Sunday, August 23, 2009

Just a few pics

Thanks to everyone who responded so sweetly to my moss wreath creation. You are so sweet. I'll be sure to post pictures of my moss cone topiaries soon when they are finished so I can get more fun comments...unless of course if they turn out ugly.

By the way, as I type this tonight Steven and I are watching Man vs. Wild and the episode this past week featured Bear Grylls in Alabama! He makes our state seem so dangerous. "Flash flooding is the #1 national disaster in Alabama and happens all the time..." I'm looking forward to the part where he wrestles a wild hog...



Hilarious.





Here are a few pics of our little buddy this past week. My parents came to visit on Friday and I got a few cute ones of Isaac and my dad.




oh my goodness...now Bear Grylls is naked jumping in an ice cold Alabama river. You know...just in case you fall in a river during winter time Bear shows you how you can get out. hey! you never know what could happen when your walking in the woods in this state!!! All practical Alabama living. Thats why I love this show.:)










Isaac and my dad






one sleepy baby

Monday, August 17, 2009

Creativity...when you don't have a lot of money

I love making things...mainly making things for my home. One, because I want pretty decorations (pottery barn type) but OBVIOUSLY can't afford them (who can really!), and two, I feel like I can do it just as good if not better than the pictures on the Internet. I have wanted to make these moss covered cone topiaries for above my fireplace for a while now but haven't gotten around to it. So, I decided to start with a simple wreath instead to see if I will actually like the moss topiary look to begin with. I saw a beautiful moss wreath on the internet compliments of the Martha Stewart website and LOVED IT. I went back to this picture time and time again to just gaze on the beauty. Pathetic I know. Here is the picture...

I looked all over for a moss wreath that I could buy but nothing compared to this one and they were all a little pricey. Go figure! So...I decided to make one myself! And I'm so glad that I did! I bought a styrofoam wreath from Michaels (you know, the hard styrofoam kind and it definitely needed to be green). This cost be about $3.50, mainly because I had a 40% off coupon. Then I bought the moss from Hobby Lobby. I bought the kind that is preserved real moss in a bag--I went for the limish green colored. $4.99 a bag. I had to use three bags (exactly--no more, no less). I had a hot glue gun so didn't need to buy this (a low temp works the best) and went to work!
After feeling like I had just been attacked by a enormous spider web from the hot glue strings, moss tidbits everywhere, and three hours of work, I had my finished product.
My camera didn't really do it justice...the moss is much greener than it looks in this picture. But here is my masterpiece...
To say I love it is an understatement. :) And I think I may venture in making two smaller wreaths sometime soon to put on the other windows during Christmas time. So...now onto my topiary cones. I'll post a picture of those when I'm done.
What we've been up to lately you ask? Besides making moss wreaths...
Well, Steven has been busy with work. He is enjoying ER much more lately. Not that he didn't enjoy it before because obviously that's what he has decided to do with his life. But, it has become a lot less stressful for him, being a newbie and all. I really can't imagine having all that pressure put on me! Saving someones life is kinda a big deal...
Isaac is doing well. Growing, growing, growing. He is FINALLY sleeping through the night. Sleeps from 8-6. I feed him at 6 then put him back in bed for an hour or two before I get up. He is taking two pretty good naps during the day that range from 1.5-3 hours...depending how tired he really is. Funny I say that, because I put him down for his morning nap about thirty minutes ago and can still hear him talking to himself in his crib. Oh that boy...
He had his first "melt down" in public last night. For the past month we have been putting him in the Sunday morning nursery and he has been nothing but a little angel. Honestly, every time I go to get him the workers tell me what a sweetheart he is.
Well...we started lifegroup up again last night. For those of you who don't know what lifegroup is, its pretty much our sunday school class that meets on Sunday nights in homes close to our church. Members can take their children to the nursery and then drive to their home destination for life group.
Let's just say that evenings are not the best time for Isaac. Around 6-8 you will find my child fussy and irritable. I know that this isn't much different than other children. It's just that time of day. I dropped him off only to find the room filled with little ones. Every jumparoo and swing were taken with babies, some crying, some staring off into space with a blank expression. As I placed Isaac in the nursery workers arms I could tell he looked a little timid. I left quickly. I was able to stay at life group for 45 minutes or so...then the phone rings. The nursery workers called the house where we were at and I was informed that I had to go pick up my child. As I rounded the nursery corner I could hear that distinct cry that I know all too well. I walked into the little room only to see Isaac sitting in a nice man's lap surrounded by other children...and mine, yes mine, was the only one crying at the top of his lungs. As I walked in the door I said something and his head shot around to look at me and suddenly stopping the crying. His eyes were all red and puffy and as I went to pick him up he immediately stopped crying and did those quiet huffs of breath that one does after hard hard crying. you know the kind...they give you hiccups and you have to continually catch your breath. I felt so bad! Mainly, for the nursery workers...I knew my child would be just fine. I didn't want to be THAT mom who everyone dreads seeing when their child turns the corner in the nursery. :)
Well, needless to say I had to tell myself that this is a six month old child...that this happens all the time...and that eventually Isaac will get over it and come to grips with evening night nursery runs. I'm not crazy for thinking this right???
As we walked outside and I locked him into his car seat (he usually fusses by the way when I have to put him in and tighten it)...but this time, he was nothing but grins and BIG smiles. He slept all the way home... oh the drama.
Well, it's time for me to get some cleaning done. I'm going to tackle the bathrooms and do some laundry. I hate cleaning bathrooms.
Here are some cute pictures of Isaac and his best buddy Campbell Compton. I couldn't get them to both look at the camera. They were intently watching Dora the Explorer.





