical. I too would pick musical but also smart. So, here is to my smart, strong, musical and also loving, handsome, particular, energetic, serious, curious and tender-hearted son. We love you Riley David Jones and we praise God for your three years of life and all you have added to our family.

Iowa

2011-11-18T19:32:00.007-05:00

We got to go to Iowa for two weeks in November while Griff traveled for work and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. I rarely had my camera with me but I did catch a few fun pics. These first two were taken at my Grandma Henry's. Riley discovered he could fit into the dryer. They actually both fit in the dryer though Ellie didn't like that too much. We got to see some extended family in Iowa and Riley and Ellie just loved their cousins Morgan, Paige and Zach, so much so that Riley cried for 10 minutes and kept saying, "I want Zach."

The First Snow

2011-11-17T15:09:00.008-05:00

At the end of October we got a very heavy wet snow. It delayed our trip to Iowa by a day but it gave us the chance to make a snowman, eat some snow and mow. Yes, I said mow. You can see in one of the pictures the little mower is setting on top of the snow in the driveway. Ellie tried to mow but didn't get very far in the heavy wet white stuff.

Sleepy Riley

2011-10-26T18:14:00.004-04:00

I've always seen those pictures of kids that fall asleep in random places and wondered how that happened. I mean how can a kid be so tired they literally fall asleep at dinner. Today, I got my answer. A child falls asleep at dinner when they played outside in the leaves all morning. Then, after playing in the leaves and swinging on swings they decide to play during their nap instead of sleep. Funny story about that too...
I heard Riley screaming/crying in his room around 3pm. I rushed in to see what was going on and I couldn't find him anywhere. The three dresser drawers were open but there was no Riley in sight. The crying persisted and then, I saw it. Ten little piggy toes sticking out from the end of the middle dresser drawer! Apparently Riley had crawled into the middle drawer and was laying face down when the top drawer slid open, trapping him in the middle drawer. I couldn't help but laugh as I consoled my little non-sleeping two year old.

Peanut Butter

2011-10-24T21:34:00.004-04:00

Riley loves peanut butter, whether it is just on a spoon, a piece of bread or a toasted bagel. But, of course with peanut butter comes a little mess. Ellie, however is allergic to peanut butter and may never get to taste the yummy amazing goodness. I'm praying it is something she out grows and someday down the road we can enjoy a bag of peanut butter m&m's together.

Don't Try This at Home :-)

2011-10-23T12:39:00.003-04:00

Saturday night we were getting a little bored so what does one do when they get bored but figure out how to make your little tikes slide a little more exciting and slightly more dangerous. Riley just loved it and by the end he was going down head first.

Mary Poppins

2011-10-19T18:03:00.004-04:00

Today is a cold rainy day, the perfect day to introduce my little man to one of my favorite movies, Mary Poppins. I was a little nervous the silly many laughing and floating in the air would scare or confuse him, or that the bird lady may freak him out but none of that happened. Instead the only things that even somewhat bothered him were the Admiral shooting the cannon at 8am each moring and the old crabby bank men. I love this movie because there is no way you can watch it and be sad. How can you possibly say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and not be happy, which is the very point of the word, to make people happy. Riley loves the dancing and the music, especially "Steppin' Time". He was dancing all over the floor kicking up his heels and Ellie would occasionally join in. She loves the little doggy the most. So, if you are stuck inside due to rain or just need a good smile I would highly recommend Mary Poppins.
This video was taken this morning while Riley was still wearing his unseasonal but warm Christmas jammies.

DC Vacation Continued

2011-10-06T14:50:00.006-04:00

I love this picture of Riley. He was completely out while we were navigating through everything at Arlington National Cemetery.
Watching the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was ______. I don't know what to say. It was sad to walk through this cemetery where so many have given their life for me, my family, our nation. It was inspiring at the same time, by their selfless acts of giving their life. It was humbling too. I wander what some of these fallen soldiers would say about the state of our government today. Rows and rows of headstones, all white, some more weathered than others but all a small stone of remembrance of one that gave his/her life for the betterment of many. I'm truly thankful for them.
Ellie's turn to take a nap while on our way to The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The World War II Memorial. It was so much bigger than I remembered it.

Epic DC Vacation - Day 1 & Day 2

2011-09-28T14:35:00.010-04:00

Oh, dear blog following friends, our DC family vacation was quite a trip. My side of the family joined us in DC for five days in our nations capital. It turned out to be much more than we expected. On day one, Griff got into a car accident just .3 miles from our vacation rental (he was picking up Shannon, Nicole and Tyler from the airport). On day 2, we lost the only set of keys to the rental car (we got the rental because of what transpired day 1). The car was conveniently parked between a cement wall and a cement pillar in the Ronald Regan International building parking garage, which required Griff, my dad, my brother and some valet attendants to physically move it in order for the tow truck to be able to tow it. Day 3 was full of rain, wet kids, wet adults and an exhausted Ellie and Mommy. Day 4, praise the Lord an uneventful tour of Arlington National Cemetery and I got a date with my Hubby. Day 5, was full of tears good-bye.

That is the short of it. Day 1, possibly the longest day ever, wasn't my favorite day but I'm glad everyone was okay. We didn't get to do anything the first day except talk to AAA, tow truck drivers and get situated in our house. It was a great house with plenty of room for all of us and a great price. If anyone is ever looking for a place to stay in Alexandria, Virginia let me know.

I know you all really just want pictures so here you go, starting with Day 2...

The start of our day, happy kids, happy adults and the National Mall awaiting us.
A great family photo in front of the Lincoln Memorial. (We are happy because we haven't yet discovered the keys are missing.)
Isn't this a great photo! I don't want to brag, but I will. Our three kids were so well behaved and such troopers. We hauled them all over town well past nap time and there were only a few little mini meltdowns.
There were three Chinese ladies at the Lincoln Memorial that just LOVED Ellie. They wanted their picture taken with her. She didn't like them holding her so Griff held her while the women took turns posing with our cutie.
The newly constructed but still undedicated (due to hurricane Irene) Martin Luther King Memorial. It really was beautiful. It over looks the Potomac River and the Jefferson Memorial.
Wrapping up our walking tour. It was about 2pm, the kids were doing great. It was just after this that we discovered the keys were missing and the next saga begins.

Ellie's Owie

2011-09-05T16:09:00.009-04:00

Ellie hit the 15 month mark on the 28th of August and to celebrate she decided to trip over a toy, hit her head on Riley's barn and take her first trip to Urgent Care. It was quite a Monday and not at all what I was planning, but are trips to Urgent Care ever on the agenda? She barely fussed about the gash over her eye which made it hard for me to know if I needed to take her somewhere and get it looked at or let it go. I sent a quick picture text to Griff of the wound and he thought I should take her. So, we piled into the van, adrenaline pumping, and headed off to Urgent Care via the McHugh's house so Riley could stay there and play with Owen while Ellie got stitched or glued.
Ellie was an amazing trooper. She really didn't cry and even when we got to Urgent Care she was talking to the receptionist and nurse, blowing them kisses and saying, "hi". The doctor brought great news that she didn't need stitches just some glue and before you knew it she was glued up and happy as could be. The doctor and nurse couldn't even believe how good she was. We didn't have to restrain her or anything. :-) I like to think she gets this easy going temperament from me but any trip to the ER I've had involved a lot of crying.
So, here we are now, a week later, back at home doing just fine. It doesn't seem to bother her at all, except when you ask her where her eye is she points to the owie instead.
This Labor Day weekend has been a good one for us. We have tackled a couple home improvement projects, the big one being repainting a bedroom. It is a calming shade of blue called "Morning Jog". It doesn't' make me want to go for a jog but I do love the color. Last night we blew the air mattress up in the living room and the kids have loved playing on it. This morning, since it was misty outside we stayed put and watched "Up". Ellie loved laying on the bed and relaxing as you can see.

The Great Outdoors

2011-08-24T14:21:00.008-04:00

Of all the areas to play in our yard the kids seem to gravitate to the front flowerbed, which isn't much of a flowerbed at all. Ellie loves to chew on the rocks. Riley likes to "plow" the dirt with a mop. He got quiet this morning when he was playing around the holly bush and I got nervous he was eating them. When I got close I asked him what he was doing and he said he was cleaning the bush, pulling all the holly berries off! Sure enough, as I looked at the ground it was covered with little red berries.

A Little Bit of Ellie

2011-08-22T08:28:00.005-04:00

For the last couple of months we have been trying to wean Ellie off of her pacifier during naps and at bedtime. It was going pretty well. But, I'm a weak willed Mommy and when my baby girl cries I just want to comfort her anyway I can. So, least to say she is still getting it at nap time. :-) Ellie is quite creative though and found this lternative to a pacifier. Do you remember the small Tupperware playsets with the pitcher, plates and cups. I had them growing up and now my kids are playing with it. Ellie has turned the lid of the pitcher into her personal pacifier. Smart girl!

An August Update

2011-08-15T11:52:00.008-04:00

These pictures are all from July when my parents came for a visit. My mom captured all the photos, which is why she isn't in any. We had a great time together. The kids got to play in the pool, Riley enjoyed some Poppy time, we had our first taste of corn on the cob for the summer and got to have a couple fires with smores!

It Turned Out Great!

