Nick and Lindsey Plus Two

5 months old

2012-03-04T07:36:00.001-08:00

This was as good as it got for 5 month shots…not happy at.all!!!

Mom, please stop!!! ;)

Despite what the pictures are depicting, Anne Marie is loving life!! She sleeps around 9-10 hours at night and only takes little ‘cat naps’ during the day.

She is still on Alimentum and it seems to still be doing its magic. She is up to 7 ounces and eats about every 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

She absolutely is developing quite a personality! She loves her glow worms, sitting in the jumperoo and looking around, watching Baby Einstein, and playing with Sophie (her favorite giraffe toy).

She has started a new noise…..she growls and it is hilarious!! It is too cute!

Loving our family of four and looking forward to the moments to come while savoring the ones that are happening now!

it’s time to play catch up…

2012-03-04T07:25:00.001-08:00

Silly boy….

Tired little Griffin….

Playing in the baskets….

Go Chants!!! (5 months old)

Lovin’ bath time….:)

Posing for the camera….

She loves her Glow worms!

Tummy time….(but she still doesn’t like it)! ;)

blogger on the iPhone

2012-02-26T12:09:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Katie for introducing me to the blogger app on the iPhone.....this should be a fun way to share my iPhone pics with you all!!

Here is a pic from this past weekend in Gatlinburg at Winterfest with the kiddos from church!

1,000 pins

2012-02-23T13:23:00.001-08:00

Yay!!! I have officially pinned 1,000 items on Pinterest!!! Great stuff!!

ruffle butts photo shoot

2012-02-20T17:04:00.001-08:00

Photos by Erin Dietrich Photography

helping hand….

2012-02-15T06:55:00.001-08:00

well, kind of! Will is wanting to help more and more. He loves talking to her, shaking her hand so she dances to his Thomas music, he brings her his toys to play with and he always asks for her first thing in the morning.

I guess he thought she wanted to watch him eat! Ha!

Love this brother/sister love!! So special!

little miss at 19 weeks

2012-02-15T06:50:00.001-08:00

Loves life and ‘talks’ all.the.time!! Weighs around 14 pounds and is now eating 7 ounces every 3 hours. Go Annewe (as Will would say)! ;)

wow….what a weekend

2012-02-15T06:43:00.001-08:00

This past weekend was one for the record books! Busy but fun!! My parents arrived on Friday and the fun began!

Anne Marie was chosen to be model for RuffleButts magazine. So, first thing Saturday morning, we were off to Conway for her photo shoot. This wasn’t just any old photo shoot, they had everything planned to a tee! From the heater to keep the models warm (yes, it was cold) to the blankets to the snacks to the professional photographer to the ‘dressing room’….you get the picture? It is serious business being a ‘butt’ model! ;) She modeled a diaper cover and a headband for their new summer line. I can’t wait to see the pictures and to see little miss adorning the magazine/website with her beauty! If you are interested in seeing their products, here is their website!

http://www.rufflebutts.com/

Source: Google Image from Ruffle Butts

She was exhausted after the shoot and fell fast asleep….

We went from Conway to Fun Wearhouse to celebrate Hadley Cate’s Olivia inspired birthday party!! Will had a blast in the jump houses, Nick had a blast playing the games, and I had a blast roller skating!!! ;) Fun stuff!!

We left HC’s party and headed out to get ready for the K-5 pajama party that we had at church. The kids had a blast and I was too busy to stop and take pictures! We wore our pajamas, enjoyed breakfast food and played ‘slumber party’ games!! The kids had a blast and the parents enjoyed it too!!

On Sunday, we celebrated Sawyer’s birthday at the movie theater! He had an Alabama themed party and the kids were hilarious in the movie theater….12 little boys and 1 little girl!!!

What a weekend, but oh what fun!!

before her first bite of oatmeal

2012-02-15T06:34:00.001-08:00

Oh no…..what are these people getting ready to do? ;)

play mat time

2012-02-05T12:28:00.001-08:00

4 months old

2012-01-30T15:17:00.001-08:00

Anne Marie is growing so much!! We go for our 4 month well check tomorrow…..so, we shall see about weight and height!!

She is finally to a point where she laughs, smiles, ‘talks,’ coos, plays with her toys, and is just plain ole enjoying life!! She is eating 6 ounces every 2 1/2-3 hours. She sleeps on average about 10 hours a night…..hallelujah!! She loves going to Nana’s house (a precious lady from church) 2 days a week and staying with Mommy and Daddy the other 3 days.

She loves her mobile, play mat, baby doll, and Baby Einstein. What a joy she is….:)

brother/sister love

2012-01-30T15:07:00.001-08:00

They love each other and it makes me smile!!!!

spiky will

2012-01-28T09:19:00.001-08:00

Will has been asking for spiky hair all week (mainly because his Daddy and his cousins have awesome spiky hair). So, Nick took him today to see Miss Taylor and get his hair cut. Nick said he sat in the chair and told Miss Taylor that he wanted his hair spiky. She gasped because she LOVES his hair and does not want to cut it off yet. Nick explained to her that she could just cut it like normal and then spike it (so he is happy). Well, she spiked it and this is what we got!!!! Nick said the entire salon was laughing out loud! The funniest part of all……Will actually likes it and thinks it looks good! On the way home, Nick wanted to roll the window down and Will demanded a big ‘NO.’ He said it would mess his hair up!! Too hilarious….I am laughing out loud!!!

Fun times, great memories, and this picture WILL be used one day to make his future wife laugh!!! ;)

the BEST package

2012-01-27T13:23:00.001-08:00

Is it sad that I get excited over 18 cans of Alimentum? Well, I do!! ;)

tutu

2012-01-27T13:21:00.001-08:00

How cute is this??

silly willy

2012-01-27T13:20:00.001-08:00

Wow…..this is little man in a nutshell!

roly poly

2012-01-24T17:01:00.001-08:00

This morning was AM’s first time to roll over…..yay for baby girl!! Oh what fun!! Nick snapped a pic on his iphone, I will try to share it soon! Happy Tuesday to you all!!

we couldn’t live without….

