This weeks thanksgivings!

This evening I am thankful for a restful weekend. On the flip side I am sad that Brent's weekend was busy with the senior class trip which was thankfully drama free but anything but restful. Ainsley and I both enjoyed the extra hour of sleep granted to us by the change in the clocks. I was even thankful for the extra sunshine I got to enjoy before work this morning. I made sure to remind myself of that feeling when I left work after the sun had set ;-).

As I mentioned last week Ainsley's vocabulary is building exponentially the only word that comes to mind is the most recent addition: "Help!"

Saturday Ainsley made up the "Mommy Song." Nothing very complicated just a little bouncy tune to the repeated words: "mommy, mommy, mommy!" The little bounce of her head and the sparkle in her eyes just melts my heart.

POTTY ALERT

We have been working on potty training for a few months now and although we have had moderate success with Number One, number two has been a challenge ( no pun intended). On Saturday night we had a successful trip the potty for number two. This earned Miss A any treat from the candy bucket she wanted. Her choice: a grape tootise roll pop!

Lastly I am thankful for Elmo balloons. On Thursday night Mimi adopted an abandoned Elmo balloon from her work and brought him home so Ainsley could play with during her time at the house Friday and Saturday. Ainsley was excited to see Elmo and even more excited to through him up in the air, at which point she would have to ask for "HELP" to retrieve the balloon. She quickly learned that Elmo could not go in the sky lights because he would get stuck! She especially loved to have the balloon eat meals with her on her highchair. Needless to say she had a great time!!

Now as I am ready to post this I am thankful that Brent is on his last leg home from Senior Trip in Orlando and will be home tonight, even if I will be asleep! I am glad he was able to provide this opportunity for his students but I will be glad to have some adult conversation besides work.

;-)

A month of thanksgivings

As the month of October comes to a close with the festivities of Halloween we turn our attention to November. In looking toward the upcoming celebration of Thanksgiving I am going to take on the discipline of posting a weekly collection of thanksgivings on our blog to help cultivate a thankful heart. So here we go...

This week I am thankful for

Ainsley's expanding vocabulary.

The last few months (I know its been awhile) have been an exponential time of growth in the words that Ainsley knows and uses on a daily basis. Several weeks ago I noticed that she said, "Okay," as clear as can be but the day before it had been "Otay." It is just one of many signs that our little girl is getting bigger and smarter everyday and that is truly something I am thankful for but at the same I'm just a little sad. Other Ainsley words include:

neat= Eat

nack= Snack

pease=please

be-be= Pacifer

be-be= Baby (especially pictures of herself on Mommy's phone)

be-be= Pee pee

water=swimming pool or a drink

Y=YMCA

night night

bath

puppies, bella, dog - however she has not gotten Cordelia as of yet

Augha/Pawpa= Brent's Parents

Mimi/Papa= Molly's Parents

ducker=dum dum sucker

walk= walk not holding a grown ups hand

cheese

tea!!

payyough= playdough

jessie shoes=crocs with jessie and buzz decals

She is also starting to speak in broken and sometimes full sentences. Last week at Target we found her a new toothbrush with the cowgirl from Toy Story 3, Jessie. At first she asked, "pease out me." We explained that we must first pay for the toothbrush so her incessant mantra became, "pease pay, pease out me..." '

My Husband's sense of Humor

Two weeks ago 'Senior Wear' arrived at PRP. This is one of the big projects for the senior class sponsors that involves making t-shirts with all the senior students listed on the back. The delivery of shirts, hoddies, sweatpants is very stressful as it involves a good number of boxes and lots of students anxiously awaiting their precious new PRP wear. I am thankful that even in this stressful time my husband can have a sense of humor...

Our Healthy Baby Boy

On Monday Brent and I were blessed to have the first glimpses of our son through a 20 week ultrasound. Although we had three ultrasounds with Ainsley I am still blown away at the miracle that we get to see in the sneak peek of the baby growing inside me. The baby appeared to be very healthy with fingers, toes, legs, arms, four chambers of the heart, and all the right boy parts. I will post a picture this week but I left them at the office yesterday. The baby is due in March which is a popular time for birthdays on my Mom's side of the family. The original due date was set at March 19th but the baby was measuring to be due on March 9th. Either way the baby will arrive when he will arrive and we will be waiting for him with open and loving arms.

A surprise family dinner

The last two weeks have been hectic due to homecoming and halloween obligations and the time we normally share around the dinner table has been reduced. Tuesday this week Brent's original commitment, overseeing the junior/senior powder puff football game, was postponed due to the first serious rainfall in several months. We took advantage of the free evening and traveled to Huber's to get our pumpkins. Due to a late nap time that day we did not get to tramps through the muddy field but picked out pumpkins from the tractor wagons. After this we decided to stay and enough the Huber's Family Style Buffet. Ainsley did some damage on the family meal and I enjoyed spending time talking with Brent and of course Ainsley.