2011-08-03T20:36:00.002-04:00

This day turned out great! Last night I went to bed early with a migraine. Yuck. I'm sick of them and the way they effect not only me but the whole family. This morning I woke up with the same migraine but some high powered incredibly expensive medicine eventually helped.
But, all things considered it was a wonderful day. I survived the morning, the kids took great naps, which gave me some much needed quiet time and then Griff got home before Riley even woke up! And then it got fun. :-)
On a whim (and thanks to a coupon) we decided to all go out to dinner. I thought I may be asking for another migraine taking two kids out to a restaurant but they were so well behaved and enjoyable it was incredible. They were full of giggles the whole meal, Riley said "please" and "thank you" without being prompted, the kids ate well, nothing was spilled, there was no screaming, no one asked us to leave the building, and some older women at another table told us how wonderful they thought our kids were. Now, all of that makes this Mommy really proud. I think the highlight of the meal for me was when Riley found out he was getting ice cream. He raised his hands in sheer delight and excitedly said, "ICE CREAM!" He as on cloud nine. And when the ice cream sundae arrived with whip cream and chocolate chips and smiled with delight. In true Riley fashion he picked the chocolate chips off first and then moved on to the whip cream but he also willing shared it with Griff. "You want some, Daddy?" It was the sweetest thing ever and just made my heart melt. He would take a few bites himself and then share with Griff. And the sweet boy cried when it was all gone.
After the incredibly successful dinner we decided to head to Lowes to look at a couple things. Riley was excited to ride on a "mow-mow" and Ellie just loves being in the cart and looking at everything. Once inside I had to go to the restroom, and as I was walking back out to find them I could hear Riley yelling, "Mommy, where are you?" It's nice to know I was missed. :-) We finished looking at stuff and were heading out the door and Riley was waving to everyone and Ellie was blowing kisses. Seriously, what has gotten into my kids? Whatever it is I love it!
We came back home, put diapers and jammies on, brushed teeth and then Ellie went to bed. Riley wanted to read to us so we got to hear his version of one of his Sesame Street books. We eventually told him, "Good night", turned off the light and shut the door.
Now, Griff lays on the couch with his Bible open but eyes closes, clearly sleeping, as he has been for the last thirty minutes or so. It's been a long day for all of us. It started a little harder than most days but I thank the Lord for His faithfulness and mercy, because this day turned out great!

Ellie is Walking and Talking and Riley is Surviving it All

2011-07-19T10:38:00.004-04:00

Ellie just started walking a couple weeks ago. It started with balancing on her own for a few seconds, progressed to moving up and down the edge of the sofa and then came the daring first steps. Now, she won't stop moving and is having even more fun following Riley around. There have been lots of bumps and bruises along the way, her newest one is smack in the middle of her forehead but she is determined. She falls, she may wimper a little and then she is moving again. It just seems impossible that Ellie is at this stage already. Life is just moving too fast and I can't possibly take it all in. It is amazing and kind of sad all at the same time. The day is full of hundreds of sweet sweet memories that I know my mind will not remember ten years from now, let alone ten days from now. Hopefully this blog will help a little, memories saved in the cyber world. So, in an effort to document and remember things... Recently Riley had his first big boo-boo. I was snapping the double stroller into place and his left pinky finger got caught in the process. Riley is usually a very strong boy and gets over things pretty well but not this one. I picked him up quick to see it and he said, "I walk. I walk." So I put him down to walk but the pain just made th little guy crouch on the ground holding it once again unable to just walk this one off. He doesn't want anyone to touch his owies or even look at them so I held him as Griff pushed Ellie in the stroller. Griff tried to get glipses of the sore finger and make sure there wasn't blood and it wasn't broken, and it is neither. Riley has also discovered how to use the water hose outside and last week I found him in the backyard "watering" the flower. This would be a huge blessing but the windows were wide open and he was spraying a lot more than just the flowers. And Ellie, besides walking, can now say the words:"please", "no-no", "bye-bye", "hi", "doggy" and "shoe". Yes, I know that last one sounds crazy but she really can say it. She just started making the "sh" sound this week and the other morning when I told Riley to go put his shoes on she said it as sweet as could be, "shoes". This may be a foreshadow of a shoe obsession to come, we shall see. And this morning I went in to get Ellie out of bed and she handed me the speaker from inside one of her dolls. Apprently she figured out how to open the velcro and take our the noise maker inside...oh the things she gets into. :-) She has also started pretending to burp, cough and just yesterday learn to bark like a dog.

Learning

2011-06-23T15:34:00.004-04:00

As I sit here with Riley on my left and Ellie on my right for snack time I realize there is a lot going on in our family and I am learning a lot, about myself, my kids and Griff.

I am learning that even if Riley didn't get much sleep during the night and the clock says 5:30am the sun is up and that means Riley is up and ready to play. I am learning that he can't read the clock I put in his room yet. And I am also learning that since Riley and Ellie share a room the excitement of being up can't be contained to just him sitting on his bed but MUST include Ellie as well. I am learning that I am not very loving, gracious, or awake at 5:30 in the morning and do not always respond the best to my early bird. I know that mornings are the best part of the day and I do love the morning but I really just love it when I can get up to my natural internal clock and spend it in peace and quiet while drinking an ice chai.

I am learning that even though Riley can pee on the potty it doesn't mean he is completely ready to potty train. I am learning there is no need to rush him and if he is 4 and still in diapers I will be concerned but right now at 2 1/2 I can enjoy him wearing diapers and the reality I don't have to ask him every 30 minutes to go to the bathroom or be concerned when we take trips or run errands. There is a blessing to diapers and I will enjoy it for a while longer.

I am learning that Ellie is going to be a bit dramatic. If she sees me leave the room she sticks out her lower lip and throws herself to the ground. It is cute now but could become a little extreme if it continues into adolescence. She favors me more than Griff, which I think is normal. She knows that if Griff picks her up and and turns and says night night to me that is bad news and also evokes tears and crying, sometimes even wailing. But, I'm learning I gotta let her cry it out and she will soon fall to sleep.

I'm learning that if I'm getting frustrated with the kids a drive in the van is a great break for the three of us. Riley loves riding on the highway and looking at all the semis, Ellie is content doing just about anything and it gives me enough peace to collect my thoughts and refocus. And a drive proves a little break in an otherwise semi quiet morning at home.

I'm learning how to stretch a dollar at the grocery store, buy generic, use coupons, and hunt for sales. But, I'm also learning with two kids under 28 months sometimes it is easier on me and worth the money to by the name brand regardless of price and give myself a little grace; saving $3.50 at Giant just isn't worth it some weeks.

I'm learning that I really struggle with discipline, not discipline of myself and life but disciplining Riley and beginning to train Ellie. It is an exhausting task. No one ever told me how tiring and trying it would be. If they did tell me I was too prideful to listen to their advice. I'm learning how consistency is extremely important but so is grace and patience. I can't expect Riley to behave like a perfect gentlemen. He is a two year old little boy and he is going to throw things I would prefer weren't thrown, and break things I wish didn't break.

I'm learning that all it make take for Ellie to go from sad to happy is sing the alphabet or playing peek-a-boo and it helps my attitude as well.

And I'm learning a smile at the door to greet Griff at the end of a hard day goes a long way in his heart.

Snack time is over, off to play.

So far in June...

2011-06-21T22:48:00.006-04:00

Ellie can now climb to the top of this slide and sometimes get herself down safely. When she gets to the top she laughs, I think because she is so proud of herself and she knows her mommy is completely freaking out.
They LOVE books! I don't even bother picking them up till the end of the day because it is a guarantee Ellie will tear them all down again. I don't mind. I love that they love to look through books.
She just gets sweeter by the day. Some day little man you will fit in these shoes.

Birthday Cupcake

2011-05-31T11:34:00.008-04:00

Last night after dinner we gave Ellie her first of many Birthday cupcakes! She love, love, loved it! We laughed so much and and we got to see the personality differences between her and Riley, maybe you will notice them too. :-)

1 FULL weekend

2011-05-29T20:56:00.011-04:00

This weekend Griff's middle brother, Andy, graduated from Cornell University with his PhD in Nutrition. The whole Jones family was traveling up to Ithaca to celebrate the momentous occasion. It officially started for us with Chris and Sarah's family driving here Friday and enjoying time together before we all made the 4+ hour trip up early Saturday morning. We arrived in Ithaca and met us with the rest of the family for an amazing lunch. Ellie had her first pickle and she loved it! I missed her initial sour face but this is better than nothing.
After that there was a little time for naps and then off to the graduation ceremony. He is officially a doctor everyone! All the long hours of traveling, gathering research, crunching data, writing, re-writing and defending has finally paid off! Way to go Andy...I mean, Dr. Andrew Jones. :-)
Then, with all the hard work out of the way, it was time to celebrate, not only Andy becoming Dr. Andy but Ellie becoming 1! I can't believe our little girl is now a one year old. She has gone from 6 pounds 4 ounces to over twenty pounds. She crawls, pulls herself up, plays patty cake and peek-a-boo and is starting to stand on her own. She is such a happy girl and has a smile for almost everyone, unless your a little suspicious. She "talks" a lot though we haven't been able to make out a clear word yet. She loves to crawl around in only a diaper and pat her tummy. And she is strong, the girl can not only crawl up the slide (as evidenced by a previous video) but she can pick things up that shock Griff and I and have us looking at each other in amazement. We are excited to see how her little (or big) personality continues to develop.

Finally, the party really picked up when Andy brought out Rock Band, a game for PlayStation 3. Riley was on cloud nine getting to play the drums (he calls them boom-booms) and the guitar (he calls a dee-dee). We had so much fun with the grand kids and Jones boys playing songs and all of us singing in the background. I know some people say video games are a waste of time but this was one of my personal highlights from our trip. We played until almost 9:30 at night, way past Riley's bedtime and the final picture shows how dazed and exhausted this little boy was. At one point he just turned is back to all of us and hugged the guitar. He was so tired but an amazing trooper through an incredibly fun but busy day.