2012-01-22T10:28:00.001-08:00

our NoseFrida!! The BEST snot sucker that money can buy!! I am not real sure how we survived without this thing….we were having to use the traditional hospital aspirator and AM was not reacting to it very well! So, as we were ‘sucking’ her out and listening to her scream in the hotel on our way from Christmas break, I remembered seeing this advertised on Hannah B’s (a local boutique) Facebook page. At 3 am, I am on my phone trying to see where I could purchase one in Spartanburg the following morning before we left. No such luck, so we waited and within hours of arriving home, went to Hannah' B’s and purchased one.

Hands-down, my favorite baby purchase to date! It seems a little gross (take a look at the picture) but it works like magic! No more screaming AM, just one little pleasant baby with a nose that is clear to breathe!

FYI….if you purchase one, use Saline drops before, it makes it much easier to get all the boogers out and you don’t feel like you are about to suck your brains out! ;) We purchased ours for around $15 and that seems to be what most retailers sell them for. If the store sells filters, go ahead and buy a pack of them too (just $5 for 20).

I hope you find it as helpful and amusing as I have!

16 weeks old

2012-01-22T09:58:00.001-08:00

Our sweet little froggie….:)

enjoying this beautiful monday

2012-01-16T15:17:00.001-08:00

We have had a great day together….hanging around the house, eating a delicious lunch together, taking Will to the park on the inlet to play, and an eventful trip to Wal-mart.

Peek-a-boo, Anne Marie….(her first time playing in the jumperoo).

Will playing dress-up….a washcloth on his head and Daddy’s socks on his legs!

Having fun at the park….

Loving my babies….

The perfect way to enjoy our holiday today…..relaxing with my family!

15 weeks old

2012-01-16T15:09:00.001-08:00

This picture is worth a thousand words….growing and changing everyday!! Happy 15 weeks Anne Marie!!

family pics

2012-01-16T15:04:00.001-08:00

Over Christmas, a dear family friend came over to my parents house and took pictures of the Miller clan….all 16 of us!! She did an excellent job of trying to get everyone looking at the camera with smiles on their faces! ;)

3 months old

2012-01-08T16:20:00.001-08:00

Look at me….I am 3 months old!! (A little late but still worth passing on these sweet pictures)! Don’t you just love the baby leggings? ;)

Big Brother Will decided to join in….:)

christmas with our families

2012-01-08T16:15:00.001-08:00

No words….just wonderful times with our awesome families!!!

christmas 2011

2012-01-05T14:39:00.001-08:00

Will and Anne Marie’s goodies before they jumped into them….:)

Playing with their goodies….(notice Will’s red cheeks, he woke up on Christmas morning with a fever)!

Will looking in his big “sock!”

Anne Marie having some play time with her new Cloud B light!

Of course, Griffin loved his treats from Santa!

What a fun morning with the family!! Love these moments….

christmas eve

2012-01-05T14:23:00.001-08:00

Lots of pictures coming but with few words….

Christmas Eve pajamas (he obviously didn’t know what he was opening)! ;)

After pajama opening, they opened their gifts from each other. Will got Jack and Kevin, Anne Marie got a zebra pull toy!

Spreading reindeer food….

Will hanging Santa’s key on the front door….

christmas eve with the peterson’s

2011-12-25T09:55:00.001-08:00

The Peterson’s came over for our annual Christmas get together yesterday and it was a high time!! ;)

First up….was Nick’s delicious feast! Turkey (thanks to Jason’s work), dressing, green bean casserole (thanks to Emily), mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and rolls! It was super-dee-duper yummy!

Next, it was present time….

Camp got some awesome frog boots.

Thatcher got some firemen boots.

Will got a recordable Thomas book from the Peterson’s. They read the book and it was recorded for him to always hear it! ;)

Princess Charm School Barbie for HC.

Sawyer loved his Beyblades!

Miller got Ninjago….he is a Lego nut!

Cookies and Krispies for Santa was next on the agenda….(Check out Thatcher…oops, Santa is short one cookie!)

“Will don’t eat Santa’s cookies!” ;)

We also read “The Night Before Christmas” and then kiddos were off to look at lights and spread their reindeer food in the yard to prepare for the big man’s arrival!

Oh what fun…..looking forward to Christmas in Alabama with all the Miller crew and Christmas in Tennessee with Nick’s family!!!

christmas with kristen

2011-12-23T06:30:00.001-08:00

Last night we celebrated Christmas with Kristen. We can’t even begin to express how special she is to our family! Thank you, Kristen for being YOU!! We love you!

Kristen never forgets about sweet little Griffin!

Kristen bought a gingerbread choo-choo train for us to do last night…..guess who loved it?

Getting the process started….

Our finished product was pretty cute….:)

Will enjoying his new blanket and new Percy pillow pet….

Look at little miss..way to go, Kristen!!

Kristen, you are the best!! The Pritchard’s love you! Merry Christmas!!

12 weeks old

2011-12-23T06:19:00.001-08:00

Look at our sweet baby girl….

pretty in purple

2011-12-20T13:53:00.001-08:00

One word to sum this post up….PRECIOUS!!!!

gingerbread house 2011

2011-12-20T13:51:00.001-08:00

Will working away at his gingerbread man house….

Such a hilarious picture….it looks like Anne Marie decided to fly in the picture! ;)

“Will’s” side of the house….

Lots of fun and memories that will be cherished! I think we have started a tradition!

daddy duty

2011-12-20T13:45:00.001-08:00

When you have a fussy baby and you are both cleaning for the youth group’s progressive dinner, this is what you resort to….

Little Will decided to jump in the picture….:)

little techies

2011-12-17T08:41:00.001-08:00

iphones are so intriguing to our family! ;) Look at little Will work that electronic device….