Creativity

This year we decided to let Ainsley decorate her pumpkin with markers and stickers. I decided to decorate my pumpkin with Nemo so I will get extra points when we light them tonight since Nemo is the stuff right now. Here are some photos of Ainsley decorating her pumpkin with supervision concerning the sharpie markers.

A need for a Halloween Costume

This year I designed and made Ainsley's Abby Cadabby Costume. Although sometimes making things is more expensive then buying them from the store I again enjoyed the challenge and the resulting cute little muppet.

Coloring!

For Christmas we got Ainlsey a big bucket of craft supplies complete with crayons, markers, chalk, paper, foam crafts, and lots of paper. I knew she was a little to young at the time but it would be a present she would grow into this spring and summer. While visiting with Morgan and family Ainlsey got to "share" Catherine's stampers. So today with the few minutes I had before work I decided to try the crayons. I know Ainlsey has colored at Parent's Day Out and at restaurants but this was the first time I had gotten to sit down with her. She is such a big girl and she had a great time using both hands but favoring the right. She kept trying to eat the green crayon and was surprised that each time it tasted just as strange at the time before.

Hope you are having a good Saturday!

Travels to Manheim, PA

Early Friday February 12th (and I mean early) Ainsley and I began our first solo plane trip to Baltimore. Thankfully the flight was not canceled or delayed as air travel to the northeast had been for two days. Ainsley did amazing on the flight. And was asleep almost before we were in the air. She sleep through 75% of the flight until the overhead announcment woke her up. Once on the ground I changed Ainsley out of her pjs and our bags made it in right about the time Morgan made it to pick us up. Morgan and I had an enjoyable car ride and Morgan and I talked the whole time. Ainsley enjoyed the new experience of watching a video on the portable DVD player but she didn't quite make it through before the nap monster attacked. Through out the drive I was repeatedly amazed at not only how much snow there was on the ground and piled on the side of the road, but also how well the the roads and driveways were cleared.

Unused parking lot at a Baltimore area mall

Morgan, Ainsley and I went to pick up Andrew and Catheine from daycare soon after their naptime was finished. Everyone knew my name when we arrived because Andrew had mentioned that I was coming at least 12 times that day. Returning home we all bundled up an took the kids out to play in the snow. Well really we took the kids out so I could play in the snow. Morgan and I had fun digging out a snow fort while Catherine and Ainsley munched on the snow and Andrew made snow castles. Very soon everyone was tired, wet, and cold so we headed back inside.

Bathtime with Friends!

Saturday morning Morgan and I took the kids and went to the outlet malls in Lancaster. We made some very wise purchases at the Carter's outlet as well as Children's Place. The kids each picked out a toy from the Disney store to go in the bags we got for a dollar at Children's Place.

Saturday night Ainsley attended and I helped out at a Parent's Night Out outreach that Ray and Morgan's church hosted. It was a busy night and everyone slept well after all the fun times.

I love cupcakes Mommy!

Snacking on snow inside the snow fort

Church at Bethel Baptist Church in Manheim, PA

Sunday after church Ainsley and I traveled to Harrisburg where we got to visit and share lunch with some of our Stratton family. It was so great to see everyone even for a short time. Before lunch we meet at the Bass Pro Shop were Farmer Joe showed Ainlsey the many interesting animals around and in the big fish tank. She was so excited by each new discovery that I just cannot wait to take her to the zoo this spring and summer.

The Girl Cousins!

Ainlsey giving Hannah a Kiss

The afternoon fun continued with another trip with Andrew and Catherine outside to play in the snow fort. Although Ainsley had the least amount of fun the snow pants I found at carters the day before were perfect. For dinner I joined the Stuart's in enjoying some famous local pizza, Ainlsey had an apple.

"I WANNA GO INSIDE MOM! I'M COLD AND THE SNOW GOT UNDER MY GLOVES!"

Monday morning everyone came to visit Aunt Molly/Mommy in the sofa bed where she was watching Sleepy Beauty.

Monday morning we all piled into the car and traveled down the windy curvy country roads to Hershey, PA. While at the chocolate factory we took the factory tour complete with singing dairy cows and watched the 3D show. Afterwards the adults agreed the kiddos were a little young for the 3d show but most everyone's spirits were lifted with lunch and a little chocolate. Of course a trip to a tourist trap is never complete without a visit to the gift shop! Ainlsey got a cute stuffed cow and I found a pair of Hershey socks, a tote bag, and a chocolater bar or two!