Now, we sit at home, thankful for the trip and the memories made and also thankful tomorrow is a holiday and Griff gets to stay home all day! I am also thankful for those in the military past and present that serve this country and make Memorial day even possible.

Unbelievable!

2011-05-25T13:14:00.002-04:00

By 9am

2011-05-17T12:52:00.006-04:00

Today is is raining so that leaves us with few options of entertainment, so today became baking day. We started with yummy blueberry muffins and then we moved onto brownies. By 10am everything was out of the oven and the house was smelling amazing but at 9am this was the scene in our kitchen.

A Visit to Iowa

2011-05-05T11:02:00.008-04:00

We are enjoying some time in Iowa this week with Great Grandma Josephine, Shannon, Nicole, Tyler, Poppie and Grandma. Today we are off to Pella Tulip Time. I'm hoping it lives up to my expectations as I had so much fun going as a kid. I know it is going to be different pushing a stroller and dealing with three kids under three but hey, it's worth a shot.

Attempts at an Easter Picture

2011-04-26T18:51:00.005-04:00

These are just a few of the attempts at a sweet Easter portait. I guess maybe they are sweet, just not exactly what I had in mind. Regardless it was a great Easter together. It was Ellie's first Easter and we rejoice in her life and the life we have through Christ's death and resurrection. Truly He is ALIVE! He has RISEN!

No They Aren't Twins

2011-04-20T15:47:00.006-04:00

Ellie on her first solo wagon ride with Daddy.
Riley's newest mode of transportation.
Decorating Easter eggs with Levi Forney.
The final product.

Lately, many people out in public are asking if Riley and Ellie are twins. Sometimes they don't even ask me, I just hear them telling the friend next to them, "Oh, look at the twins." Okay, folks, they are 18 months apart. Yes, Riley started a little behind and obviously Ellie is a little ahead but they aren't twins. I'm not upset about their comments, I find them funny but sometimes I do worry that if this trend continue Ellie will have a complex for being bigger than her older brother and/or Riley will have a complex for being smaller than his younger sister. Obviously, a lot can change quickly and I think as Ellie starts crawling or walking she will slim down but for now they do look similar and though they are wearing the same size clothes some day they aren't twins. :-) In exciting news today, Riley went pee on the big boy potty and Ellie pulled herself up to a chair. Maybe these are small things to you but to this mom it is a very good day and I am extremely pround of my kiddos.

Will Crawl For Food

2011-04-12T12:29:00.002-04:00

The title says it all. Food is the only thing that will make Ellie crawl, otherwise she just rolls and rolls.

Bows

2011-04-06T13:47:00.002-04:00

This is Ellie's first hair bow. Her hair is finally long enough to clip a little of it back into a bow. She actually left it in but it was Riley that took it out. :-)

Ellie is 10 Months Old

2011-03-30T10:18:00.005-04:00

Note the drool about to drip off of her chin.
She is always backing herself into corners these days.
It is impossible for her to stay still for one of these pictures.

Ellie is rolling everywhere. I'm serious, the girl rolls constantly. As I type this she is rolling under the kitchen table and attempting to scooch herself backwards. She is evidence that I need to sweep the floor. :-( She loves Riley and wants to be around him all the time, though he doesn't ever want her to touch him. She is making all kinds of sounds and yesterday made the ga-ga-ga sound. She says "ma-ma" and she can say "da-da" but not really in reference to Griff. She is learning to give kisses and she loves to wave and bop to music. I just love her so much. It is hard to imagine the joy that such a little stinky, crying child can give you but I grow more in love for her each day.
Riley is picking up so much these days and I feel like his vocabulary doubles daily. We are working together on being thankful and also acknowledging God for all he has given us. We have a giant map of the world in our living room and this morning Riley looked at it and said, "Wow, it's amazing." I responded by saying, "Yes, Riley it is amazing. God made it all and He is amazing." And Riley sweetly said in return, "He's amazing." He is amazing isn't he! The God who created the world and also created each of us, unique and in his imagine. It is humbling.

2011-03-18T19:59:00.007-04:00

A couple weeks ago we were all super sick. It started with Riley on Sunday night, progressed to Ellie and I Tuesday night and then hit Griff Thursday night and again early Sunday morning. I have never done so many loads of laundry in my life or been completely tired of watching movies (mainly the same three movies that Riley loves to watch, "Up", "The Polar Express", and "Cars".)
After being sick I was so excited to get out of the house and breath some fresh air. So this week we took full advantage of the slightly warmer weather and enjoyed several walks. Both the kids loved walking around the neighborhood.
Take a close look at this picture, more specifically look at the waffle on Riley's tray. I'm not sure if you can really see it but Riley has placed Cheerios in each little box of his waffle.
This is the first picture of Ellie getting to sleep in her new crib. It's not really new but it is new to her. Riley had been sleeping in it until recently. Ellie was just outgrowing her pack-n-play and I couldn't bear to make her sleep in it any longer. So we spent a long exhausting week getting Riley use to his big boy bed. He didn't go easy but loves it now. He actually sleeps horizonally across it and requires Thomas the Train, a tractor, a monster truck and his dog Spots to sleep with him every night. They share the same room and so far have done a wonderful job together. I hope as the years go on this provides for many fun memories for them.
Ellie's first biter biscuit! She finally has two teeth on the bottom so I let her explore with this new treat. She loved it! She actually loves any food you give her though she isn't a big fan of green vegetables.
Her official 9 month photo. She weights 20 pounds 7 ounces. She still is not crawling but rolls everywhere. I am thankful though that she isn't crawling yet as it makes life slightly easier.

These days are wonderful and exhausting. I am learning a lot about myself through having two children. I am so thankful for a loving and helpful husband as I can't imagine doing this job by myself. I often think of the military wives that have to do this without their husband and I pray for them. I am thankful for what they sacrifice as well for our country.
Many people have asked me after having two kids if it is harder or not and I honestly haven't taken the time to think about it until recently. Yes, having two kids is a challenge but so was one. It is just a different challenge. With Riley I was still pretty flexible and we still went lots of places. He was my little sidekick and we had lots of dates together. But with two you don't just throw the kids in the car and take off, at least I don't. It takes a lot more time. Today I was at Firestone getting an oil change for the van and the guy behind the counter was amazed at the process it took to get two children out of the stroller, into their carseats and ready to go. He told me it makes him want to contemplate number two. I told him, they are so worth it. And they are. I love laughing with Ellie on the floor and watching her back herself into a corn. I love watching Riley drum on any surfacein the house and talk nonstop for minutes on end about something that I never understand. I love watching them start to play together. I love when Riley kisses Ellie good night and I love watching Ellie wave at Riley just about anytime he enters the room. I definately have moments, hours, days where I crave my "simple" single life, hours at a coffee shop listening to my ipod and reading. I loved those times and I am tremendously thankful for them but I am tremendously thankful for two sweet little kids and the season God has me in now.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-16T19:29:00.004-04:00

Tea Party

2011-03-03T10:28:00.002-05:00

All about Ellie

2011-02-25T22:08:00.007-05:00

I LOVE these cheeks! These pictures don't even capture how cute and chubby they really are. She is almost 9 months old and as sweet as can be. Ellie wakes up with a gigantic smile on her face and when she sees you come into the room to get her she starts kicking her feet and squeeling with delight. She loves to sit on the floor and play with her toys, chew on books and roll around the floor. She isn't crawling as her belly might be a little too big for that but she rolls about any direction and backs herself into corners. She finally got two teeth on the bottom and is enjoying very small bits of bagel, cereal, and crackers. She even grabbed a cookie off of Riley's chair and had some of that before I caught her. This little girl has captured our hearts and we are so grateful to God for her.

Ellie

2011-01-30T14:45:00.002-05:00

This is our sweet little eight month old enjoying her own voice.

Frosty

2011-01-30T14:32:00.003-05:00

My parents got a recordable "Frosty the Snowman" for Riley and Ellie for Christmas. Riley "reads" it daily and loves the last page the most as you can see by the dancing and the final response..."Love you."

8 Months

2011-01-28T16:40:00.005-05:00

Today Ellie turned 8 months old. I am surprised how quickly it has gone. I look back at pictures of us in the hospital with her and it feels like just last week. Ellie is by far beating her brother in the weight category. She weighs 19 pounds at 8 months, whereas Riley didn't weight that till nearly a year. She loves taking laps around the kitchen in her walker. She loves watching Riley do about anything and she loves her bottle. When she sees her bottle coming she starts kicking her legs and making noises. She sleeps wonderfully, though right now she is sleeping in her car seat all the time due to an ear infection, and she plays so well by herself.
Riley is two, need I say more. :-) He is learning what boundaries are and Griff and I are learning what they are as well. We seems to figure things out after he has already crossed them and greatly upset us. Ri had his first meltdown tantrum the other day in Barnes and Noble that led me to rethink our discipline strategies and buckle down on first time obedience. Honestly though, he is a wonderful little boy. He makes us laugh so much. He loves building houses with his blocks, he loves watching Elmo on the laptop, he loves drinking milk, he loves music of any sort, and he loves playing in his crib after naps and at bedtime. He seriously waits for us to shut the door and then we hear him get up and start talking to all his "friends" that are in the crib with him. It is hilarious to listen to at night. There are some evenings he is still talking and playing when Griff and I go to bed.