11 weeks

2011-12-15T17:58:00.001-08:00

Do these look like 11 week old mug shots? Ha….she has had a rough day today so I knew that picture time would be fun! ;)

hanging around the house

2011-12-12T06:39:00.001-08:00

The kiddos watching Baby Einstein together. Take a peek at Anne Marie’s bottle…ha!

I had changed Anne Marie’s outfit and left her pants off (because she is already a hot natured child). Apparently, Will decided to put her pants on because when I turned around, this is what I saw….

Just a little FYI, those are 3 month size pants! If you noticed how empty beneath our tree seems to be, I promise I have purchased presents. I just haven’t had any time to wrap them and actually place them under the tree.

This little guy keeps us in stitches! Tomorrow, I will be chaperoning a field trip with his class to Christmas on Ice! Can’t wait to see his sweet little face….

breakfast with santa

2011-12-12T06:26:00.001-08:00

This past Saturday, our church hosted their annual Breakfast with Santa. As always, the kids had a wonderful time and enjoyed crafts, eating, singing, and sitting in Santa’s lap.

Will eating breakfast with Jack….

Anne Marie looks scared to death….ha!

Will working on crafts with Jack and Ms. Kristi….

Singing “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”….

Anne Marie telling Santa Claus that she wants a high chair for Christmas….;)

Will telling Santa Claus that he wants Thomas….we were super excited that he sat in his lap but he would NOT make eye contact! ;)

Mommy with sweet Anne Marie….:) Will was too busy to stop and get his picture made with us!

10 weeks

2011-12-08T14:50:00.001-08:00

Can you tell nap time was approaching? ;) So sleepy….. Little Miss is doing better and better with her night time routine!! We have been sleeping through the night!!!

Not very happy with Mommy…..

In honor of 10 weeks, it’s time share 10 things about Anne Marie….

*We appreciate her vocal skills!!

*We absolutely get giddy when we hear her coo!! So, so precious.

*She loves her big brother! He is a little rough at times, but she is ok with it!

*Playing dress up with her is a blast!

*We love how she is focusing more and more on our faces!

*When you smile at her, she smiles back!!

*When Griffin squeaks his toy, she gets excited!!

*Her night time habits are wonderful!!

*She still has brown hair and blue eyes….her Daddy says she is going to be a heartbreaker!

*She is now wanting 5 ounces to eat each time….we have a growing girl!

9 weeks

2011-12-01T06:52:00.001-08:00

Chubby cheeks, sore legs (from her shots), a smile that will melt your heart, lungs that work really well (ha!), and a good night time sleeper…..that sums up little miss at 9 weeks!

day 30

2011-11-30T16:41:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for a husband that can cook! We really make a great team…he cooks, I clean!!

This month has taught me that I have so, so much to be thankful for….really, it is a little overwhelming to think about all the good things I have in my life!

Looking forward to December tomorrow…..my birthday month and Christmas!! :)

2 month check-up

2011-11-29T15:06:00.001-08:00

Today was 2 month check-up time for little miss! She did fabulous considering she received 6 vaccinations! I am pretty sure my mouth dropped when the nurse told us. But, luckily, they combined 3 and 1 was oral….so that left only 3 pokes for our bundle of joy! She is steadily growing and here are her stats:

Weight: 10 pounds 15 ounces
Height: 23 3/4 inches

She is definitely growing like she should and just like her brother, she is a long little thing! ;) She loves to eat, she is starting to smile more and more, and she focuses in on your eyes! So stinkin’ sweet!!

We love you, AM!!

catch up on being thankful

2011-11-29T15:00:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for….

Day 25: I am thankful for all the memories that you relive when you are home!

Day 26: I am thankful for being in the great state of Alabama today!! RTR!! (There is absolutely nothing like the Auburn/Alabama rivalry…good stuff)!

Day 27: I am thankful for Pinterest and Etsy! I absolutely love your ideas/products!!

Day 28: I am thankful for Cool Mist humidifiers. It sure helps out our little girl!

Day 29: I am thankful for an awesome pediatrician! Today was Anne Marie’s 2 month check-up! More coming on that soon!

One more to celebrate all that I am thankful for….:)

2 months old

2011-11-24T14:34:00.001-08:00

Can’t even believe that our little girl is 2 months old today! What a learning experience we have had with this little girl! We wouldn’t trade her for the world….

Little girl is doing so good sleeping in her crib and giving Mommy and Daddy a little more sleep! Believe me, we are so thankful!! :)

day 24

2011-11-24T13:45:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for all the special Thanksgiving holidays that I have been blessed to share with my family! For all my family members who are away, I hope that today was special for you too!! Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

day 23

2011-11-24T13:40:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for my awesome nieces and nephews!! I am lucky enough to have 8 fun loving little nieces and nephews that keep me in stitches and absolute love life! Here’s to Hunter, Sarah Paxton, Maggie, Miller, Sawyer, Hadley Cate, Thatcher and Camp!

day 22

2011-11-24T13:37:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for safe travels! {here is a sneak peek of Nick and I with our kiddos and their friends in a few years}…..we love our Pilot!!

7 weeks

2011-11-22T07:44:00.001-08:00

This past Thursday, our sweet little one turned 7 weeks old!! She is too precious and is loving her crib at night time!! :)

day 21

2011-11-21T18:57:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for my friends!! Form childhood to where life has taken us now, I have always had special people whom I will forever cherish as friends!! Thank you all for what you mean to me!!

day 20

2011-11-21T18:53:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for my church family! Yesterday was a touching church service and it was another reminder about how wonderful our church family really is. We finished off the special day with a Thanksgiving service for our K-5 families….great memories!!

day 19

2011-11-19T06:44:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for my Memaw and Grandmother!! THey both have experienced life to its fullest and are still enjoying all they do!! Looking forward to Anne Marie meeting her great-grandmother’s over Thanksgiving!

day 18

2011-11-19T06:35:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for my siblings!! I have always been the baby sister and I am thankful for the tricks and lessons they taught me!! The doctor told me that the best gift we could ever give Will was Anne Marie…..I think she is exactly right! Such a blessing!

