Abby rides!

Hurrah! Freaky blog problems are fixed. I hope. :) Let me know if my blog starts yelling at you or tries to make you eat broccoli. Then we've got bigger problems. My blog is acting like me at dinnertime.

Some dear friends recently gave Abby a bunch of hand-me-downs. Most of it was total crap. Like this, for instance...

Are you freaking kidding me? It's AWESOME! (and yes, Abby is outside riding around half naked.). Side note: A two-year-old came to our house a few years ago and she was constantly stripping down. I think I literally said something to Grant about how our daughter will never do that when company is over. Cut to our two-year-old, constantly getting naked in front of people. I am constantly telling her, "We have guests!" "Where?!" she says. "Outside. Someone is here working outside." She cranes her neck to see as I quickly distract her and ask, "Would you like a fruit snack?"

This rad bike is still way to big for her and I'm hoping she forgets about it before next Christmas when I can pass it off as a Santa situation.


Fordy....now an expert in the pack'n play, rolling over and sticking out his tongue.

Freaky Friday

Freak rain storm Friday. Poured. Exactly when we were carrying in the groceries. We were all soaked! Wahooo! And little Miss You Know Who had to run outside after it stopped, with bunny, just to be sure it was all over.



And speaking of freaky...I know the blog is jacked up. I'm working on it (which means I'm aimlessly pushing buttons trying to figure it out). More on that soon...for now it's just being freaky.

And also speaking of freaky...Ford is trying to sit up - not actually sit up - but pull himself into a seated position (which he can't do. Yet.). I know I had a heart defect daughter  who didn't sit up for many, many moons (and who still can't wear pants because they fall down - hurrah for leggings!) but this seems freaky to me. He's a strong boy (although getting longer and leaner all the time) but please. If you're holding him and he wants to turn around, he will do so. Your arms and hands better get with the program because he's gonna do it. This is never a fun lesson in the middle of the night when I am half asleep ...

He is also starting to really focus on us when we eat food. Also freaky.

422. a computer in the kitchen
423. inspiring recipes
424. a hoover cordless, bagless vac

The Week In Instagram Review

Our week in review :

The press runs it's first job on the new epoxy floors.


Abby's photo taken by a 7 year old.


Fordy laughs!


Abby taking pictures while in the dirtiest Target cart I've ever seen.


419. empowered to change
420. kids who don't scream in their car seats
421. ford getting the hang of the ergo

The Older Woman

Ford recently met his future prom date when she dropped in from New York. She's a full month older than him.... and he was pretty excited about this older woman after about 15 seconds.

Jenny, we love your daughter! Abby and I were pretty excited about her, too.

415. a new disposal for a record breaking price
416. a tub at a record breaking price
417. the barter of the year
418. ford sleeping during the entire Trader Joe's run

Roommates Unite!

It's pretty amazing when you realize you've known certain friends for, say, 20 years. TWENTY years. Wow. My college roommates and I got together recently at our house, with all the kids. It blew my mind to see them all together. At one point I was in the kitchen alone and I looked outside and realized that God had answered many prayers in the midst of those people gathered together - many, many prayers over the years. He is so good to do that for us and to make our friendships strong over the years and for us all to adore each other's spouses! Amazing!

Fordy, loving the attention. (This fine gent used to be Hugh Grant's look alike. Seriously. When I'd go places with him in college, girls would stop and whisper and point.)

A little ring a round the rosey...

Abby's "cheese" face with "big girl" campbell.

All the kids. Minus Ford and his pal Rose, who's a month older. It blows my mind.

Of course, Abby made everyone watch Veggie Tales while the adults ate dinner.

411. roommates!
412. ever-lasting friendship
413. picking up where we left off
414. the kids playing together

Abby paints!

Grandmama came recently armed with canvases, acrylic paint and some awesome paint brushes. Abby took took to it right away. To date, we've got 3 masterpieces and a bird house to brag about. Can't wait for future summers when she and her cousins can go to Grandma's house for singing and painting camp!

And while Abby was learning to paint, Fordy was learning to sleep. Poor guy has always had his paci to help him back to sleep -- or we'd rush to his rescue so he wouldn't wake up sister. But it's time to grow up....and with that, he's down to one dream feed and eating at 3am, sleeping until 7am. There are still many nights when we're up 2 and 3 times more than that...but we're getting there. Meanwhile, Abby was on a 5 day nap strike. She'd play in her room and read for an hour....but no sleeping. She made up for it at night going to bed extra early but it was a rough few hours at the end of the day. I'm hoping we've made a turn now -- and we're back to our old sleepy ways.