This Makes Me Smile

2011-01-28T16:33:00.004-05:00

Music is one of Riley's loves. He enjoys it on tv, even if it is just in a commercial, he loves it on the laptop, he loves when Griff plays the guitar or I sing around the house, and he loves music at church. He loves going to church on Sunday and seeing the "boom-booms" (drums) and "dee-dees" (guitars) and this little video I believe is inspired by church.

Selflessness & Love

2011-01-22T20:24:00.008-05:00

Often this blog is filled with pictures of the kids, and the day to day happenings of life but this isn't such a post. Allow me to share just a bit of my heart and what I've been pondering lately...

My Grandma Struble, my mom's mom, was an amazing woman, she loved Jesus and she loved others. I only got to know her 27 years which was way too short but I picked up as much as I could in our time together. Recently a quilt she made has caused me to think about her life and her legacy of selflessness and love.

She was born and raised in the Ohio countryside and to this day all her family is still there. She grew up on a family farm and never went far from home except a brief fun stint in California as a single lady. By the sovereignty and goodness of God she crossed my Grandpa's path. I can't remember exactly how but they became pen pals while my Grandpa served in the war. After the war they met, he proposed, they married soon after and she made a big life changing move to Iowa. She left her family and all that she knew to follow the man she loved. She was selfless.

They were faithfully married for nearly 50 years when my Grandpa Struble became ill and needed 24 hour care. Grandma could no longer take care of him at home, but she didn't send him to the nursing home alone. She made the decision to move with the love of her life. She moved into the nursing home even when she really didn't need to be there just so they could be together. She sold off treasured possessions to make a new home with Grandpa in one small tiled room at the care center. She was selfless.

These are just two examples of the many I remember from her life. This quilt I sit wrapped up in reminds me of all of that. I have several of her quilts for which I am blessed but this one is my favorite. It isn't very fancy. It doesn't have elaborate stitching or gorgeous fabric but to me it is Grandma. The backing on the quilt is just a plain beige color, nothing fancy but it is soft and cozy. The front is covered in triangles of blue, red, yellow, green, purple, pink, basically any scraps Grandma could find. It doesn't match and there are a few places where it is torn and needs stitched up, but it is warm. And it reminds me of Grandma and the legacy of selflessness and love she left behind.

My kids will never have the chance to know her like I did. Sure, I can tell them stories and show them pictures but they will never get to hug her or feel her arthritic hand in theirs. They won't know the sound of her voice or the smell of her perfume. But, they do get to feel her love around them every time they wrap up in this cozy blanket and watch a movie or read a book. My Grandma knew Jesus, she knew Him pretty darn well, and I know she is with Him now. When I wrap this quilt around Ellie while she plays with her toys I am reminded of Grandma's selflessness and love. And when Riley crawls under it along with me to watch a movie I am reminded again of her selflessness and love.

It's funny how an old broken in quilt can remind me of such wonderful and humbling things and prompts me to think about what kind of legacy I will leave behind for my children and my children's children.

December 2010

2011-01-06T09:24:00.007-05:00

Our sweet baby girl is 7 months old! She sits up on her own. She says, "ma" really loud, chews on whatever she can get in her mouth and slobbers on whatever she is wearing. She is a delight to have around. She lights up anytime you walk into the room and when you pick her up to hold her she grabs on tight like she is giving you a great big hug. I can't imagine life without our sweet Ellie Dawn.

Riley is looking through the Sunday advertisements for the best deal on power tools.

The Saturday before Christmas we opened our Christmas gifts, as a family of four. Riley loves opening up presents, which is great because Ellie has no clue what is going on.

Ellie only weights a few pounds less than Riley at this point as the picture kind of shows.

"Helping" Mommy make Christmas cookies. I discovered that it goes much better if I just give him his own lump of cookie dough. Then he makes his and I make mine and there is a little less mess and frustration.

I Love Them

2010-12-13T10:55:00.006-05:00

Oh, the mischief that is behind this smile. This was right before we made Christmas cookies. It was quite an ordeal and I don't know if I will make Christmas cookies again this season with Chef Riley's help.

This is Ellie's first Christmas dress, first time wearing tights and "real" shoes. I think she is an absolute doll.
This is the headband that goes with the Christmas dress that makes her look like Rambo. We have opted to not wear the headband.

Thomas, Tractors and Two!!!

2010-12-01T11:00:00.009-05:00

Thomas came and visited the Strasburg Railroad a couple weeks ago so we took Riley for his 2nd birthday and Betsy, Levi and Rachel also came. We got to take a 20 minute ride on a train, enjoyed some fresh hot donuts, rode a little train ride, got to see Sir Tophum Hat and watched a Thomas movie. It was a cold day but we had a great time and Riley grew to love Thomas the Train even more. Here comes Thomas Dad! Riley's first red tractor from Poppy and Grandma Henry. Riley, his birthday cupcakes and his Daddy.
Yummy confetti cupcake with cream cheese frosting (as you can see the frosting was his favorite part). This may actually be my favorite but I figured I will start now and making him like the same type of cake I do so I can get it at least twice a year. :-)

My Baby is 6 Months Old

2010-11-29T20:58:00.007-05:00

How did this happen? Six months already? Though the first few months seem to drag on with sleepless nights and late night feedings these past couple have flown by.
Our little Ellie Dawn is a delight. She is rolling over from her back to her front constantly and loves to stick her tongue out and smile. She loves Riley and really anyone that will hold her and give her attention. She is enjoying time in her walker and just the last couple days is starting to actually move in it. Some days I wonder if she will just go from sitting to walking because she hates being on her belly (making her arms weak)and her legs are really strong (from so much time in the walker). I guess only time will tell. She is quite the slobbery girl and almost always has a bib on these days. If she didn't have a bib her outfits would be drenched within the hour.
Over the Thanksgiving break we had the chance to go to Pittsburgh and get time with Griff's family. It was wonderful to be around family and see Riley and Ellie enjoy their grandparents, aunt, uncles, cousins, great-aunt, and great-grandma. We not only celebrated Thanksgiving with them but also Riley's birthday and Christmas (because we will be in Iowa this year). What a fun weekend!

Grandma Jones can always make Ellie smile.

Ellie getting quality time with her Uncle Andy.

Ellie enjoying time with Poppy Jones.

Lately

2010-11-18T12:28:00.007-05:00

Riley and Daddy working on the pipes under the kitchen table. This has been a nightly event lately and one we are all enjoying.
Riley and Ellie enjoying some time together. She loves being in her walker and he loves talking with her and also "fixing" the walker whenever it needs it.

Riley didn't dress up for Halloween this year simply because I didn't think he would actually put on a costume and leave it on. But, he loved handing out the candy with Daddy. Maybe next year he will get into the whole idea of dressing up. Oh and if you are wondering Griff's hat is from Bolivia, a gift from his brother Andy. He says it is the warmest hat he owns and it was a cold night which required a warm, yet odd looking hat. :-)

Riley is quickly reaching the terrible twos and we are learning a lot about what it means to train a child and discipline. This has been the hardest part of parenthood and we aren't even to age two. I am learning a lot about God's discipline, love and grace by walking with Riley through this season of life. Though he is testing his limits he is a delight and full of laughter. He loves talking with Ellie and wants to hold her more and he tries to roll her over when she gets onto her belly and is crying.

Ellie's official 5 month picture. She is rolling over a lot from her back to her belly which is fun but challenging because she hates being on her belly and then starts crying. She still doesn't have any teeth but is drooling like crazy and often is sporting a bib to cut down on the excessive drool all over her outfits. But despite my bib efforts there are many days she goes through two or three outfits. She is a delightful baby, she is constantly smiling and making happy noises. So far she has liked everything we have fed her: carrots, peas, green beans, apple sauce, bananas, squash, and pears. Some of her nicknames include: Ells, Ell-Bell, Ellie-Bellie, and sweet pea. The only times she really cries is when you pull the bottle away too soon.

Sissy, Sprinkles, Sweets and Silence

2010-10-23T15:38:00.008-04:00

Sissy is what we call Ellie a lot. She is nearly 5 months and is such a chubby girl. She is almost out of her 3-6 months clothes. This is such a huge change from my little Riley who always seems to be at least two months behind in clothes.

Sprinkes were what was all over the floor after Riley enjoyed a sprinkle donut from the Farmers Market. And when you ask him to smile for a picture this is what you get.

Sweets is what Riley likes to make. He really does love to bake so on recent rainy days we have made monster cookies, pumpkin bread, squash soup and brownies. Daddy sure does like rainy days. :-)

Silence is sweet and rare when you have four children under 3 in your home. Thanks to the movie "Cars" I enjoyed some sweet silence.

Ellie official 4 month pictures, better late than never.

Family Pictures

2010-10-01T21:04:00.007-04:00

These are some of my favorites from the family pictures we took recently. Our friend and photographer Val with Grace Photos did an amazing job. Riley didn't enjoy the photo session so much but Val was still able to get some great pictures of everyone. And notice the silver watch on Riley's arm. It is an old watch of mine that he wore in every picture. That's a fun little story to share with him down the road and fond memories to look back on.

Family Visit 2 of 2

2010-09-25T20:49:00.006-04:00

This past week my parents and my brother and his family all came out. It was the first time all three grandchildren had been together. It was the first time Shannon, Nicole and Tyler had met Ellie and the first time Griff had met Tyler. We had so much fun together. Three kids under two in one home was busy but a blast.

Tuesday we went to the market downtown. We got some produce and also breakfast. They have wonderful homemade pastries, fresh smoothies and coffee. What more could you want. Riley had his first sprinkle donut.

Tyler is probably the happiest baby I have ever met. He smiles constantly and only gets fussy when its time to lay still. What a delight it was to be around him.