I wished I had the pictures to scan/share of Brett and Emily taking care of me. But, here is proof that siblings really do take care of each other….this a picture from breakfast this morning! {Please disregard the bacon in the background and the sofa covered in blankets}! ;)

My heart is now melting!! Look at her looking up at him!

day 17

2011-11-17T07:05:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for Alimentum! This formula has helped our baby feel better, sleep to take place, and made us a happy grinning family of four!!

I must give a special thanks to Tracie and Morgan!! Thanks to Tracie’s friendship and her cousin working for Similac, we get Alimentum at a much, much better price!! We got 12 cans in the mail the other day and we were super happy!! :)

day 16

2011-11-17T06:57:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for having such beautiful weather (almost all year) here at the beach! Living here definitely has its perks!

Can’t wait for little miss to enjoy all the fun times at the beach!

day 15

2011-11-15T06:41:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for bunco!! Once a month I get together with some fabulous women to have some fun! It is a kid and husband free zone…we deserve it though, right? Between the 12 of us, we have a total of 27 kids….so, once a month, we need our sanity! ;)

Totally kidding…..we all love our kiddos and sit around rolling dice, watching our watches in anticipation to get back home! ;)

{Back to School Bunco, September 2010}

day 14

2011-11-14T15:05:00.001-08:00

Today I am thankful for Will’s school! It is such a great feeling to be able to drop your little one off at a place where he is given the love, support, and guidance that he needs!!

This is one chillin’ little boy!!

sleeping beauty

2011-11-13T17:34:00.001-08:00

day 13

2011-11-13T11:22:00.001-08:00

all of our loved ones who are no longer with us but left impressions that will last a lifetime!

So, this post goes out to my Grandaddy, Nick’s Meemaw and Grandaddy, and Grammy Jan! You ALL are missed by many!

day 12

2011-11-12T05:20:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for quality time spent with my best friend! Momo and Grandaddy are sweet enough to watch the kiddos today…..so, Nick and I are heading to enjoy some time together at the KISS Coffeehouse! ;) Yep, we are going to drink coffee among all the KISS memorabilia! ;)

{Source: Google}

Just as a side note, we do watch Family Jewels but we are not avid KISS fans. Just thought it would be a neat place to go for two love birds who love coffee!!

6 weeks

2011-11-12T05:09:00.001-08:00

This is her “really, Mommy?” face! ;) Precious and growing so much!

day 11

2011-11-11T06:37:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for all of our service men and women…past, present, and future! Your sacrifices are appreciated!

day 10

2011-11-11T06:23:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for my in-laws! I have been blessed with an amazing mother-in-law and a fabulous father-in-law! Their love and support is always felt and always appreciated! Thanks, Betty and Jimmy for being the people that you are!

And, I have to mention that they happen to be absolutely adored by Will! I know that Anne Marie will be just as mesmerized by them one day!

day 9

2011-11-09T07:35:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for Will’s vomits {one Sunday morning before heading to bible class and one late Monday evening} only being random and not turning into a virus!

We missed church on Sunday because we didn’t know what was going on. We thought all was well until he came downstairs around 11:00 on Monday night and he had vomit ALL over himself! So, again, we kept him away from others and he missed school on Tuesday.

Luckily, we have came to the conclusion that it was allergy related both times. Poor little fella is just like his Daddy in the allergy arena….;) Thank goodness for Zyrtec!!

day 8

2011-11-08T08:16:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for my health! Plain and simple…:)

day 7

2011-11-07T07:36:00.001-08:00

Today I am thankful for the absolute, hands down, best place in the world to work!! I am so incredibly lucky to work with 4 of the best, most supportive colleagues! And to top it all off, I have pretty rockin’ students also!!

There are days when I miss my ‘little’ school kids but I truly enjoy getting to teach my ‘big’ school kids who will, one day, make lasting impressions on their students’ lives!

day 6

2011-11-06T15:39:00.001-08:00

{December 2010}

I am thankful for my parents! Their love, support, and guidance means more to me than they will ever know!

Some positive things my Mom has taught me:

be kind to others {even when they are not kind to you}, live, laugh, and love, be honest, God/church is a priority, and family is important.

Some positive things my Dad has taught me:

hard work pays off, laugh a lot, be a good tipper {ha!}, cherish your family, never be idle, be proud of yourself and your accomplishments, and never take anything for granted.

I could go on and on but I wanted to capture what qualities I am the most thankful for when it comes to Mom and Dad. Where it might have taken me 31 years to realize some of these things {because as a kid, you just see them as your parents}…I am thankful for the constant influence they are in my life!

Sending my love your way, Mom and Dad!! XOXO

day 5

2011-11-05T12:40:00.001-07:00

I am thankful for football….in particular, Alabama Football! It might seem a little superficial but today is the perfect day to be thankful for the sport that brings my family together each Saturday! Roll Tide Roll!!

5 weeks

2011-11-04T13:43:00.001-07:00

Yesterday our little girl turned 5 weeks old….we celebrated with a visit to the doctor! ;) She is very congested and sounds terrible, so we decided to take her to the doctor to make sure that her ears and chest were clear!

Happy 5 weeks little miss!!

Now, that she is 5 weeks old, I guess it is fine time for me to get to work on her birth announcements, huh?

day 4

2011-11-04T06:43:00.001-07:00

I am thankful for our little Anne Marie! What a perfect way to complete our family!

Wow….the past 5 weeks have been an absolute learning experience with our newest addition! We are deprived of sleep, our tear ducts are definitely not blocked, we question everything we do, and often are humbled at how much God has given us with the blessings of our two children!