Who knew this adorable little face could cry for hours....:)
















Tuesday, August 11, 2009

August 7th...




...was our 5th anniversary! It's so hard to believe it has been five whole years since we were married, but then again, its hard to remember life without being married to Steven. okay, so i'm only 27..i can remember perfectly life before i was married. But--life is SO much better with my husband to share!


Steven has been such a blessing to me and now to our family. It seems like so long ago when we lived in Birmingham for one year before he started medschool. And then the move to Bradenton, Florida for three years to become a doctor. I was driving in the car the other day thinking about our time in Florida and how sweet those years were. The precious memories we shared will be forever ingrained in my mind. No baby (don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade Isaac for the world!) but it was nice just the two of us for a little while, no family close by really drew us closer together and forced us to be a couple on our own, joining a church and feeling right at home with our friends, getting our first dog, cleaning up the puppy's poop at 2 a.m. every night for a month while steven started school and i started teaching (stressful), the start of my teaching career at Bradenton Prep and literally sobbing to Steven every Sunday night in bed before going to work the next day, working with Young Life, spending time at the beach together, many trips to Busch Gardens to ride roller coaster and just walk around peacefully holding hands....


There are so many more memories but it would take me forever to write them all down.


And now, moving to Birmingham once again, being pregnant and Steven finding out where he will be in residency. And just six months ago starting our family together and meeting our beautiful son, that we so fervently prayed for our last year in Florida.


Steven, it has been the most wonderful 5 years of my life and I wouldn't want to spend it with anyone else!!! I LOVE YOU! And look forward to many many more memories to come....
one more wedding pic for good measure.:)

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

6 months old!

LOOK AT ME! I'm half a year!



I took Isaac to his 6 month appointment today and he checked out beautifully..besides the major crying fit that consumed him after his 4 shots. But, thats to be expected.
6 month stats:

Weight: 19.3 pounds (80%)
Height: 27.5 (90%)
HC: 17.25


Here are a few pictures I took of us in the room waiting for the doctor. Please excuse how grotesque and sweaty I look. I promise I do take showers....



Before the shots....one happy baby


Here are a few pictures I have taken lately of what we've been up to.

I have gotten into making baby food and to be honest, its actually been pretty fun. Its easy and I know that my boy is getting the necessary nutrients that he needs. All you need is...


fruit of course. And a something to steam them in.


a blender


a book telling you how to do it (if you are like me)...thanks CC for let me borrow this

and finally...ice cube trays. just freeze and use when baby is hungry.:)


And last, but not least, little Ryder McMakin was born last week and we were so happy to finally meet him! We can't wait for Isaac and Ryder to room together at Alabama just like their daddy's did. Sorry, you see more of me then him in this picture but its the only one I have!