Grandma & Ellie

Family Visit 1 of 2

2010-09-25T20:39:00.007-04:00

My parents along with Shannon, Nicole and Tyler came to visit this past week. It was the first time all three grandkids had been together and the first time Griff had met Tyler. We had a wonderful time together. \

Future firemen

Tyler started crawling to Ellie and it actually made her roll over for the second time ever. Thanks cousin Tyler.

Riley enjoying some apples

Bath time with cousin Tyler

Happy 3 Month Birthday Ellie!

2010-08-30T10:20:00.005-04:00

Our sweet little Ellie is now three months and more delightful everyday. For her three month birthday gift to Griff and I she started consistently sleeping through the night. Thank you Ellie! She has yet to roll over without any assistance but she is enjoying tummy time a little more. She has the cutest smile ever and makes cooing sounds like crazy, especially after she has had her bottle. She loves taking baths and being held by anyone. She doesn't like when people leave her eyesight and keeps a close watch on whoever is around. She loves Riley and he is actually starting to help with her a little. He likes to put her pacifier in her mouth when she is crying and the other day he actually tried to pick her up, but obviously couldn't because she is about half his size.
Riley is now 21 months and enjoying everything except most foods. He's a pretty picky eater still. Most days he likes cheese, bread, anything sweet, brocolli, sweet potatoes, blueberries and strawberries but even that seems to change. He is saying lots and lots of words and can make it through the alphabet with help from Daddy. He also likes taking baths and playing with his new golf clubs. He is obsessed with the movie, "Up" and would watch it on repeat if allowed. He loves when Daddy plays the "dede" aka guitar and loves to go to church and see the boom-booms (drums) and the dede. He is an all around delightful little boy.

August 2010

2010-08-23T12:24:00.007-04:00

Ellie is quite the little doll. We love her and love her smile. She is cooing like crazy, smiling anytime someone gives her attention and is starting to get better at tummy time. She isn't quite sleeping through the nights but she is getting closer. At almost three months she is eating about 5 ounces every three hours. Last night for the first time every Ellie was crying and Riley tried to pick her up and comfort her. It was so cute. She's almost half the weight of Riley so I wasn't too worried about him actually picking her up. It was just a sweet brother wanting to help a sad sissy.

TP

2010-08-05T15:01:00.002-04:00

Parks, Pirates, and more Pink

2010-08-05T08:37:00.008-04:00

Here are some pictures from our recent little trip to Daniel's Den, a wonderful park nearby. And the last two pictures are of Riley sporting one of his Daddy's childhood t-shirts.

Happy 2 Months Ellie!

2010-07-28T17:03:00.008-04:00

Getting a 2 month picture of Ellie was a process today, thanks to her overly helpful big brother.

Yeah!

2010-07-28T16:50:00.002-04:00

This video is from a couple months ago when Ellie first came home and Griff's parents were here. Riley had finished all his breakfast and we were all really excited about that. Take a look.

Tuesday

2010-07-27T11:39:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago I heard on the Today show that Tuesdays are the worst day of the week for people. I really couldn't think of reasons why then, but today I can. Today has been a challenging/annoying/frustrating day, and it is only 11:40am. In the midst of it all there were blessing and I am trying really hard to focus on those.
One of the blessings is that Ellie slept through the night. I fed her at 10 and when I woke at 5 she had yet to be fed. I thought maybe I had slept so hard that she was crying, I didn't hear her and Griff got up and fed her. But he didn't get up either. Thank you Lord that Ellie slept through the night! The down side to feeding Ellie at 5:30 is that by the time she was done it was pointless to go back to bed, knowing that I would just need to feed her again at 7 in order to keep her on schedule. Today we really needed a schedule because I needed to take the Sante Fe in for an oil change at 8:30, run to Central Market to get milk and vegetables and make it home before her next feeding. So, after she was fed I jumped in the shower and started getting ready for the day. Riley started making noise at 6:15. It makes me wonder at what age it is that kids complain about getting up early and just want to sleep in. Riley doesn't quite get that yet. After I got myself semi-ready I headed into Riley's room. This is always a highlight because I love seeing his smiling face looking back at me. Another blessing. thank you Lord! Once we was dressed we ate a small breakfast, I fed Ellie again and we loaded up the car to make it to the scheduled oil change on time.
We were making great time and both kids were quiet when all of the sudden, while stopped behind a semi in front of the light our first major problem happened. As the light was still red another car pulled up into the left lane beside the car. Apparently she didn't see the semi had his left turn signal on and he didn't see her pull up next to him. As the light turn green he started to turn, she started to move and he without knowing plowed right into her side. I didn't know what to do. Should I stop? I had a car full of kids, an appointment to get to and not much time. I saw her get out of the car fine, heard him yell at her, saw the police man there within seconds and make the decision to keep driving. Despite the accident we actually got to Firestone early and my hope was that they would get me right in and we could be back home soon after 9. That didn't happen.
I dropped the car off, communicated to them the quicker they could get this done the better since I had a 2 and 19 month old with me and we took off in the double wide stroller for the Market. Once there got the needed goods and we even got a little snack and sat and ate a danish together. Ellie slept great and Riley was a peach. Another blessing! But, the Sante Fe was still not done. So I decided to walk around town waiting for the phone call that it was ready to be picked up. Things went downhill fast...
As we were walking I realized that the chai I had partially drank earlier in the morning was now hitting me. Great, I'm downtown, and have no idea where there is a public, handicap accessible bathroom. I find a city worker cleaning the sidewalk and ask him if he knows where one might be. Thankfully it was right inside the building I was standing in front of. I walk in the door and see a security check point staring me in the face. What! I have two kids strapped into a double stroller full of groceries and I have to go. I talk to the security officer who was very patient and kind and though I couldn't bypass the check point he was very helpful. Of course my double wide stroller didn't fit through the metal detector and we had to make a scene to get around and get everything through safely. I was getting really annoyed at this point as if Firestone would have just been on top of things, my car would have been done by now, it was 9 and they had had it for 45 minutes, and I could have been on my way home. Finally I got us into the restroom right as I was locking the door behind us Firestone calls. Are you kidding me?! I did my business and then maneuver us back out of the bathroom and out of the building.
By this time Ellie is waking up and starting to cry. She doesn't seem to want her pacifier and so we walk quickly. I get the car back, get the kids loaded into the car, and get ready to leave, all the while Ellie is telling me she is very very hungry. We make the 15 minute drive home without seeing an accident but enjoy the yelling, and crying of Ellie the entire way. It was one of the cries that she chokes herself up. It's the kind that makes me nervous and just wants to get her out and comfort her but I know we have got to get home. During the most intense time of Ellie's crying Riley just started making funny sounds. He brought a smile to my face. Thank you Lord for this little boy and the blessing he is to me!
We got home and I unload food and children as quickly as possible and get Ellie's bottle ready. She is finally calmed down and eating in my arms and now Riley is expressing his desire for attention. Oh Lord, help please. To make a long hour short I fed Ellie, laid her down to play and poured a bunch of blueberries (boobies as Riley would call them) onto his plate. As I was trying to clean him up I knocked over the half empty cup of chai I had left on the table earlier. In my attempt to clean up my mess, I stubbed my toe on a chair, hit my head on the table and said a few not child friendly expressions under my breath. Ellie was crying again, probably because Riley had just stepped on her leg. Is it nap time yet? No. Well, it is going to be. It is now 12:15 Riley is sleeping and Ellie is asleep beside me on the floor. Thank you Lord for sleeping children. But now I understand why Tuesdays are the worst day of the week. It's gotta get better from here right?

Happy 25th to Griff

2010-07-21T22:55:00.007-04:00

Griff turned 25 today and to celebrate we went to the Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville and took a tour. It is the oldest brewery in the US and it was really interesting to walk through. We got to go into the cave under ground that took 10 years to chisel out, only to be walled up by the government during the Prohibition. We got to walk through where they brew everything and and the bottling assembly area as well as get a little sample before we left town. It was a fun day together. And I think Ellie is officially the youngest tourist they have ever had. She was a trooper and slept the entire time.

And of course, what blog post would be complete without some cute kiddo pictures. In the first pic is Riley all swaddled up like Ellie ready for a nap. He really doesn't sleep this way but loves being swaddled by Mommy the way I swaddle Ellie. And notice the Cabbage Patch doll he is holding. It was mine as a child and he likes to carry it around sometimes and pats its back just like Mommy does Ellie. The last couple pictures shows Riley in one of my childhood shirts. Go Hawkeyes!

Boots, Spots, and Pink

2010-07-16T15:10:00.007-04:00

That is what these days seem to be filled with...

Boots - Riley loves wearing his cowboy boots (they were mine as a child). He would wear them daily if I would let him but I am so afraid they are gonna start stinking soon because he can't wear socks with them. The other day I told him to go put his shoes on because we were going to Wal-Mart and he brought me his boots. So, he wore the boots to Wal-Mart. He got lots of sweet comments from ladies there about his good lookin boots too and he really likes the attention of the ladies. :-)

Spots - The solver of all teething pain, sleep deprived crankiness and helper at nap times is Spots, Riley's stuffed dog. I honestly don't remember who gave Riley Spots at birth but I am ever grateful to them. He would carry this dog absolutely everywhere with him. He has torn the nose off, through days and nights of painful teething. The stuffing is slowly coming out as he is often Riley's wrestling partner. And I've washed it so many times there really aren't spots left on Spots. But, nonetheless he loves this dog and I love him too, a lot more though when he is freshly washed.