Anne Marie has taught us so much….how to care for a baby with protein sensitivity issues, how to keep a fussy baby happy, how to love two kiddos and give them both the attention they need, and most importantly, how to be thankful for all the good things we have been given!

She makes us laugh (when she poops on you in the middle of the night while she is screaming and her parents don’t know what else to do), she makes us smile (she loves to lay and kick her legs and wave her arms or when she grins while sleeping in our arms), she makes us cry (her stomach issues cause us to want to take that pain away…we would both do anything to make her all better), she makes us question (is she ok?, should we take her to the doctor? what else can we do to satisfy her? when did we feed her last? why is she crying again?), AND she makes us complete!!! Enough said!

We love her and feel so blessed to have her in our lives!

(Some of you are probably wondering about some of the ‘issues’ that I mentioned above. I haven’t written about the challenges that the past five weeks have brought because I don’t want to sound whiny, ungrateful, or the least bit regretful. We truly have been placed in a challenging situation with our little girl’s pain but we know that it will pass! With all that said, we are so, so, so thankful that her issues will get better with time!)

day 3

2011-11-03T07:59:00.001-07:00

I am thankful for our first perfect blessing from God! This little man brings a smile to my face when Mommy needs a smile, he keeps me on my toes, and his love for life is contagious!

Things he loves that makes us love him more:

Everything Thomas, Llama Llama books, Cars 2, powdered donuts, chocolate milk, his grandparents, playing on the computer, putting together puzzles, bible class, school, his cousins, popcorn, patting Anne Marie’s head, singing, dancing, his aunts and uncles, ‘helping’ around the house, playing upstairs with all his toys, his friends, throwing rocks, listening to music, and the list goes on and on.

What a special blessing to our lives!!

thankful for 30 days

2011-11-02T06:19:00.001-07:00

{Google Image}

I am jumping on the thankful wagon {from Facebook} and will be blogging about what I am thankful for each day of November! At times, I am sure that I will be playing catch-up but I will try to do this daily!

Day 1: I am thankful for a God that loves me unconditionally! I mess up everyday…sometimes too much! But He always forgives me and always accepts me for my shortcomings. I pray that our relationship grows closer and closer!

Day 2: I am thankful for the absolute BEST husband in the world! This man makes me laugh, he loves me through the good and bad, and he truly makes me a better person! I am not real sure what I would do without his love and support! He makes me a better person and for that, I am thankful!!

Gotta love this smile and this good looking man!! Thank you, Nick!!

{December 2010}

halloween 2011

2011-11-02T06:10:00.001-07:00

Trunk or Treat….introducing Sheriff Will and Miss Kitty

Halloween trick or treating at the Peterson’s…. Sheriff Will, Princes Leia, Chewbacca, Yoda, Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker, and Miss Kitty (it was a little too cold to take little miss out of the stroller)!

1 month old

2011-10-30T14:25:00.001-07:00

At 1 month old she is weighing in at 10 pounds and loves to eat! She is eating 4 ounces every 3 hours {and sometimes more often than that if the crying will not stop}. Luckily, Nick and I found a store here that sells her ‘special’ formula for only $15.99 a can!! Do you sense the excitement? ;) So….we bought 9 cans!! Due to Anne Marie’s protein sensitivity issues, we have to use Similac’s Alimentum formula. Her issues are not 100% gone but this formula sure makes a difference!

{I hope this doesn’t curse us}…. She is sleeping as good as expected. She wakes up right on time and has really taken to sleeping in her bassinet. Her Halo sleep sack keeps her all nice and cozy! We are averaging 2 night time feedings!

Our little miss loves…

to be held, to lay in her bed and kick while enjoying her mobile, and as crazy as this sounds she enjoys shopping {from the moment she is in her car seat, she is good to go}.

We are hoping and praying that her stomach issues continue to get better and are super thankful that she is healthy!

We love you little bambino!! Happy 1month!!

llama llama

2011-10-30T14:09:00.001-07:00

Will loves this book series….we own them all and we read them often!

So….when I found out that the Kangaroo Pouch and Momtastic magazine were working together to put together a reading, I rsvp’d and we attended.

Will was very patient and listened to ‘Miss Higginbottom’ read a couple of books and Llama Llama made his appearance!

Will hugged Llama Llama and I thought for sure he would sit in his lap. Well, I was definitely sadly mistaken! He hugged him and ran off and would NOT sit in his lap for a picture! Little stinker…

Instead the Llama Llama sat very sad because he wouldn’t sit in his lap! ;)

Actually, Will wasn’t too bothered. He went around the Kangaroo Pouch playing with all their cool stuff! Here he is singing a song and riding the pink cow!

He had a blast and still mentions it each time we read one of the books! A fun memory with my little boy!

Anne Marie was present too! She and Mimi were listening and shopping!

working around the house

2011-10-24T15:32:00.001-07:00

You might be a redneck if you clean the house and mow the lawn in your underwear and cowboy boots! ;)

we have a ham….

2011-10-23T12:40:00.001-07:00

Will is getting a little too big for his britches! ;) This is what happens when you get a 3 year old dressed and he doesn’t like his shoes! He was fine with the longall but he hated the shoes!

Can you tell that I chased him around the house? I even tried bribery with starbursts and that didn’t work either!! I would say he is a little stubborn! I guess it is going to be a long fall/winter trying to fight this every Sunday morning!!

But, this was as good as I could get! He is such a ham!!

boone hall 2011

2011-10-23T12:34:00.001-07:00

We took our annual trip to Boone Hall to the pumpkin patch and had a wonderful time with the family!

Enjoy all the pictures….:)

First up, the BIG slide….

Hay ride around Boone Hall….

Time for Will and Daddy to venture through the corn maze….

Racing the rubber duckies….

Our little pumpkin did really well while we were at Boone Hall….she is a sweetie!

Jumping on the giant jumping pillow….

The End….

