Monday, January 25, 2010

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Today I Am Thankful

... for a healthy family.


... for a childhood where I always knew I was loved, and would always be taken care of.


... for a home.


... for a husband who makes me laugh every day, and loves me in spite of all my many flaws.


... for a child who melts my heart with her smile.


... that I live in a country where I can worship God freely without fear of persecution.


... for the soldiers, Marines, sailors, and airmen who protect that freedom every day, and their families who sacrifice just as much, if not more.


... for food in our pantry.


... for my husband's work ethic, and determination to do the absolute best he can to provide for our family's needs, and wants.


... for an incredibly close extended family.


... for in-laws who have welcomed me into their family from day one, and treat me as if I am one of their own.


... for friends I can call 24 hours a day for anything at all.


But mostly I'm thankful for my Salvation, and what had to happen that day at Calvary to ensure my eternal life with our Lord in Heaven. I am excited to start teaching Addison about the true meaning of Christmas; that it represents the day we were given the most incredible gift of all... God's only son. I hope your family has a very Merry Christmas season. And somewhere in between the shopping, wrapping, parties, food, and celebrations, remember to give thanks for all the many blessings He gives us daily. 'Tis the Season!! :)

Friday, November 6, 2009

Where Did The Year Go?!

Well, I'm a little late on this post, but HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY ADDISON!!! :)
She officially turned one on Sunday - November 1st. I absolutely cannot believe that I don't have a "baby" anymore. Everyone always tells you to enjoy it because it goes by so quickly, and we all nod politely and say, "yeah, I know," but SERIOUSLY, where did the time go?! It doesn't seem like a year ago that she was born, but on the other hand, I don't really remember life before her either. She is the most amazing thing in the world, and I love her more and more each day.


She is getting to be so much fun, and has developed quite the little personality. She loves to "wrestle" on the floor with Daddy. I must get a video of that to share. She can point to her nose, eye, ear, mouth, and belly. When asked how to hit a volleyball, she lifts her arm up, and then slams it down. She claps whenever you say "good job", or whenever she does something she is proud of. She loves to turn off light switches, push the garage door button, and flush the toilet. Anytime she hears music of any kind she starts dancing - which is hysterical and makes me smile every time. She loves to eat, and we have not found anything that she refuses - although a few bites of PB&J made her break out in hives, so we'll be holding off on the peanuts for a while longer. She is great at playing by herself, but loves to be around people. She will smile and wave at anyone that gives her even the slightest amount of attention. She is now drinking whole milk during the day. She has stopped nursing completely, and I really thought it would be a bigger deal to "wean", but both of us did great. Once the whole milk was introduced she was like, "see ya Mommy!" She is such a big girl.

I have wanted to be a Mommy my whole life, and if the rest of it is like the first year, I couldn't think of anything else in the world that could be better! :) We love you little Addie. You make Mommy's heart smile!

In honor of her first birthday, I wanted to share some pictures of her first year!

November 1, 2008
November 2008


December 2008

January 2009

February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

November 1, 2009 - Happy 1st Birthday Baby Girl!!!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

In Need of a Major Detox

Hi. My name is Krista, and I have a problem.

I'm going to lay a lot out in this post. Judge me if you wish, but this is all stuff that has been on my mind in recent days, and it just all came together this morning in a big way.

My life has been flooded with trash lately. TV. Music. Internet. I have literally been taken over by trash. At first it just crept in - so little that I didn't even notice. But, finally, it all showed its ugly face this morning bright and clear.

I never actually sit down and "watch" morning TV, but I will admit that as soon as my feet hit the downstairs floor in the morning - usually carrying a bleary eyed baby girl ready for her breakfast - I immediately grab the remote and turn the TV on to "listen" to Good Morning America as I make, and then sit down to eat, our breakfast. No big deal, right? Well, then comes Regis and Kelly - we've got to see who's on this morning! Oh, it's a trashy actor coming on to talk about their even trashier movie that's coming out this week, that I would never in a million years go to see? OK, we must watch it.... as I simultaneously check my email, facebook, blog, read the ever-trashier AJC online, etc., etc., etc... all while that adorable little girl goes into her playroom to play by herself. Don't they encourage "alone time" for all children?! Well, then comes 10:00 and the Doctors. Dumbest. Show. Ever. And I'm a former Health teacher! But does the TV get turned off? Nope. Most of the time it does get muted as Addison and I play together for a little bit in the playroom - but never too far away from the iPhone, just in case an email comes through or someone posts a status update. Then what? Oh yeah, The View. I couldn't imagine getting through my day without listening to these women discuss their immoral, anti-everything-I-believe-in, trashy, trashy, trashy "views". But, then they also have the same above mentioned actor on to discuss the same movie that's coming out this weekend as we saw just 2 hours ago on Reg and Kell. But when does the TV get turned off you ask? Only after Whoopi "takes a little time to enjoy the view". Ugh. It is now noon, and what do I have to show for my morning? Dirty breakfast dishes in the sink, and my child and I both still in our pajamas.

Now it is time for lunch... and then Addison's nap. Perfect time to get busy, right? Nope. Gotta go read everyone's status updates on Facebook again, because God forbid they do something that I don't know about! To my credit, at least I USUALLY do get in a shower during this time.... but how could I take a shower and get dressed without some trashy music on in the background?! I think some quiet time alone would just be too much to handle. Must. Have. Music.

Gone are the days of beating Addison out of bed, getting a shower and getting dressed, and being a cup of coffee down before she wakes. Gone are the days of my daily chore chart, and keeping a well-run household. LONG gone are the days of hitting the gym every morning. My new mentality?

So what if the house is a little "messy"? It just means it is well lived in.

So what if I didn't happen to get a shower today, and I'm still in sweats and ponytail when my husband comes home? He knows how hectic our days can be.

So what if my child doesn't see sunshine except through a closed window for 2 days? We'll go to the playground tomorrow - Oh, it's supposed to rain tomorrow? Well, then maybe the next day.

So what if my husband works a 12 hour day, and then comes home to grilled cheese sandwiches and warmed up Campbell's soup? He understands that I just didn't *feel* like cooking tonight.

So what if I honestly, and shamefully, couldn't tell you the last time I sat down by myself and spent time with God in His Word? Surely He gets it that I just really needed that extra 30 minutes of sleep this morning.

I have become slack. In everything. And I'm convinced that it is coming from the trash that I am letting into my life - both consciously and unconsciously. It is time for a detox in my life, and it is going to start now. No more trashy morning TV. No more trashy music being played. Less time spent on the computer. More quality time spent with my child. More time spent being a good wife, and keeper of our home. More time spent in quiet, alone with my thoughts and my God.

Why am I throwing all this out there on such a public forum? Because, I know if I put it out there for you to read, I will hold myself to it. And I hope that you will help hold me to it. We all need a little help from our friends from time to time, right?!

Oh yeah, and Facebook? Look out, I'm coming for you next! But for now... Baby steps, baby steps. :)

Sunday, October 11, 2009

My Sweetie

OK, my friend Marcie tagged me for this post all about my one true love. Kevin is my best friend, and the love of my life. He doesn't get much air time on the blog, so this is all about him...

♥ What are your middle names? Leigh and Patrick

♥How long have you been together? We started dating in February of 2006, so between 3 1/2 and 4 years.

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating? We met on a Friday night, and went on our first date the following Friday night.

♥ Who asked whom out? He asked me out... our first date was to the state wrestling finals... really romantic, huh?

♥ Who made the first move? Kevin

♥ How old are each of you? Kevin is 33. I am 27.

♥ Did you go to the same school? Nope

♥ Are you from the same home town? Nope

♥ Who is the smartest? Kevin is freakishly knowledge-smart, but I have more common sense. :)

♥ Who majored in what? Kevin has degrees is Math, Health and Exercise Science, and Educational Leadership. I majored in Health Education.

♥ Who is the most sensitive? Me. But, he's not too far behind.

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple? Before we moved, we ate at our local Mexican restaurant once a week. We're still trying to find "our place" here in Dahlonega.

♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? St. Lucia for our honeymoon, but we've also been to Grand Cayman, Cancun, New York, Vegas, LA, New Orleans, Miami... we're thinking Boston or Chicago next.

♥ Who has the worst temper? I have the more frequent temper, but neither of us has a very severe temper.

♥ How many children do you want? We're planning on 4... we'll see.

♥ Who does the cooking? I do, but Kevin can hold his own in the kitchen.

♥ Who is more social? Me. Kevin will say, "I saw Joe Shmoe at Walmart today". Me: "Oh really? What's he up to lately?" Kevin: "Well, I don't know. I didn't say I talked to him; I just saw him!"

♥ Who is the neat-freak? Neither of us is much of a "freak" about neatness, but I will get to a point where everything MUST be cleaned up. Kevin, not so much.

♥ Who is the most stubborn? Both of us are equally stubborn. And Addison is 10 times worse than either of us.

♥ Who wakes up earlier? Kevin, by about an hour.

♥Where was your first date? Already covered that one... our second date was to the circus then to see an Elvis impersonator... seriously.

♥ Who has the bigger family? Kevin. He's the oldest of 4 kids.

♥ Do you get flowers often? No. Flowers die.

♥ How do you spend the holidays? We split time between our families.

♥ Who is more jealous? Neither of us is jealous.

♥ How long did it take to get serious? Not long at all. We were engaged 6 months to the day after we met.

♥ Who eats more? Sadly, I think I do.

♥ What do you do for a living? Kevin is a teacher/coach. I am a stay-at-home mom.

♥ Who does the laundry? We're an awesome laundry team. I put it in the washer and move it to the dryer. He takes it out and folds it all. Then, I put it all away.

♥ Who’s better with the computer? Me.

♥ Who drives when you are together? Kevin

♥ What is "your" song? We have lots of songs we love, but we danced to "Come Away With Me" by Nora Jones at our wedding reception.

OK... I'm not "tagging" anyone. If you want to share some cute things about your hubby, please do!! :)

Monday, September 21, 2009

Sort of an update, but mostly just ramblings...

Well... I have fallen into the blog slacker mode yet again. Seriously, I don't know why I haven't posted anything in so long - especially since SO much has been going on. At least 3 times a day I think, "I really should put an update on the blog," but the thought is fleeting, and alas, I do not post. So, I hope you are settled in and comfy because I have a feeling this might take a while...

First thing's first... the house.

We LOVE our new house. It has felt like "home" from the first day we arrived. Moving was fairly easy (says the girl who mostly just helped move boxes, and stood at the front door pointing to where I wanted furniture placed). We had several great helpers, and we really appreciate it more than they know. It took only 3 days to have all the boxes unpacked, stuff put away, pictures hung, and things organized. I am a freak when it comes to things being "undone", and couldn't stand to have our stuff just sitting around, so it got done pretty quickly - again, with the help of some awesome family and friends. Now, the other stuff (hanging blinds, putting up curtains, etc.) still hasn't been completed yet - and I know that's ultimately why I haven't taken and posted pictures yet - because I want everything to be done before I show it to anyone. I know that's ridiculous, and there will always be something to be done, so I just need to get over it and take and post some pictures. I know. And I will. Soon. I just have to get a few more things done. :)

Addison has done great in the new place. I guess kids are pretty resilient that way. It's crazy for me to think about the fact that she will never remember the old house. Weird. Anyway - she loves it here, and she definitely loves seeing her Daddy every night again. She just lights up when he walks in the door, and it totally melts my heart. She is a Daddy's girl through-and-through.

Some fun updates on Addison:

~She is now 10 1/2 months old (seriously, where does the time go?!)
~ I guess the biggest thing is that she is WALKING! She was 2 days shy of 10 months when she took her first meaningful (21) steps. She started taking 2 and 3 steps at a time about 3 weeks prior to that, but when she set her mind to it, she just took off... and hasn't looked back. She is now everywhere. It is fun, but exhausting, chasing her around now. She is just so darn cute toddling around all off-balance. I'll post a video of it soon.
~ She kicked the bottle about 3 weeks ago - cold turkey- and now drinks everything from sippy cups. I had always given her water in a sippy (from about 6 months old), so she didn't even blink when I started putting her milk in one, too. Pretty cool - no more bottles to wash!
~ She has 5 teeth - the bottom middle two came in at 8 1/2 months and 9 months, and the top middle two and the next one on the left all came in last week (yes, at the same time - that was SO much fun!).
~ She is eating all table food now, and feeds herself with her hands like a pro. We're working on the spoon. If I load it up, she'll take it from me, put it in her mouth, take the food, then hand the spoon back to me. She also loads the spoon herself by picking the food up with her fingers and putting it on the spoon. :)
~ I just started this week cutting her formula with whole milk. She is still nursing twice a day (first thing in the morning, and right before bedtime at night), and gets two 8 oz sippies during the day. So, I've started mixing 2 oz of whole milk in with 6 oz of formula, and she's doing great. I'm going to increase the milk (and decrease the formula) by 2 oz every week until she is getting all whole milk. I know they aren't supposed to get whole milk until a year old, but I think she is close enough, and she has never had any digestive or allergy issues, so we're going for it - slowly.
~ She just started clapping her hands this weekend. This is a big thing for us because it was truly the only thing she has not done "on time". We've been working on it for a while now, and last night she just decided that she would play along. And when she saw the reaction it got out of us, she did it the rest of the night. And every time she would clap her hands, she would get this HUGE smile on her face and look at us like, "I'm doing it - see?! I can clap! Aren't you proud of me?!"
~ She has a few words... Mama and Dada are said all the time. When she is upset, or tired, it is always "MaaaaaaaaaaaaMaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"... "Ba" is ball... And she will point to my coffee cup every morning and say "OT!" (HOT!) - I'm not sure she knows what "hot" means, but that's what she associates with my coffee cup. Those are the ones she says by herself, but she will pretty much mimic whatever we tell her to say. I cannot wait to hear her little voice when she starts really talking!
~ She loves to give kisses (she puts her open mouth against your cheek), and will grab your face with both of her chubby little hands and pull you close to her just to give you a big, wet, sloppy kiss. Be still my heart.
~ I've joined the MOMS Club (Dahlonega Chapter), and I am so excited about meeting other moms in the area and getting to do fun things. We are going to an Apple Farm in Ellijay this Friday (provided it stops raining - for those of you out of the ATL area, it has rained non-stop for 7 days and there is major flooding issues everywhere), and touring the Dahlonega fire station next week. They also have a play date at someone's house every week, bikes-n-trikes at the park a couple times a week, reading time at the library on Tuesdays, and stroller walks at the park on Thursdays.

Everything else is going great. Kevin is really enjoying his new job as the Adapted PE teacher for the county, and of course is loving football. They are 3 games in and are 2-1 so far. We love Friday nights. It is very much like the stereotypical small town high school football scenario - everyone in town heads to the stadium on Friday nights to cheer on the Indians, and when you win, everyone in town congratulates you the rest of the week - seriously, the guy in the Wendy's drive-through window told me congratulations the other day after a win when he saw my LC Football tshirt. So much fun.

Alright... I guess that's all I've got in me for now... House pictures and walking video to come soon... I promise. Gotta go get the little one up from her nap... I can hear her over the monitor playing sweetly in her crib!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

CLOSING DAY #1

We are closing on the Loganville house today - YAHOO!! The actual closing is at 3:00, and as of about 8:00 last night, all ducks were in a row. Please keep us in your prayers. I'm still pretty anxious about it all.

Dahlonega closing is set for 10:00 tomorrow. Kevin's first football game is tomorrow night. Then, we move on Saturday. We had the walk-through Tuesday for the new house. I had not seen it since it was finished - and was so excited to see that it looks great!

Our cable, phones, and internet are being turned off today, so that I can turn in the equipment before the move. I will be lost without checking in with, and on, my friends, but I will be back once our new service is established on Monday. Perhaps that will keep me focused on unpacking for a couple of days! :)

Anyway - until Monday! Have a great weekend!