Pink - The color of baskets full of little girl laundry. Ellie continues to be a delight and I love putting on the sweet little pink girl clothes on her. I hope she doesn't one day grow up to hate the color. She is starting to engage more each day. She will follow you with her eyes and is starting to smile and coo. Those sweet little sounds make my day.

1 and 19 Months

2010-06-30T12:50:00.007-04:00

Ellie is just over a month old now and we are loving her more each day. She is a great baby with just a little issue with gas (this girl can fart with the best of them.) :-) She is doing great and bringing us lots of joy, though maybe not much sleep. Riley is enjoying her more and though he doesn't have a big interest in holding her he does like to be around her and help me with her. He has a small box he carries around with him to help him get up on the couch and other places and he has started pushing it up to the pack-n-play so he can peer in and watch me change her. Riley is growing, changing and learning so much each day. He is now 19 months old and loves to say the word "oopsy". It is so cute. He will purposefully knock things off his tray just so he can say, "oopsy". That isn't so cute but he is learning. And when it comes to Riley giving you a kiss he just pushes his head against yours. Also very cute. I love them both and I'm ever thankful for the family God has blessed me with, especially Griff. :-)

2010-06-20T21:02:00.007-04:00

Ellie and Grandpa Kevin getting in a little nap time together.

Ellie and Grammy Sandy meeting for the first time.

Riley is 18 months old and just had his first haircut. It wasn't really much of a haircut but rather a little snip of the mini rat tail that had been growing on the back of his head. Griff had wanted it cut for awhile but I kept putting it off. It's such a big first I just couldn't bring myself to do it. But, while my Dad distracted him I grabbed the scissors and clipped away. The cute little curls are gone but I must say it looks a lot better.

Daddy and Riley getting some playtime at the park.

Ellie's first bath! She did great. While Riley cried his head off during his first bath Ellie rather enjoyed the experience. She also likes having lotion rubbed all over her. I guess that is just a girl for you...likes being clean and smelling good.

2010-06-17T21:59:00.008-04:00

Well, we have almost made it through week three of being a family of four. This is our first "real" week together with Griff working regular hours and no extra hands at home with me to help with the kiddos. We are doing pretty well, I think. Ellie is sleeping about 4 hours at a time at night, which I think is pretty good at this point. Riley is going through the terrible twos at 18 months. I think he has just had a lot of change and a lot of visitors lately and it is rattling him a bit. I'm hoping as we settle in to a routine my sweet lovable Riley will reappear.

Griff's parents were out for a weekend (photos to come later, once I've uploaded them). Then, my parents were out for a week. We loved having all the family around. Riley absolutely loves my Dad and anywhere Grandpa was Riley wanted to be. He didn't want to be held by anyone other than Grandpa and if Grandpa climbed a ladder then Riley climbed it too. It was so much fun to see Dad walking around the yard with a little blonde shadow. :-) And since Riley doesn't want much to do with my Mom it is good there is Ellie that she can now spoil. :-) What's the saying, "A grand-daughter for me a grandson for you. Praise the Lord and now they can be through." Ha ha!

Picture Post

2010-06-02T15:49:00.007-04:00

Today I gave Ellie a little tummy time. The funny thing was when I went to pick her up off the sofa there was a large wet spot under her. Oops! I am so glad I had her on a blanket.

Trying to stay cool while taking a nap on this hot afternoon.

Bright eyed and ready to explore the world around her...

The first time Riley held Ellie. He was a little reluctant at first but then just wanted to keep holding her. He is such a sweet big brother. He likes to help put the bottle in Ellie's mouth and feel apart of things. And his new thing today is that he was climbing the pack-n-play to get a peak at her while we changed her So we put a box up to the pack-n-play so he can more easily watch his little sister.

Griff was helping me with laundry today and this is what he brought up from the basement. Could laundry get any cuter.

Welcome Ellie Dawn Jones

2010-05-31T11:17:00.005-04:00

Our little Ellie joined the Jones family on Friday May 28th at 1:18pm. She weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces at birth and has a head full of dark hair. She probably has more hair right now than Riley has. So far she is eating great and sleeping really well. We arrived home from the hospital Sunday afternoon and have since begun the process of incorporating Ellie into our life. Riley still doesn't know what to think of this little person that squeaks and cries but he is interested in her and even wanted to give her her bottle this morning. I think he will be a wonderful big brother.

This is one of the first pictures in the hospital with our wonderful midwife Cheri. Ellie decided to come really quick after Cheri broke my water at 12:15. She went to lunch with her daughter and we had to call and interrupt that lunch because Ellie was ready to come by 12:45. Cheri made it through traffic and back to the hospital just in time to deliver Ellie.

A few hours after Ellie was born we caught her sucking her middle finger. This is something Griff did as a baby too we are told. Since then she just likes to suck any finger or fist she can get in her mouth. :-)

All dolled up and ready to go home. It is hard to believe Riley was even smaller in this carseat.

Ellie, waving everyone a friendly hello after her first night at home.

And here is a cute picture of Riley this morning while he was brushing his teeth with Daddy. We are really enjoying being a family of four.

Building Blocks

2010-05-25T19:59:00.002-04:00

Recently while I was getting ready in the bathroom Riley opened the linen closet and got out all the tissue boxes. At first the were just all over the floor but eventually he started stacking them. So, I moved the boxes from the bathroom into the living room and he has been building towers and knocking them down all day long. This is such a fun age and I am enjoying every last day get with just Riley at home.

Shake Your Booty

2010-05-23T20:48:00.003-04:00

A while back Riley's friend Levi was over and the both were in quite a funny mood. They love this little farm on the frig. Riley loves loves loves dancing and this video is great proof.

He Got It!

2010-05-23T20:22:00.003-04:00

Let me first preface this post with - I am NOT a professional videographer. I am a Mom who loves to brag on her son and share his life with family and friends.

Riley has this giraffe toy that makes a whistling sound. The only thing is he has never been able to make it work...until today. Griff and I were working in the kitchen and all of the sudden we hear a sweet little whistle sound come from the living room. He had done it! This is just a brief snippet of Riley's new accomplishment.

Pennsylvania Grand Canyon Trip

2010-05-14T16:23:00.006-04:00

Last weekend Griff and Morgan backpacked the West Rim Trail of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. It is up by Wellsboro, PA, an absolutely beautiful area. It just so happened that they chose a weekend which included rain, high winds and snow, but they had a wonderful time. Betsy and I survived at home with our kids with the help of friends and family while the men were away. I am glad they got the chance to go, but I was really glad to have Griff walk through the door Sunday evening.

The hikers after their first night in the wilderness. They think a bear went through their camp early in the morning because there were holes ripped in the garbage bags that were around their backpacks. Thankfully the bear couldn't get what he wanted and left without incident.

The beauty of northern Pennsylvania.

At the end of three days of hiking they were a little sore. But they made it home safe and sound and with some great stories.

Oh the Fun of 17 Months

2010-05-05T19:04:00.003-04:00

Riley finally has enough hair Griff could manipulate it into the cutest little mohawk.

Griff is preparing for backpacking trip this weekend so to get "in shape" he put Rile in the Kelty backpack and went for a long walk. They both really enjoyed themselves, though I don't know how much of the walk Riley really saw.

His new favorite video is "Praise Baby". It is a great DVD I would highly recommend full of great worship songs with random graphics and scenes to keep a kids interest. It isn't near as annoying to listen to repeatedly at Barney or some of the other Baby Einstein DVDs. He loves listening to music and dancing. In this particular picture he is taking it easy and watching the girls dance.

Griff is Such a Good Daddy :-)

2010-05-01T16:01:00.004-04:00

Riley is now 17 months and weighing in at an impressive 20 pounds 10.5 ounces. These days are filled with lots of fun and new adventures. Yesteday we checked out this great playgound near us called Daniel's Den. It is designed so kids with disabilities can do everthing the other kids are doing. It was great but I took him in the heat of the day and all he kept saying was, "hot". So, we will have to go back in the morning instead. We also got a library card and put it to use by checking out our first Thomas the Train DVD. Riley is just starting to get into these. I think he enjoys the music more than the actual show but it keeps him entertained for a little bit. He occasionally will say, Mommy, baby, no, and hi. He loves the slide at the park but hates the swing. He loves strawberries and blueberries but won't eat meat if his life depended on it. And he loves playing with Daddy outside as these pictures show. He is a great little boy and we are completely enjoying each day we have together. Soon his little sister will be here and will forever change life but for right now we are enjoying lots of one on one time with our little Riley-bear.

Horsey Rides and Music Lessons

2010-04-13T21:11:00.002-04:00

Today was a rainy day but we made the best of it. As the video shows he got plenty of riding practice in as well as a music lesson from Daddy. Riley has also picked up some new words and is now saying, "no no" to EVERYTHING, whether he really does want it or not. I'm still trying to get him to say "mama".

30 weeks

2010-04-08T11:49:00.004-04:00

I am now officially at 31 weeks. This picture was taken at 30 weeks. I have days of feeling great and days of tiredness. Overall, I am doing well though and trying not to wish away the last 10 weeks. There is much to be accomplished before our little Miss is here. Riley loves patting my tummy. He knows that is where Sissy is even though he may not understand what a "sissy" actually is.

Riley is growing and changing everyday and is really getting the hang of using a spoon and folk. He loves using the folk and poking things with it. He gets so excited when he gets something in his mouth and so do we. These are such fun days with him. He loves exploring and now that the weather is nice we have made many trips around our yard, and around the block. I'm looking forward to a fun last few weeks of just Mommy and Riley time.

30th Birthday! Trip to Colorado!