Looking forward to next year’s pumpkin patch visit!! Happy Pumpkin Day!!

3 weeks

2011-10-23T12:19:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to capture what little miss does most of the time….sleep and cry! ;)

our little skeletons

2011-10-20T14:34:00.001-07:00

These have to be some of the funniest pictures we have taken….

For the record, this is the first time Will held little miss!!

Playing around in her crib (with parental assistance, of course)! ;)

it feels like home to me

2011-10-20T14:30:00.001-07:00

I had Mom and Dad bring along some good ole Miller cotton when they came out recently. I placed it in a vase and it adorns the corner in our dining room!! Thinking about how hard my brother is working right now trying to get all that cotton picked….long days and nights!

One of the prettiest sights is looking out your front door and seeing a field of white! Loving fall and missing home!

sporting a bonnet

2011-10-17T17:16:00.001-07:00

Maybe not the best picture but it was a quick shot before we headed out the door to bible class! It doesn’t do this little beauty justice….she is quite the doll!!

helping daddy

2011-10-17T17:14:00.001-07:00

Nick needed some help smashing some oreos and Will offered his assistance! ;) He is quite the little smasher!

Gotta love his constant enthusiasm about life!! These days he keeps us in stitches…copies everything you say and just laughs at everything! {Yesterday morning in church was a little difficult….he kept getting tickled!}

calling all mommies

2011-10-14T12:37:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to share a couple of items that are really, really useful this time around….

The Moby Wrap….super neat and allows you the opportunity to have both hands!! Get more info here….several retail stores (like Target) sell them!

Fisher Price’s Rocker Sleeper….this has been great for little miss and her sleeping arrangements! It has been rated and recommended in Pregnancy and Newborn magazine!! We got ours from Target. You can see more info here.

thompson farms

2011-10-14T12:24:00.001-07:00

Today, I was a chaperone for Will’s class trip to Thompson Farms. I had an absolute blast with Will and Daddy had a great time with little miss! I guess it was our first official…Mommy/Will day and Daddy/AM day!!

We started off in the corn pen….(You are going to notice that Will is the only child that is not wearing his school shirt…oops, that is Mommy’s fault. I never thought anything about it until we arrived at school this a.m.)

Getting some special attention from his precious teacher….

Next stop….rubber ducky racing!

Lots and lots of running, jumping, and swinging….

Getting ready for the hay ride….animal food is ready to go!

I wished you could hear what he was saying on the hay ride…..too cute! He was talking all about the farm, Pops, Brett, corn, animals, tractors, etc.

I failed to snap any photos in South Carolina’s largest corn maze….possibly because we lost Will’s class and I was a little nervous that we wouldn’t get out of there! ;) And on top of that, I was carrying Will because he was tired and hungry. Now, this post 15 day surgery momma is hurting!

Good times with my little guy!! Wouldn’t trade it for the world! Nick did wonderful with little miss….he had a great time bonding with his little girl!

2 weeks

2011-10-14T12:09:00.001-07:00

4th annual halloween costume voting

2011-10-13T09:17:00.001-07:00

Hello All!!

We just returned from our 2 week well check and little miss has gained 13 ounces since last Tuesday. She now weighs in at 8 lbs and 4 ounces and she is 21 1/4 inches long. If she keeps this up, we are going to have one little chunky monkey! ;)

I don’t really feel like going into all the details but I feel so relieved after our appointment today…things will be ok and we are going to survive!! The true test is about to begin because today is the first day without Mimi or Momo here with us. Words can not even begin to express how thankful we are to have such wonderful mothers. They have been here for us during this "’trying to figure out what is wrong” time and we could not have done it without them. Thank you both so much….we love you both so, so much!

So….to the 4th annual Halloween polling. Take a second to cast your vote and let us know what you think our little man is going to be at Halloween. He is going to be so cute…just got the costume yesterday!! And as far as little miss is concerned, we are going easy….a festive little pumpkin shirt!! We won’t torture her yet! ;)

Happy Thursday to all!! Pictures coming soon!

look who made the news….

2011-10-11T06:27:00.001-07:00

It is Fire Prevention Week and our local Horry County firemen came to Will’s school yesterday. Nick dropped Will off this a.m. and his teacher said that Will was on the front page of the local news section. We will be purchasing a newspaper today and hopefully I can scan it and get it on here {it all depends on the quality}. But, for now, you can check out this website and see our little guy!

http://www.thesunnews.com/2011/10/10/2437226/firefighters-conduct-prevention.html

Way to go, Will!! :)

{By the way, when Will got home yesterday I asked him about the fire truck visiting. His response, “I cried.” Ha! Nick talked with his teacher this a.m. and she said he did fine but that he did not like it when the firemen put their masks on. Apparently, they sounded like Darth Vader and he did not appreciate it}!

first sunday at church

2011-10-10T14:45:00.001-07:00

Of course we were running late on our first Sunday back at church, so I snapped a quick picture of Anne Marie before we headed out the door! She was quite the hit! ;)

pickin’ a pumpkin

2011-10-10T14:42:00.001-07:00

Mimi and I stopped by a pumpkin patch after picking up Will from school and he had some pumpkin fun….

Will checking out the baby pumpkins.

Trying to decide which pumpkin is just perfect for himself and little miss! ;)

Friday we are heading to a local farm to enjoy the corn maze, pumpkin patch, games, and time with his school friends. Can’t wait to share this special day with my special boy {and to watch him interact with all his buddies}!

sweet baby girl

2011-10-10T14:37:00.001-07:00

family of four

2011-10-08T08:29:00.001-07:00

Our first gathering as a family of four….such a sweet memory that I will cherish forever!!

meet little miss

2011-10-07T16:03:00.001-07:00

Anne Marie was born on Thursday, September 29th at 8:27 a.m. weighing in at 8 pounds 1 ounce and 20 1/2 inches long. She is absolutely beautiful and she has added more joy to our family!!

