P-A-B-L-O

This is how donald and I have taken to ‘saying’ this name in our house.  Pablo. P-A-B-L-O.  He is a backyardigan.  Not know what a backyardigan is?  Neither did I.  They are random animals with culturally-rich names like Uniqua, Tyrone, Pablo, Austin, and Tasha.  They have their own show on Nick Jr.  And we don’t have cable and they still found their way to us.  Donald’s parents have a beloved book which features the Backyardigans.  Abi is in love.  We made the mistake of seeing if the backyardigans had a website.  They do.  Filled with snip-its of the show, games, coloring pages etc.  Abi asks for this form of “Pabwoo?” multiple times a day.  We limit it to once daily :)

Enjoying a snack and watching Pablo.

YES, I’ll have some more cider please!

Sometimes baby girl just makes me smile.  Like this week, when we realized that Abi LOVES apple cider.  Even hot cider.  No other kind of cider until you’re 21, sweet girl.

I love cider.  Love making it, love drinking it, just love it.  I am pleased as cider (haha) that abi enjoys it too.

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Cousin Josh!

We had a crazy 36 hours to celebrate Joshua’s 2nd birthday!  Due to a snow “storm” hitting Houston (but let’s be honest, snow in texas means yucky rain – aka - NOT good driving good conditions), we postponed driving down on Friday – and left for Spring Saturday bright and early!  Unfor. hubby couldn’t come due to being sick, having to work even though he was sick, and having finals this week.  There in spirit!

Sunday – HAPPY BIRTHDAY, wonderful boy!  We had a fun morning celebrating Josh and then followed by a crazy-fun party with an awesome bounce house!  Jenny & Brian – you throw one great party!

 

 

Joshua – you are LOVED.  We take great joy in what the Lord has done in your life, and look forward with great anticipation as he continues to mold you into a wonderful young man.

12/06/2007

 

12/06/2008

12/06/2009

*Most of pictures on other cameras – will upload more, hopefully!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Wednesday was chilly in the Big D.  So frigid that donald and his dad thought it was too bad to play golf.  You know that’s chilly.  We thought it was just raining outside – but when we opened the blinds…SNOW greeted us!  Wonderful snow.  You know this daughter of Michigan had to get her babe out in the snow.  It might be years before we see it again down here!

Abi was really concerned that her slide was covered in this peculiar substance.  Also, a bit irritated that she couldn’t sit on her slide for fear of a wet bum.

Since I’ve been in such an archival state as of late…snow from last Thanksgiving in Michigan – the only other time baby girl’s seen snow!

The 2nd Thanksgiving of her most wonderful life

Abi had a good day. Her current favorite outfit was worn (um, yes, much to donald and my shock (and at times horror) abi is SUCH a little girly-girl. Our most common tantrums are if I won’t let her put on a certain pair of shoes) / she was with her cousin / went to play at the playground / saw the ducks / celebrated poppa’s birthday! / ate some gooooood food / took a needed nap / played outside with beloved cousin / GOOD DAY!

A quick glance at last year!

We didn’t have the chance to get quite as crazy and creative as years in the past – but here’s the product of 2009!

The best pictures from the weekend are just abi and josh being sweet. Being together. Loving living with someone who they can relate to! They really adore each other and it’s such fun to watch.

Just doin’ a little baking!

From underneath the piano:

Back to that girly-girl thing – abi loved Auntie Jenny’s shoes!

Showing Thankful (a lesson from abi)

Teaching thankfulness is hard work.  Mommas and poppas have a hard task in that area!  I think it is learned through modeling.  But, probably a bit comes through sweet hearts too.  This thanksgiving season I have been desperate to try and teach abi thankfulness.  Wanting to interact with her on levels that are a bit over where baby girl is developmentally right now.  Loving when her little “ankssss” comes after a gentle reminder of “what do we say to show we’re thankful to someone?”  So, I had to have yet another lesson to cherish where she is right now.  To not long for days when abi and I have can have conversations about being thankful and living that daily.  And then – I just watched.  Abi shows she’s thankful.  It does sometimes take prodding (wink, wink), and it comes through observing (reminder to myself and donald!), but she shows it.  Through hugs, via smiles, in quiet content moments.

Sweet baby, we are so thankful for you.

The Dallas Zoo…again…and again…and again!

Sometimes I feel as though we should just set up camp there.  I mean really.  Abi will look back on this blog and feel like she spent her childhood at the zoo.  Actually, I think I might be OK with that!  We love the Zoo.  No surprise there!  I can’t even tell you how happy I am that little lovebug loves animals and all things nature.  It makes me smile and hope that she, too, will recognize all of this beauty as an extension of her loving creator. 

Some glimpses into our journeys:

Driving down to the zoo, aren’t they cute??

All of the pals checking out the kangaroos and wallabies!  Poor Zach, he was on the other side of Abi and she cut his head out of the picture!

Abi loves the penguins and totally gets excited when they swim past her! (as I’m re-reading this sentence, it sounds very valley-girl, but I’m going to leave it as-is)

One of my top five zoo-memories with abi to date.  We were up there, just the two of us, and we were at the gorilla exhibit (a favorite of both of ours) – and we were waiting for Timbo to come.  (Timbo is one of our female gorillas – about 45 years old!), and when we got there, Timbo was nowhere to be found.  But, this did not defeat abi’s gorilla-watching spirit – she grabbed her snack trap, and just sat and waited.  AHHH!  SO, I just sat down with her, and looked silly as I took this pic with my timer.  Oh well.  It was precious, and I will remember it.

And Timbo delivered:

 

It’s getting colder!  At the Zoo with Emmy – we now love wagons! 

Seriously, how cute??  It’s better to head into the Children’s Zoo with your buddy.

Katelyn, who used to work in Education, let us go behind the scenes to meet Leia up close:

First time on the carousel!  “She” chose the gorilla to ride!

Check back soon – you know there will be more to come!