2010-03-28T10:28:00.005-04:00

Griff surprised me with the greatest birthday gift ever this past week with a trip to Colorado. It meant so much to me to take him and Riley back to Colorado. I grew so much in the short year that I lived there and so many of my dear friends now live out that direction it was like going home. Here are a few pictures from our trip. There will be more to come later.

Thursday we took off from Philadelphia bound for Colorado. Once we landed in Denver we drove up to Boulder to see the Hanneman's and the Frazer's. It was so fun for our kids to play together. After that we drove down to Colorado Springs to stay with Paul and Phyllis Stanley.

Friday we got to see my best friend from Iowa, Dawn and her family. We all hung out a cute coffee shop and Riley and Elijah got to meet and play.

Friday night we celebrated my birthday with the Stanley's the family I use to live with when I lived in Colorado. It was wonderful to be back in their home and sharing Griff and Riley with them.

Saturday I got to meet my great friend Jamie for breakfast and then have lunch with Jim and Beth Luebe. That evening was the biggest surprise of my life when Griff took me out to dinner at PF Chang's along with Riley and as I sat at the table my parents walked in!!!! What in the world. I burst into tears as I couldn't believe my Mom and Dad would fly all the way out to Colorado Springs to celebrate with me! Thank you Griff for planning such an amazing birthday.

Sunday night Griff treated me to dinner at the Broadmore while my parents watched Riley. That night we got to stay at the castle at Glen Eyrie.

Monday we all took a tour around the Air Force Academy and enjoyed the sunshine. It was a beautiful day. Later we met up with Aggie and Jeff for dinner at Old Chicago. What a wonderfl way to end a great trip.

More pictures will be coming but this is a start.

A Morning in the Life

2010-03-03T16:09:00.003-05:00

This was the "outfit" Riley was walking around the house in this morning. He found the crocs in the hall closet and brought them to me to put them on. So, walking around with his doggy pj's, a jacket, crocs and a little Christmas book he had quite a good morning.

This is just a typical lunch time with Riley...after we are done eating of course. I enjoy the meals when he is happy and cheerful, because that isn't always the case. Last night's dinner was a complete meltdown and Griff and I have no idea why. I fed him the same leftovers today for lunch and he loved them.

Fun Times with Daddy

2010-02-23T21:14:00.002-05:00

Riley meet Tyler

2010-02-16T19:07:00.006-05:00

The boys in their Mommy's Little Hero outfits.

Riley and Tyler taking a nap together.

Uncle Shannon getting some playtime in with Riley.

Grandma and her boys.

One of the many times Riley got his head semi stuck in the stairs.

Mr. Adventure

2010-02-16T12:17:00.002-05:00

This past weekend Riley and I got the chance to visit the newest Henry in Minnesota. While visiting Tyler, Shannon and Nicole, Riley also got to explore their stairs. He became quite an expert by the end of the weekend, and Grandpa got lots of exercise too going up and down with him.

Another Snow Day

2010-02-10T16:46:00.002-05:00

This was a "fun" snow day because Griff got to stay home with us. After getting up at 4:30am to shovel snow he finally stopped after 4 hours and made the decision to not go in today. Thank the Lord. His company ended up closing down completely at 11am so I am glad he didn't make the trek in only to turn around a couple hours later. Weather conditions are horrible outside today but we are trying to have fun inside. Riley is exploring many new things today and I thought I would share a video of one of those things we happen to catch on tape...climbing.

In addition to this fun little adventure I have also caught Riley in a couple funny situations, one came yesterday. I left him in his bedroom after I changed him and walked into the livingroom. I do this often and thought nothing of it. But, after a while Riley still wasn't coming out. I walked back into his room and found my little boy sitting on the floor surrounded by sheets of white. He had been pulling one baby wipe after another out of the container and spreading it around him. I just had to laugh and enjoy.

Snow!

2010-02-06T15:12:00.005-05:00

Well, it snowed in Pennsylvania today. It was up to Griff's knees. Thank you to our neighbor Bob for coming over with his snowblower. What a tremendous blessing! It took Griff over an hour to get the driveway cleared and there is still two feet of snow at the end of the drive waiting to be plowed. Here are some pictures of our beautiful snowfall. The picture of the car is of Griff's Camry. It looks more like an SUV in this picture.

These two pictures above are our back patio. If you look closely you can see two little brown nobs (2nd pic) peeking out from the snow. Those are our lawn chairs.

My hero!

14 Months

2010-02-05T10:01:00.002-05:00

Riley loves playing hide and seek and the coat closet is his new favorite place to hide. It is a little scary because he is so good at it. He is really quiet and doesn't move. Twice I have walked into a room and not had a clue where he is at.

Bump

2010-01-27T10:49:00.003-05:00

For all of you curious about my expanding belling...here you go. I am 21 weeks and feeling pretty darn good. I am so thankful. Riley loves looking at my belly and I am trying to teach him "sissy". Baby girl Jones is measuring in the 60th percentile right now which if that kept on track she would be about 7 pounds at 40 weeks. We continue to pray for a healthy pregnancy, delivery and baby.

Here's a fun story for you...two days ago I was laying on the couch in the living room resting and I heard some odd noises coming from the kitchen. Riley is often playing in there with toys but these sounds didn't quite make sense. I got up and slowly rounded the corner into the kitchen and this is what I found. What a great helper our little boy is.

We are...

2010-01-16T11:58:00.003-05:00

having a little GIRL!!!

We couldn't be more excited! I went out to Old Navy this morning and bought some cute little girl clothes. (By the way, everything at Old Navy that is clearance is an additional 50% off right now!) So, around June 10th we will be adding a little pink bundle of joy to our family. Thus begins the name search and all the fun preparations for a little girl. I can't wait to hear Riley say "sissy" for the first time. :-)

Introducing Tyler Timothy Henry

2010-01-13T12:52:00.004-05:00

My little brother Shannon is now a daddy! He and his wife Nicole welcomed a baby boy into the world yesterday, January 12, 2010. Tyler Timothy was born happy and healthy at 5:39 a.m. and weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces. Nicole is doing great and was amazing during labor, going all natural. Way to go Nicole! Here are some pics of the new family and little Tyler.

Winter Fun

2010-01-11T10:36:00.004-05:00

These pictures were taken a few weeks ago when we had our first big snowfall. I think we had about 12 inches outside and we decided to bundle Riley up and use his new sled to explore and also pick up the Sunday paper. I tried pulling him around the front yard but he couldn't stay sitting up in the sled and kept falling backwards. And when I tried to turn the sled a little bit he would lean too much to the side and fall over into the snow. Least to say we didn't stay out too long.

Riley is Getting Into the Christmas Spirit.

2009-12-21T18:26:00.002-05:00

This video is dark but if you watch closely you can see Riley bopping to the music and shaking his booty. Enjoy. :-)

Christmas Time

2009-12-20T08:41:00.009-05:00

Riley loves to stand on this old diaper box and look out the window. He crawls up on it constantly to watch the squirrels and anything else that may be outside.

The official 12 month photo. It's a little late but it is hard to get a one year old to sit still.

Time for CHRISTMAS!

We started with stockings...

...then we moved on to gifts. Thanks Aunt Nicole and Uncle Shannon for this great noise making truck. Mommy and Daddy love it. :-)

This morning I helped Daddy put together my work bench that Mommy and Daddy gave me. I was a big help, just ask Daddy.

Announcing...

2009-12-16T11:25:00.003-05:00

Baby Jones #2 is on the way! We are thrilled to add to our family! I am currently 15 weeks along so the baby is due sometime around June 10th. We will find out in January if it is a boy or a girl and I am super excited about that.

I have felt pretty good these last few weeks. There were some horrible weeks during the first trimester but I am hoping everything is great from here on out.

Please keep this little one in your prayers as God brings him or her to mind. And please pray for the rest of us that we can all stay healthy through this cold and flu season.

First Snow of the Year

2009-12-05T16:39:00.007-05:00

It has been snowing most of the day today and it is just beautiful from the inside looking out. It's the perfect day to turn the Christmas tree on, watch a Christmas movie, bake yummy things (like brownies and granola) that make the house smell good, and take pictures of your child experiencing his first snow. He loved looking at it, standing in it, but NOT touching it. You will see what I mean.

...Happy Birthday Dear Riley...

2009-12-01T11:15:00.007-05:00

The cake...they lost the order for the original one I wanted so we got this small round marble cake instead. But ultimately it didn't matter to Riley...

I'm not sure if you can see the tears or hear the cries that were coming from this boy but he hated...HATED...his birthday cake. We tried twice on two different days to get him to tear into the cake and make a mess of himself and the dining room. Nothing. The cake is still sitting on the counter slowly being devoured by Daddy. Riley would prefer stuffing and mashed potatoes.

Attempt #2

All his great gifts! What a great first birthday!

Part of Riley's gift from Grandma and Grandpa Henry were a pair of overalls. I had a pair of overalls from my senior year dance recital so Mom bought a pair for Griff too. This may make the Christmas card. Note Griff's shoes. He thought they went with the outfit...he must have grown up in the city. :-)

11 Months

2009-11-09T20:16:00.010-05:00

Riley is just over 11 months and quickly approaching his first birthday! This past month has been full of adventures. He spent 5 days with his Grammy and Grandpap in Pittsburgh while Griff and I attended a conference. He got to be a bumble bee for Halloween. He has started walking everywhere and he now has two teeth on the top. His personality is coming out more and more too and that is obvious by these pictures. We recently played outside while Daddy was raking leaves so that is where a lot of these pictures come from. He loved playing with the leaves but hated that Mommy wouldn't let him put them in his mouth.

This has got to be my favorite picture ever! If every you or someone you know is having a bad day I think they just need to look at this little boy and they will have to smile.