More posts coming soon….needless to say, we are a little sleep deprived! ;)

leadership

2011-09-27T06:57:00.001-07:00

I mentioned that we had a very special Sunday a week ago! And, I really need to share this special time in our family’s life before we have another really special event that takes place in a short 46 hours!

A month or so back, one of our elders confronted Nick about taking a leadership role in our church. I prayed for Nick and hoped that he would do what he felt was right for him, our family, and for the Lord’s church. I know after much thought and prayer on his part, he made the right decision. And I most certainly know that the elders made a great choice in Nick. When looking and seeking what THE book has to say about this position, he is very much the right choice!!

I Timothy 3 says….

⁸ In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. ⁹ They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

¹¹ In the same way, the womenare to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

¹² A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. ¹³ Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

So, a week ago this past Sunday, Nick was called in front of the church to be placed as a deacon!!!! They (our elders) read his ‘church biography’ and his personal biography (man, is it impressive to see all his accomplishments?) aloud to the congregation. They discussed how he will be an asset to the church here in the Grand Strand area and prayed over him with the entire church joining in during this special time. I KNOW he will be an effective leader! My prayer is for us to both work together in serving others and serving God! What a blessing he is to our family and to our church family!!

I am very proud of you, Nick and I look forward to continuing this journey with you!!

sweet boy

2011-09-24T15:44:00.001-07:00

Oh man…..we have a sweet boy!!

Enjoying some cotton candy at the Back to School Bash!

Loving on Clifford…..

Working hard on his turtle….

Taking a nap with his brother….

Playing in his little sister’s new rocker/ sleeper….

We are enjoying every minute of this little guy!! He brings us joy and he fills our hearts with love!! :) We love you buddy!

Less than 5 days away….yikes!! ;)

please check ALL for me….:)

2011-09-22T06:44:00.001-07:00

The first day of fall is officially tomorrow and my house is starting to come together with pumpkins, leaves, sticks, owls, and all things FALL!! I am looking forward to checking off all of the above!! Yay for Fall!!

{Source: High Heeled Hostess}

Countdown continues…..7 days!!!!

changing things up a bit

2011-09-19T17:19:00.001-07:00

Our great room hasn’t always been the most functional space in our house…..where we love how it could invite ‘openess,’ we were hindering it from doing so. When building our house, we chose to put the cable on a wall, well, that really just didn’t make sense. ~~Oh well, enough beating up yourself, Lindsey! ;)~~ Therefore, causing us to have to position our lovely entertainment piece on that wall. Leaving total awkwardness for the sofa, loveseat, tables, etc.

A few weeks ago we started pondering/throwing around/discussing different ways to make better use of this non-functional space. This thinking started because:

1. we are tired of laying on different pieces of furniture when we watch our shows

2. we are tired of having to feel cramped when company is over….we want everyone to have a place to sit and feel comfortable

3. well, this reason is for aesthetic purposes only….BUT, we have literally made a MESS of our current green sofa/loveseat that we still really like. We allow Will to eat, drink, and play on it….enough said, right?

4. and last but not least, our upstairs loft area could use a sofa and love seat…..why not take the green goddess up and buy new for downstairs, right? Smart thinking if I don’t say so myself! ;)

I am getting there, peeps, just hang on! So……..we really wanted to solve all these dilemmas if we are gonna dive in to a large furniture purchase. Leaving us to start the process of looking for what seems to solve the problems….a large all leather sectional!

Say what…..a sectional? Really? {Just a little insight….I have always pretty much been anti-sectional and anti-recliner. So I just knew that this would be a difficult/long/daunting process of sectional hunting!} ;)

But, the bottom line was and still is…..we want furniture that gives you more space, is easy to clean, and comfortable that will last for years to come. You know what that means, you gotta go at it looking for what you want and NOT cutting any corners! Meaning when we entered furniture stores, they needed to know that I was NOT interested in “entertainment room looking sectionals.” I did not want any of that cup holder, fluffy sofa looking stuff. I wanted a smooth, sleek, all leather, functional, traditional sectional. After going in and out of several stores, we quickly realized that the said requirements were a little harder to come by. But, that actually turned out to be a pretty good thing. Fewer options=easier shopping! ;)

After much looking and researching, we decided on this all leather sectional….

Where I am still wishing that it had more feminine arms and bun feet, a girl can not get just exactly what she wants. I opted to go more for comfort and higher quality than the more aesthetically pleasing aspects. We customized our piece and chose a chaise, armless chair, wedge, and sofa sectional. That chaise is a honkin’ large piece that Nick and I both can fit on {yes, even a 9 month preggo could fit on it with her hubs}! The leather is textured and soft with impurities that showcase it’s awesomeness! We are pretty excited and look forward to it arriving to our house after we get home with little miss!

So…….to sum all this up, the cable has to be moved, a new sectional has been purchased, and a larger rug is currently being researched for purchase all because of the 4 dilemmas listed above! ;)

We were so excited about this new change that we Nick and Kristen moved the 6,000 pound entertainment center, sofa, and loveseat just to see how much larger the room was going to feel. Wow……did it ever make a difference? It opens the great room up so.much.more and we couldn’t be more tickled!!!!!

Now…..it is off to ‘shop’ for a larger rug on Overstock!!! Woo hoo!!! :)

100th post

2011-09-19T08:41:00.001-07:00

This is our 100th post for the 2011 blog year!! Woo hoo!! (OK, not really that exciting, I know)!

We had a fabulous weekend….how about you? It was all about enjoying family, fall weather, and fun! Just to name a few things that made it so enjoyable…date night with Nick at the Bistro, fun times with my boys on a Saturday morning, hair cuts for all 3 of us, a trip to Costco to get some necessities, homemade vegetable soup, chips and rotel, football, windows open enjoying the cooler weather while pulling out fall décor, a special Sunday at church (more coming about that soon), Mellow Mushroom with Em and her gang, sofa shopping/buying (more coming soon about this topic as well) and a relaxing Sunday afternoon!