Obviously the person who designed the chocolate layout did not have a new walker...or maybe they did...the more the kid pulls out the more the parent's buy. Thankfully it did not cost to carry the candy around the store

Ainlsey practicing her red carpet walk after the 3D Show

Catherine was taking her critters and hitting the road!

Millie the cow and one sleepy baby

After traveling back Ainsley and I took off to see my Grandmom. The trip took under 2 hours and Ainlsey had a very nice nap while I listened to my iPod. Ainlsey had a great deal of fun playing at Grandmom's apartment. Her favorite new toy was an antique stool that was 'just' the right size. After a trip down to the main area of Foulkeways we all took a ride to Olive Garden for dinner. Ainlsey had lots of fun entertaining Great~Grandmom, the staff, and the other guests. Although the visit was short it was again such a wonderful treat to see Grandmom and Ainlsey interact.

Ainlsey talking to "Mimi" and "Mommy" on the Melmo (Elmo) phone.

Playing at "MomMom's" apartment

Tuesday morning we spent around the apartment packing and getting ready for our trip home. Ainlsey was happy to get an actual morning nap even if it was cut short to get on the road. Our lunch stop for the day was a local mall that has a kids play area. Before running around the kids enjoyed their lunch at a table just their size. Ainsley was very distracted by the fact that she could get up, move around, and sample other people's lunch! Ainlsey's favorite part of the play area was the hockey stick but I had get a few pictures with her and the big toothbrush.

Lunch time

Don't Forget to Brush

Naptime all around

The trip to Baltimore was an enjoyable quiet time for Morgan and I to talk with three sleeping kiddos in the back. Once we got to the airport it was again a quick trip through all the steps and time to board. Ainlsey did not sleep on the flight back but we had lots of fun playing with all the different toys that I had packed. Of course she finally started to get sleepy when we were landing in Louisville. After a quick stroller ride to security I got Ainsley out of her stroller so she could run to Daddy. Her excitement brought a tear to my eye. When we came around the corner and she say Brent her face couldn't contain her joy, her whole body lit up. She let out a big "Daddy" and headed right toward him. She was only momentarily distracted by the crowd around her but then she had arms and kisses only for Brent. All the luggage made it safely and we were soon home and back to our busy lives!

I know this was a long note but it was a therapeutic way to process the time away during and after our trip. Also some of the pictures are of lesser quality because they were taken on my phone. Have a great last week of February...Spring is on its way!!!

Throwing Snowballs

Over Christmas Break, Ainsley and I, along with Grammie and Paw went to visit the Longaberger Homestead to make some baskets and do some shopping. Before we arrived there they had about 4 inches of snow, so there was a nice blanket covering the landscape. At one point while we were walking along a sidewalk, my mom reached down and got a snowball ready to throw at my dad. When she finally did throw the snowball, Ainsley erupted in giggles, and thus was born the phenomena of throwing snowballs.

Now Ainsley will be sitting at dinner, or just in her carseat, tand you can hear her putting a snowball together and throwing it at you from the backseat. We thought it would be cute to video her and share the cuteness with everyone!! Enjoy!

Testing Web Cam

We bought a web cam this week as a birthday present for our friend Morgan who has recently moved away from Louisville. I am hoping to be able to post some pictures of Ainlsey's cuteness in action.

7 years ago today...

Sorry it has been a couple of days since I have been on blogging, but Molly and I have been out of town for the past couple days in NYC for our anniversary. Yes, today is our 7 year anniversary. Today 7 years ago, many of you and other friends and family joined with Molly and I to officially begin our life as husband and wife! And what a party it was!! There are lots of details that I don't remember, somethings pass in blurs and other images from that day are seared in my memory.

I remember vividly getting ready with my brothers and my friend Ray Stuart in one of the rooms at Highland and thinking how amazing it was to have such Godly men in my life supporting me on that day. I remember the moment the church doors opened and I saw Molly and the GORGEOUS dress her mother had lovingly crafted for her. Being the traditionalist that I was, I didn't want to do our pictures before, because I wanted to wait to see Molly until the aisle. I also didn't want to know anything about the dress. Although, I did have dreams about it being covered in a band of red sequins...thankfully that dream was not true!

We would like to thank each and every one of you for being a part of our lives, whether it has been in our single or married lives you have had an impact on us, and we thank you sincerely for that. For the lessons you have shared and the love you have freely given, we can not say thank you enough!

Sorry for the lack of pictures on this post. I can't seem to find the images we had scanned in at some point :( maybe I will find them later