.the greatest show on earth.

Several weeks ago we went to the circus... it was SO.MUCH.FUN! We got a babysitter (thank you to our sweet friend allieb!). I loved every minute of seeing HJ enjoy all the sights, sounds, and food. She was WIDE EYED the entire time. And is still talking about all that she saw. It was PRECIOUS!

.crib makeover.

My old baby crib + my awesome and talented dad + pinterest = AMAZING workplace for HattieJo (and AP one day!)He did such a great job with this! I remember running the idea by him via the link i found on pinterest and he got busy on the weekends! It has magnetic board sides and then chalkboard on the table top. She LOVES it!
Thank you gdaddy!!!

:Valentines Day 2012:

We had a pretty low key Valentines Day this year. I had to work, so my day was filled with crazy kids and sugar! I came home and made bacon and cheese stuffed pork chops, roasted red potatoes(which HattieJo helped with- she "painted" them with olive oil), and fried okra(HJ's favorite). Then Andrew took HJ on a date to get ice cream and then to Target to look at toys and he bought her a "horsey movie" also known as Spirit! I love that my man loves to date his daughter! She was thrilled about it. AP and I had a date here at home filled with milk, baby food, and splashing in the bathtub. I made Andrew this card for Andrew:Andrews card said, "to my HOT TOMALE, i am NUTS for you! I love you to the MILKY WAY and back! you are EXTRA special. There's ZERO men like you my SWEETHEART! so thankful for you! mmmmwahhh KISSES! P.S. i love doing this, THINGAMAJIG, called life with you!" Andrew and I got the kids some bath toys as a little valentine's treat! And we made them each a card that said, "i love it when you.." and then we wrote things we love. I hope to do this each year. Such a neat way to capture some of our favorite memories of these precious kiddos!Then on Wednesday night Andrew took me out to dinner and to get ice cream. My kind of date :)

:MercyHillGSO:

Check out our PASTOR'S blog today!
I am so thankful for our sending church, the leadership, and all that we have learned while we have been here at the Summit. We are so blessed!

.8 months.

...well really 8 months and 2 days!..

So here are 8 things about AP since he is 8 months old-

1. he LOVES baby food- he will eat any of it and will enjoy every single bite!

2. he prefers to stand over sit when he is playing- he will stand by himself too! he is starting to get curious about "cruising" his toys-if he is sitting to play he will spin around on his bottom or belly, no crawling yet!

3. he can stand alone for about 5 seconds at a time- its the chunky legs!

4. he is constantly putting things in his mouth- 5. he has 8 teeth- and they are always shining with his big huge grin, melts my heart!

6. he is sleeping pretty consistently from about 830-430 or so...thankful for this!!!

7. he LOVES his big sister, he is constantly watching her, wanting to play with her, talking to her, and laughing with and at her!

8. he is NOSEY.. he wants to know what is going on all the time and will break his neck to get a look at something! i like to call it observant!

.personal note: seasons.

This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

This is my prayer in the fire
And weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and he is here

This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on his promise I'll stand

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and he is here

And this is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I received I will sow

This weekend when I was out running this song come on my ipod- I LOVE IT! I listened to it several times over and over as I run... I feel like we are in a weird season of life right now- we are in the midst of packing up our lives and moving to plant a church in about 3 months... while we are preparing for this upcoming move, we are still here and there are still things left to be done... we desire to finish well and be prepared when the time comes for the move! So its been crazy finding the balance in all of this. I am so thankful for the reminder in this song that no matter the season of life we are in that we can still rejoice and have reason to sing because He is still God! I am thankful that through the craziness of life right now that the Lord is still at work in my life and using this time to continue to form and shape me. I pray that as we finish up things here in the next several months that we would do it well and that we would not miss the opportunities that the Lord gives us here!

:mini me:

If you talk to my mom and dad, they will tell you that HJ is a perfect picture of me when I was younger! Her attitude, sass, sweetness, and everything else! haha.. When we were at my home church I got the chance to sing on Sunday and Andrew preached- so when I was doing my sound check HJ wanted on stage to "practice" with me. PRECIOUS!

.gdaddy's motorcycle.

We were in SC a couple of weekends ago for Andrew to preach at my home church, my dad has his motorcycle out one day, so we had to pose for some pictures on it!

:wordless wednesday::dress up:

.happy valentines day.

.my little loves.

.tent.

last weekend bec bec bought hj this tent from target clearance... it was $4.00 well spent! hj enjoys this tent so much... she gets her bible and goes into her tent during the day to read it... not to mention its a great spot for hiding!

.the B-I-B-L-E.

HattieJO LOVES her bible... she is constantly asking for someone to read it to her and tell her a bible story- I LOVE IT! There is a video coming soon of her telling some of the bible stories she has learned. She loves to find the pictures of the ones that she knows and then tell the story to AP. PRICELESS! The Jesus Storybook Bible is the one that we use and it is great. At the end of each story it relates the story back to Jesus. The Gospel on display.

:hj's new style:

.since HJ has become potty trained, this is her new attire of choice around the house!.. she will most of the time have on a shirt until it gets wet from playing in water, then she is down to the panties with a wedgie..hahaha... and a side ponytail!...oh what a character this little girl is!.

.thank you!.

Andrew was in FL last week for the Pastor's conference, so he stayed with his parents. When he came home he had gifts for the kiddos from Michelle and then Gigi and Poppa. Michelle, our personal seamstress(not really, but she always makes the kids the CUTEST things!) sent HJ an adorable shirt and a dress and then AP got a personalized bed sheet and a monogrammed blue gingham outfit. THANK YOU Michelle, we LOVE them! We really do even though HJ wasn't smiling, she had just said, "mommy, my michelle make dese for me?!?!?"Gigi and Poppa wrote a letter to HJ and AP and it had a Target gift card in it- HJ was very excited to know that she could buy whatever she wanted and she requested, "hershey tisses and cloooothes" so that is what she bought along with some super cute nail polish that she picked out on her own! HJ said, "i have my own money mommy!"AP got an outfit, then some playdough for him and HJ to share. THANK YOU Gigi and Poppa for that fun surprise!

:faces of ap: