Monday, October 27, 2008

Just When You Turn Your Head!

You see this:




And this:




And This:







In case you can't tell, that's Ruthie AFTER she climbed up the back of our couch and sat in our window sill. I guess she likes a seat with a view!! :)

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

The Pumpkin Patch

We got Ruthie a big pumpkin and a baby pumpkin, just her size!! However, while we were taking pictures, she was more interested in the hay behind her!! :)









Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Fall Make-N-Take

Saturday I hosted my first Make-N-Take, and I do have to say, It was a HUGE success. Many of you know that I started my home buisness, Uppercase Living, around March of this year. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and have really begun to take off.

I decided to start hosting Make-N-Takes- this is where I create a project (projects) and invite my customers into my home for a fun morning of food, fellowship, and crafting. I provide all materials, set up, and clean up! My customers only have to show up and have fun. Well, we had 16 ladies in my home on Saturday and everyone had a lot of fun! In fact, most have already signed up for my Christmas Make-N-Take. If you're in my area... please consider yourself invited to our Christmas Make-N-Take on November 22nd at 10:30!

Here are some pictures of the fun:









Ruthie is 15 Months old!!

Ruthie is 15 months old and she is growing like a weed!! I don't have updated stats for you because our 15 month checkup isn't until Thursday! But she's growing out of all her clothes!! :)

She's accomplished a lot this past month...

* She's saying "mommy" all the time and to get my attention!! :) Warms my little mommy heart!

* She holds our hands during prayers. So sweet.

* BEAR CRAWLS!! Up on her feet and hands. Like a triangle... and then walks around like that. I've been trying to get a picture of this ALL month... and I only have one not very good pic. Every time I'd get the camera out she'd stop... like she knew what I wanted and was being difficult!

* She CLIMBED into the DISHWASHER!! Imagine my surprise as I turned around from putting the silver-ware away... and saw Ruthie sitting square on top of the door of the dishwasher. If I'd had my faculties about me I'd have grabbed the camera... but all I could think of was her breaking the door off!

* Climbed the stairs at Aunt Mardi and Uncle Jack's house. Got three stairs up and then fell... to a thud. Mommy's and Daddy's heart almost beat out of our chest as we raced to see if she was ok and what happened. We get parent of the year award!!! But, she was fine. Praise the Lord!!

* She will say "no" and shake her head as she heads for a "no no" (like the dvr or mommy's pretties) but she usually goes ahead and touches them anyway!

* Says "yes" and shakes her head up and down!

* Has more words"
"owee"= Water (and is said when she gets a boo-boo)
"Ma"= milk
"jees" = juice
"shees" = shoes
"ongry" = hungry

* Tooth count: 4 on the bottom and 3 on top. Currently trying to cut 2 molars (on bottom) and one tooth on top!

* She is CRUISING around our furniture. It's slow but sure.

Here are some pictures to enlighten your day!

She loves her magnets... but she HATES them to be on the refrigerator! Her mission in life is to rid all refrigerators of magnets. She firmly believes they belong strewn across your kitchen floor! :)


Showing off for the camera!


Cruising around the coffee table!


Our only pic of her bear crawling!


"What Mommy, I'm reading!"



How 'bout them RAYS!!!

We're going to the world series!! Our first game against the Phillies is Wednesday!! :) Wish us luck!



Thursday, October 9, 2008

God is so GOOD!

This may seem insignificant to some, but to me it was a direct answer to prayer. Like a lot of families (especially one income families) we're tightening our belts and spending money only on what is most important. Our needs. Not wants. And even then, things are tight. So, it's time to buy Ruthie some new shoes... she only has one pair that fit and they're getting very close to not fitting.

And, Ruthie is a DIFFICULT little girl to buy shoes for... She has the tiniest ankles and heels and a very narrow foot. So, all of the super cute and realitivey inexpensive shoes that you may find at say... Target... NEVER fit her feet. They just fall right off. It's not even close enough to be "good enough"...

So, to put shoes on Ruthie's feet that actually fit right and won't trip her when she walks... assuming she actually learns to walk sometime soon... we must go to Stride Rite. Any parents out there who have ever bought their child shoes know that this is an expensive endeavor. I mean, the kids shoes there are more than I spend on my own shoes...