Does it really get much better than that? Absolutely NOT!! Spending quality time with the people I love the most is at the top of my list!

Stay tuned…I will be blogging real soon about our special Sunday and the adventures of sofa shopping!

Countdown is ON!!! 10 days from now, we will be a family of four!

so proud….

2011-09-16T12:55:00.001-07:00

I am not one to normally boast about my child but I am going to do just that during this post!!

Last night was Parent Orientation at Will’s school and we went. He went with us and ran straight outside to play on the “park” aka the playground while all the parents met with his awesome, fabulous, out.of.this.world teacher! She begin talking about her expectations that she has for all of our children and used our little one as an example! She said that Will was not only recognizing basic shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, etc) but that day had identified an octagon and a pentagon. Nick and I sat there thinking……”Our kid, really? Wow!” Then Nick turns to me with a HUGE smile and says, “Check out those Math skills!” He was one proud Daddy!! :)

But, what makes this Mommy even more proud is the fact that our little man is sweet and thoughtful to his classmates and his teacher! I witnessed an encounter on the playground today {he did not know that I was there} and he did the RIGHT thing….made me smile!!

The orientation continued and she explained their structured daily schedule and how Montessori education works to benefit the WHOLE child. I am still in quite shocked at the amount of information that Will is introduced to…..everything from songs, to shapes, to numbers, to letters, to circle time, to show-and-tell, to a foreign language, and all the Montessori manipulatives that are used to teach this little guy!

We could not be more pleased with Will’s school and his awe-inspiring teacher that loves him unconditionally!! We are so, so thankful for this blessing in our lives!! :) Way to go, Will!! We hope and pray that you continue to be a sweet and loving little boy!

Let’s switch direction here……

I just feel like I need to say this….I am absolutely 100% miserable and uncomfortable! I keep telling myself that it is less than 2 weeks away….I think I can, I think I can!! I tried to make it a little better today by treating myself to a pedicure and tonight the hubs and I are heading to the Bistro for some time to ourselves!!

Hope you all have a great weekend! Ours will be full of football, fall decorating, final touches on the nursery, and enjoying quality time with our little guy!!

hope rises out of the ashes

2011-09-11T08:15:00.001-07:00

I am so PROUD to be an AMERICAN!!!

{Taken on July 29th, 2011 while visiting NYC…..}

Remembering 9/11 today…..

around here….

2011-09-10T05:32:00.001-07:00

Will and I were painting a week or so ago and I totally forgot about his beautiful masterpiece {until now}! ;) I was working on Anne Marie’s side table and Will was creating quite a masterpiece himself with all his art supplies.

I was working on this….

While Will was working on this….

Look at all his raw talent!! ;) Gotta love it! Last night he was channeling his inner artist with glitter pens….wow, let’s just say that it was a little messy!

And I must leave you with Will’s best morning hair to date! {Can you imagine how hard this is to tame while getting ready for school?} :)

Today we are heading to the church for the first annual Back to School Bash! We have worked hard on planning and preparing for today’s success!! We are really excited about the 60 people who have signed up and are making plans to join us! It should be a fun time….prayer, food, a cotton candy machine, Minute to Win It games, and lots of laughs!!

On another note, we are steadily working on little Anne Marie’s room and trying to get ready for her arrival. Still have some things to purchase and get our bags packed but we are definitely getting closer to feeling some relief!

It has been so busy with starting back to school {well, for me, starting to work full time} and trying to balance everything. But, I am extremely grateful for the BEST department to work with and the BEST students! When little miss makes her appearance and I ease back in to work, my fabulous co-workers have been arguing over who gets to “play” while I teach! ;) See…..awesome, isn’t it? My job is so.much.fun and I love every minute {no, I am not being facetious}. It is a great thing to work at the fastest growing university east of the Mississippi River!! {If you come to visit you can witness this first hand with the amount of cars on campus}! ;) CCU has a lot to offer and it only continues to get better and better!! Nick and I are delighted to be a part of the CCU family!

Hope you all enjoy your Saturday!! It has started out pretty awesome around here….pancakes, football hype on TV, and about to pull out the fall decor items!! Woo Hoo!!

THE big day…

2011-09-08T15:43:00.001-07:00

Yep…..little miss will make her appearance into the world very soon!! We have A LOT of work to get accomplished in the next 3 weeks!

a weekend all about will

2011-08-30T13:50:00.001-07:00

What a fun weekend we had with our little guy! Friday night was a little windy due to Irene! At dinner we had every intention of heading to the beach to see the waves but by the time we finished, it was flooding! Boo……we missed the beach excitement! ;) So, instead we spent our family Friday playing games and spending time together!

Saturday morning Will had a birthday party to attend and he had such a good time. For 3 hours, he played and we didn’t even realize it had been that long. Woo hoo……independence is really starting to sprout!

After the birthday party, we headed to the bowling alley with some of our K-5 families. The kids {and adults} had a wonderful time bowling, eating, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company.

Look at these little bowling shoes….sooo cute!

Checking out the contraption that spit balls out! ;)

The next few pictures are hilarious….he and his sidekick are quite a pair! {The bowling alley did not have juice, so these two are sitting here drinking sodas….yikes}!!!

I wished you could hear their conversations…….

Yes, you are correct!! There are 3 containers of popcorn on the table….2 basically empty and 1 that these two are attacking! ;)

AND……we topped off this wonderful weekend with some delicious yogurt {that all came up along with everything else he had eaten on Sunday}! Fortunately, he only got sick one time and we were so thankful for that! There is just something about when your kid is sick…..so pitiful!

Check this little guy out….he insisted on carrying his cinch sac! Then seconds later wanted it off! Little stinker!

Hope you all are getting your week off to great start!! We have some really special company coming this weekend……yay for Grandmama and Grandaddy visits!!