I see Griff in this one so much. I feel like he is looking more like Griff every day.

Riley is not only standing but walking everywhere! There are lots of falls but he is starting to walk more than crawl. He took his first few steps about two weeks ago and then just took off. It is so much fun to see him walking down the hall towards me. Wow! He is just changing so fast.

Photo with Daddy before they went to church. Doesn't he look like a little old man. :-)

The official 11 month photo. I can't believe he is almost a year.

Happenings

2009-10-26T14:17:00.008-04:00

Riley is going to be a bumble bee for Halloween...

I'm not sure he is too excited about it. :-(

I think what Riley was trying to communicate here was, "Daddy, I'll help you tune your guitar."

Riley loves chewing on anything he can get in his mouth. This night it happen to be some whole grain bread from Panera.

Riley's favorite "new" toy. This horse has been used by many kids in the last 29 years and now it is being put to good use again.

A Riley Sandwich. These are the best kind.

Friends and Discoveries

2009-10-15T16:01:00.007-04:00

Friends. Riley and Owen were born about two months apart but you can't tell from their size. Hopefully they will be buddies for years to come.

This picture was just a few minutes before Riley grabbed a handful of Owen's hair. Sorry Owen.

What's in here Mommy?

Wow! Look at that!

Oh, you caught me.

10 months

2009-09-30T13:30:00.008-04:00

Seems like just the other day I was posting his 8 months photo. Where has the summer gone. Riley is so mobile and getting into everything these days. Today I have already managed to get a sticker and a hairtie out of his mouth. Yesterday is was a tag off of something, and who knows what it will be tomorrow. He is keeping me on my toes and I love it. He continues to be an amazing baby. He got his first 2 teeth without us even knowing it. We are still waiting for more to arrive. He crawls everywhere and pulls himself up to everything. He can walk around things now and every once in a while will let go and can stand on his own. He is saying "da da da" all the time and squeeling a lot. These days he is going to be around 7:30pm and waking up around 7:30am so that helps us. He loves his toys though he tends to love the box they came in more than the toy itself.

In the past month we took our long plane ride to Iowa and here is a picture of some of the family we got to see while there. . Enjoy!

Air travel is so exhausting. Don't you agree Daddy.

We got to see my mom's side of the family while back. It was great to see Morgan, Grant, Paige and Zach and for them to meet Riley.

And of course, he is a huge Steelers fan. I found this jersey on clearance last year and just had to get it. At the time we thought our little 4 pound 11 ounce guy would never fit in it but look at him now.

A Family Vacation

2009-09-28T07:17:00.009-04:00

A Henry/Jones family vacation. We had a great week at Lake Florida at the Dickerson's Family Resort. Seriously, if anyone is thinking of going to a lake for a week and relaxing with your kids this place was wonderful. It was so peaceful, beautiful and this is lots to do if you want to do it. We were entertained by Riley most of the time so there was little need for kayaks, canoes, and paddle boats.

A nice relaxing family vacation on Lake Florida in Minnesota.

I love swimming!

Going on a walk with Uncle Shannon.

Riley loved the water! Earlier this summer he didn't like the ocean at all but the lake was much more his speed. Check out the swim trunks. Yes, they were a little long, but they were so adorable.

Grandpa and Grandma took Riley up to the lake a little earlier and he got spoiled rotten by them for three days. He also got to try on this cute looking life jacket.

Riley loved reading the paper with Grandpa.

9 Months

2009-09-02T18:52:00.006-04:00

Riley is 9 months old. I can't believe it. He weighs about 18 1/2 pounds and is crawling absolutely everywhere. He loves our new ranch home because he can crawl all over. He has loved exploring his new surroundings and his favorite has got to be in the livingroom. I have a table with a tablecloth on it and he loves to crawl under there and hide and play with things.
He got his bottom two teeth right at 9 months and they came in without any tears, temp or fussy nights. Do we have a dream child or what! He says "Dada" quite frequently and just today started waving good-bye. He is a charmer and ladies at Target, Wal-Mart, Panera, and church just love him. All he has to do is put that big smile on his face and hearts melt.
And he loves being around the students. He went and did surveys with Griff and I Monday night. He sat and watched students go by for half the night and then after a while some of the Nav girls would take him and walk around with him and handout surveys. He loved it.

After we moved in my parents came out for a week to help us get settled. This helped soooooo much. I was able to unpack boxes and someone always had their eye on Riley. We got rooms painted, carpets cleaned, boxes unpacked and stuff put in its place all in a week. We couldn't have done it without them.

My mom got to give Riley a bath a couple times. He loves bath time, especially when he gets to splash around. He didn't like the ocean but he loves his bath.

This is my favorite picture right now. He loves the teething biscuits, obviously.

A Beach Vacation in Pictures

2009-08-17T15:55:00.008-04:00

We just got back from the beach and had a wonderful week. We went with the Forney's to Fenwick Island. We rented a home right on the beach. Riley didn't like the ocean too much the first day. I wish I had video of the sad sad sounds that came from him. There was just a low moan from the moment we got on the beach till the moment I took him back to the house. But by weeks end he was adjusting. We took his little kiddie pool to the beach one day and let him play in that. But we have realized that a sandy beach is not a good place for a curious crawler who likes to suck his thumb. Just picture it if you can. But, all in all we had fun on our first family vacation and Riley is still smiling ear to ear.

8 months and more

2009-08-06T09:37:00.010-04:00

This picture is from 6 months when he had his first spoonful of real food. I had made peas. He hesitantly took some and then within seconds threw it back up and into Griff's hand. :-) What a great memory. He now loves just about anything, though he definitely would take fruit over veggies any day. At just past 8 months we weighs right around 17 pounds. He started crawling at 7 1/2 months and just two days later started pulling himself up to everything. It is hard trying to baby proof a house when you are in the midst of packing up a home and moving. But, we are getting by. So far he has only had one little black eye from all his new climbing, standing, and crawling experiences. I would say we are doing pretty well.

Oh, boy, we are in trouble now.

Daddy got tools for his birthday and Riley was pretty excited about them...or at least the box.

Riley and his friend Rachel. Don't they look cute looking at each other.

Crawling behind the living room futon.

The little "home-boy" ready for an outing.

If we let him he would crawl right out the door and tumble down the front steps and keep on going. He is curious about everything.

Official 8 months photo

Impossible Prayer...Answered!

2009-07-21T09:26:00.003-04:00

30 minutes ago I got a call from Griff that our offer was accepted and we are going to be homeowners! This is our new home. It's a beautiful ranch home with three bedrooms, two full baths, a four seasons room out back, a wonderful stone patio outside, a great sized yard for playing kickball, a great driveway for one day riding a tricycle, a full basement, and it has lots of mature trees to provide lots of shade on hot summer days. It is more than we could have asked or imagined! Lord willing, we will close on August 24th, pending the inspection and appraisal come back okay. This home also puts Griff 10-15 minutes closer to his job!

Please pray with us that the inspection and appraisal will come back great and that we can indeed close on this home August 24th. And please pray for endurance in the coming months. We get the home August 24th. Freshmen arrive on campus Tuesday, August 25th. Classes started the following week and thus the whirlwind of the school year begins.

More photos to come but thank you all for your prayers through this housing situation. God is so wonderful. Oh, and all of this on Griff's 24th birthday! I told him he will probably never get a larger birthday gift and I may as well take back what Riley and I got him. He said, there was no need for that. :-)

Impossible Prayer?

2009-07-15T10:45:00.002-04:00

Friends, we need your prayers about our housing. Griff and I have been in the house hunt for several months now. It looked like there was a home with our name on it but we watched it disappear. Our lease at our current home is up the end of August. That leaves about 60 days to figure out what we are doing. We want to be moving into a new home the end of August but there just doesn't seem to be any homes like what we want and need. Will you please pray with us that God would meet and surpass our needs and desires for a home. We need to be able to close and move in by August 31st. We want it to be closer to Griff's job to shorten his 45 minute commute but still close to Millersville University. We want three bedrooms, at least 1 1/2 baths. We want it to be pretty much move in ready. We would love a yard in a quiet neighbor and lots of room to host people. We desire a house for ministry, to welcome people in. A home that radiates the love of Christ. A home that all feel safe who enter. And we want all of this for 180,000 or less.

I know it sounds impossible. But I know our God is a God of the impossible. It seems impossible that the walls of Jericho would come tumbling down just by men marching around blowing trumpets but they did. It sounds impossible that a man would get swallowed by a big fish for three days and live to tell about it but he did. It seems impossible that a virgin would give birth to a child, the Messiah but she did. It seems impossible that a man could conquer death and be resurrected but he was! This too God can do. I want to be a woman who believes God for big things. I mean He took this blonde blue eyed girl from Iowa, to Colorado then to Pennsylvania to finally meet her husband and begin a family. He can do this! Will you please join us in this impossible prayer and see how God answers!

I will keep you posted. Sharon

So Sleepy

2009-06-30T16:40:00.001-04:00

I just walked into Riley's room and this was how I found him in his crib. Sleep finally won out.

Things I Like

2009-06-29T18:28:00.007-04:00

I like going on walks on hot summer days with no clothes on.

I especially like walks with Daddy.

I like my new clubhouse. Mommy made it for me out of an old Dell box. It is the perfect size for me and a friend.

I like sitting up on my very own.

I like the Steelers

I like taking books off the shelf and then looking at all the pictures.

I like this outfit that my grandma's gave me. "When God made me He was just showing off" t-shirt from Grandma Janice and my camo shorts from Grammy Sandy.