But, It's to the point where we can't put it off any longer and with the next paycheck we're going to take a trip to Stride Rite and mortgage some shoes. I've been praying about our budget asking God what I can do to help alleviate it (it seems that 1/2 of the budget is going to gas and if those prices ever drop we'll be in good shape!) when in the mail... email... came a coveted coupon from Stride Rite. 15% off!!! I can't believe it. Just in time for our purchase.

God so knows the exact timing of all our needs, and just like the Bible says in Matthew 6:25-27, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?

Monday, October 6, 2008

Palin Power!

Ruthie, Aunt Holly, and I went to a Palin Rally today and had a blast!! :) We were up by 4:45 and out the door at 5:30AM- and if you know me slightly in real life then you know that is a small feat accomplished.

Let me pause here to interject... This post will have political views and opinions expressed...and while I don't want to intentionally offend someone, this is my blog and if you disagree you don't have to keep reading!! :) If you agree or want to know more about the issues I raise then please contact me so we can have a healthy conversation of fact! :)

Ok, now on to the fun stuff... details!! It was early, completely dark, and Ruthie woke up (my plan was to put a sleeping child in her pj's in her car-seat so she could SLEEP all the way across the bay to the city just west of me- that didn't happen!) As I was saying, she woke up and stayed up for a very long time! She was pleasant, even enjoyable, such a good girl! We arrived at the location of the rally, right on the water- beautiful- at about 6:10 (doors opened at 6:00am) But didn't find a LEGAL parking spot until about 7:00!!!

Once we got through security- they even patted down Ruthie's "Baby"- we found our perfect seats. We brought a blanket to this outdoor rally and sat it on the wet - it rained last night- ground!! And waited. We fed Ruthie breakfast, changed her out of her PJ's, and played a while (I was supposed to be grading papers... I'm so behind!)

There were several really important people who were there to help us all get excited! They passed out red and blue pom-poms and McCain*Palin signs and really pumped up the crowd. Once Sarah Palin was introduced by Sen. Joe Liberman (!?) she talked for about 30-40 minutes. She was personable, down to earth, well spoken, and RIGHT ON all the issues!! :)

She even read the sign that Tony made last night and liked it! She nodded and smiled. The sign said:
P-arents
A-agains
L-iberal
I-diotic
N-onsence

The other sign Tony made... "Wailin' for Palin"


Mommy and Ruthie


Aunt Holly and Ruthie playing peek-a-boo w/ the signs


The stands behind the stage... the people were dressed in Red, White, and Blue and arranged like the flag!



This is Gus Billarakus... a conservative in Washington!


Gov. Charlie Crist


Mel Martinez


Sen. Joe Lieberman


Gov. Palin


Ruthie finally went to sleep about 15 minutes before Gov. Palin spoke!



Gov. Palin talked about energy independence, lower taxes, support of the Military. She even talked about keeping the SNL comedians busy and giving them job security! Most importantly, she talked about the type of people her opponent thinks is "good people" one of which is a convicted domestic terrorist, who blew up many buildings and threatened to blow up the pentagon- a man who Obama says- "just lives in the same neighborhood"- but in truth is the same man who hosted Obama first campaign meeting... in HIS LIVING ROOM. Is that National Security? Today is the last day to sign up to vote in the Nov. elections- which I plead with you to do... that is our right/privilege that many have fought to give us. I also plead with you to look beyond what smooth words are said to the real facts that tell about a person and his beliefs. That tells alot about character.



I like Sarah Palin. She's beautiful. She's a mom, wife, and the only person w/ real executive experience!!!

Friday, October 3, 2008

Ruthie's new favorite

Ruthie is enjoying all of her toys, but she has found a new love for her "baby" given to her by my cousin from CA. She wants to take "baby" with her wherever she goes. It is totally TOO CUTE!! She also has started to LOVE her fisher price story seat. When you sit on the seat it plays music and reads a story. She's loving it! That was a b-day gift from two very sweet families from church! Here are some pics to enjoy!


Sitting on her new chair w/ her favorite Baby


She even sleeps w/ Baby!


Baby #2- 14 weeks!

Baby #2 is growing well and heart beat continues to sound great!!! What a blessing it is to hear that little beat. I have to take insulin now at night before I go to bed for my gestational diabetes. It has really helped my sugars. Let me tell you, I've done all I humanly can to get my sugars to be good w/ out insulin. I never eat healthier than when I'm preggo. Continue praying for the baby and for my blood sugar issues, Since I am now considered "high risk".

Here's what baby center has to say about 14 weeks:
Welcome to the second trimester! This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb. Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb. In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces.