Miles of Praise

A Little Crawler

2012-01-18T22:57:00.002-05:00

Sweet baby girl, right at 7 months . . .

Colt Making Kylie Laugh

2012-01-16T10:47:00.002-05:00

He is such a good brother, learning from such a good Daddy! I love these three ~

7 months old

2012-01-13T18:24:00.005-05:00

Our sweet girl is 7 months old today! Hard to believe. . . She's ringing in this seventh month with her first tooth - finally. Was wondering when that would should up :-) It really surprised me actually because she hadn't been fussy or drooling or anything. She is a whopping 15 1/2 pounds and 25 1/2 inches. Sweet and petite. She isn't crawling yet. . . at least not forward. She goes in circles and backwards. Should be soon! So thankful for her and the blessing she is to our family ~

Colt's First Bike

2012-01-10T19:34:00.003-05:00

After going to WV around Christmas and seeing his cousin Sarah ride her bike (with training wheels), that is what Colt wanted as well. He usually wants all blue everything. In fact, he had this little blue big wheels thing with a blue helmet and was stuck on the fact that it didn't have blue pedals (they are yellow or red, I think). He always picks blue when given a choice - plate, cup, crayon, shirt, ball, etc. So, when he said he wanted a RED bike. . . I kept saying, "Are you sure?"

It didn't really matter though because when I went on Craigslist, there was only ONE toddler bike with training wheels. Not only was RED. . . it was Lightning McQueen (which Colt loves)! AND it was just like 5 miles away from our house!! AND it just was $5 with the matching helmet!!! AND I would like to give all the praise to God for all of the above :-)

Colt was soooo excited. He doesn't care that is used. He doesn't know the difference. It's his "new" bike, and it's red. He's been sharing it great with kids at the park too. Makes my heart happy. Love this little guy!

Already starting the stunts. . .

South Carolina New Years Kind of Christmas

2012-01-09T22:24:00.007-05:00

Christmas with the Miles family! Always full of laughter, yummy food thanks to my amazing Mama T, games. . . and lots of kids! We were missing Darin, Jody, and their girls this year - but we really had a great time. Great Grandpa (Colt and Kylie's "great grandpa" that is) Miles has been pretty frail and sick lately. So, while we were there, we all loaded up to go see them (aka crash their house maybe?). It was a sweet visit. We love them dearly. Carter strumming his first tune ~
Cort is such a great big cousin! He really does well with the little ones ~
Kylie and Great Grandpa Miles - keepsake~
Aunt Renee (preggo with baby #2) and Jack ~

Jack (16 months) and Kylie (6 months) ~
David was reading them a story I believe (must have been intense huh?) ~
Sweet Kylie and Great Grandma Miles ~
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This is the crew that was running all over Daddy D and Mama T's house. We all feel right at home, and there is NEVER dull moment :-)
Kylie waving - ha!
The grans. . . minus the 3 texans and 1 in Renee's womb :-) ha! I like how Kylie is wedged in there ~
(Kylie is thinking, "crazy boys.")
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There are little ones everywhere. 5 under the age of 3 under one roof makes for . . . mommies-never-sitting-down? Poor Kylie. She needed her girl cousins from Texas. Definitely outnumbered.
Connor's hair - priceless.
Sweet Carter 9 months ~

Love this ~

Good pictures of the DJ Miles fam. . . minus my son who thinks he must be part of it? Again, Connor's hair - love it!

It was a great visit. Love this family that I married into. Couldn't have asked for a better one!!

First Foods and Milestones

2011-12-29T10:48:00.002-05:00

We started Kylie on baby foods at 6 months (so it's been about 3 weeks ago). She has done great. She seems to prefer vegetables over fruits, for now at least. She is definitely a messy eater though! She has been sitting on her own since right at 6 months, is trying to pull up on things and also take off crawling. She has just recently started saying "dada." So sweet. She makes everyone's hearts melt. We are so blessed by her!

Santa Baby

2011-12-26T10:22:00.006-05:00

So, when I've been teaching Colt about the real meaning of Christmas - celebrating the birth of our Savior, God's gift to us, GIVING, etc. . . Santa has never been mentioned. Somehow Colt knows all about Santa though. So we've talked about him. Colt will say he is "pretend," but also wanted to see him at the mall and asked if we have a chimney? I really don't care if he believes in Santa or not, as long as he doesn't think that is what Christmas is all about :-)

Needless to say (as you can see in the pictures), we did get to see (a) Santa at the mall. Colt didn't really talk to him though. Thankfully, they let me take my own pictures, because their cheapest offer was a 5x7 for $13.99. WHAAAT?!

I caught Colt making up another song - I guess he has been soaking up some of what we've been teaching him about heaven? Click here for Colt's song

Christmas 2011 - Part I

2011-12-25T13:57:00.007-05:00

The armor. . . He is a very serious and brave soldier when he is wearing it, that's for sure. Colt is protecting the princesses - Sarah and Kylie. Sarah is pushing Kylie in her new babydoll stroller :-)
Kylie got a chair!
Heath, Kelly, Jacob, and Sarah - love them!
Kylie Joy - 6 months!
Sarah - 3 years.
Colt - 3 years with a classic Colt face. . .
Uncle Dale and Aunt B with all the kiddos. .

Not sure about Kylie's pose or Colt's face, but . . .

So, we are in WV for Christmas. . . So much to be thankful for!

Many of you know my dad, Randy. He is a leader, a servant, a blessing, and a friend to so many! He went in for a "minor" surgery - hernia repair Monday, December 5th. This is where the doctor saw that his bilirubin level (from his lab work) was nearly 3 times higher than is should have been.

The doctor cancelled the hernia surgery and immediately ordered scans for his liver. He expressed his concerns to Dad about the severity of this and what it could mean (i.e. tumor, cancer, other disease). The CT scan was done that Wednesday, December 7th, to evaluate his liver and see if there was a tumor or cancer being the cause of his high bilirubin - that was amazing to us how soon that was scheduled. We thank God for that.

The CT scan didn't show anything on his liver, BUT they did see a small tumor on his left kidney. From that, he was able to see a kidney specialist the following Tuesday, December 13th. That doctor was amazing that the tumor was found this early. It is only 2 inches and is in such a "good" location on his kidney that is can be removed without affecting the kidney itself! Again, praising God for the scan that allowed them to find this before it was causing problems or too late!

The appointment with the liver doctor was Thursday, December 15th - great news there too! He said Dad has "Gilbert's Syndrome." Which is completely nonthreatening and often just caused by stress. His liver looked good though and no treatment would be needed.

God is so awesome! You can clearly see His hand in everything - from the lab work found from a minor surgery, to the kidney that needed the attention. He always blesses us beyond what we could fathom, reminding us of Who He Is.

"Thank God for His unspeakable Gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15 - - All started with His Son . . and the gifts go on!

Can't wait to see the Miles Family next week!! Praying for Gpa Miles - he has some internal bleeding and congestive heart failure. Please pray for the whole family as God brings us through.

Kylie and Norah

2011-12-24T09:20:00.005-05:00

We had a fun evening and yummy dinner with our good friends from college, Keith and Elizabeth Pickard. . . and of course their baby girl! Kylie and Norah were due on the SAME DAY! But, Norah was early (June 8, 2011) and Kylie was late (June 13, 2011). Nevertheless, they were so close! And just the same size :-) So precious and sweet. . .

These little girls just babbled all night!

Pirates

2011-12-23T12:11:00.003-05:00

Colt was playing pirates with his legos. . . and somehow we all ended up being pirates. Aargh Matey!

Colt's Christmas Play

2011-12-21T10:39:00.004-05:00

Colt's preschool had a little Christmas program last Thursday. It was super cute, and he did a great job singing! He had been singing these songs at home for weeks, so I was excited to hear them with the group. All the of the classes dressed up like different animals that were around the manger - Colt's class was dressed like cows :- (obviously).

Here is a snippit of his songs from his preschool play. . .

Family Christmas Pictures 2011

2011-12-15T16:10:00.004-05:00

Colt and Kylie Christmas Pics

2011-12-09T10:14:00.004-05:00

I have started taking some Christmas pictures. . . or should I say "trying" to take some pictures. Who knew that a 3 year old would be harder to get a good picture of than a 6 month old? Hence, more Kylie than Colt right now. Oh well, they are still precious in their matching pajamas! We are going to try for family photos soon. That's always "fun" too though :-) haha!

Colt's song to Kylie

2011-12-07T08:14:00.001-05:00

Ashlyn's Photos

2011-12-06T11:05:00.005-05:00

I took some Christmas photos for a friend of her little girl, Ashlyn - who is the same age as Kylie. Precious. You will probably see similar pictures soon, but they will have my cuties in them instead :-)

Here are some of my favs. .

Friends

2011-12-03T16:31:00.004-05:00

These picture can speak for themselves. Thankful for little boys :-)

Colt's Thanksgiving Songs

2011-11-28T11:47:00.002-05:00

I got this idea off Pinterest, and took them as a dessert to Colt's class' Thankful Feast. The kids looooved them. They definitely are not perfect, but after about 3 hours and 60 little turkeys. . . my brilliant idea no longer seemed so brilliant.

Pullen Park

2011-11-20T22:57:00.004-05:00

Pullen Park, in downtown Raleigh, reopened on Saturday after 2 years of being closed for renovations. Let me just put a plug in. . . it was so great! We will definitely go back, and you can easily make a whole day out of it. It's huge, with great play ground equipment, a train, carousel, paddle boats, and tracked boats (you will see below) for the kiddos - and adults I suppose :-)

So funny, but as soon as we got there we ran into Colt's little buddy from his preschool, Jack! They were excited and had a lot of fun together. The weather was fabulous too. Couldn't have had a better day ~

Cousins

2011-11-18T07:59:00.003-05:00

So, we went to the Great Wolf Lodge last week. It was really fun. . . everyone had a great time (I think). Colt LOVED the water park! David was a big kid out there riding all of the rides as much as he could. I liked hanging out with both of my boys in their element :-)

Anyways, We THOUGHT it would be a great place to get some pictures of the cousins in their Christmas PJ's. Colt, Jakob, and Sarah are all 3 years old. Kylie is 5 months, and Noelle is 4 months.

There is really no place to take pictures there. Outside would've been with the pumpkins and fall decor, which I thought may have clashed with the red and white Christmas pajamas - but I could be wrong?

Inside there was people everywhere! And the lighting was just lamp light. Not ideal, at least for me. I may be getting picky? I think the age group was a little difficult to catch a shot of too. Looking at the variety of pictures here. . . you can probably see what I mean. They were everywhere and looking everywhere (but at the camera). hahaha. You just have to laugh ~ memories.

Just a little video blurb. .

2011-11-16T23:03:00.002-05:00

So I was trying to get Kylie rolling over, but Colt wasn't really letting that happen. He cracks me up.

She's Sitting!

2011-11-10T08:26:00.002-05:00

So our sweet little girly will be 5 months old on Sunday. . . here is a little piece that shows what a "joy" she really is :-)

Camping

2011-11-09T10:41:00.004-05:00

Last Friday we took our youth group camping at Falls Lake. It had rained all day, up until we left for the campsite. Praise God for no rain while we were there! It wasn't that bad (all bundled up). I think I had on about 5 layers. The temperature was great in the evening. At night it got down in the 30's with such a strong winds though. We left Colt with some dear friends. I didn't think he would fair quite so well - we didn't have the right clothes for him. Kylie, on the other hand, never made a peep. She was nice and toasty. . . and content, as usual.
The view was beautiful. . . . creation praises God by itself.

The campsite. We had 16 teens and 4 adults. Everyone really did have a good time!
We stayed around the fire. . . a lot. The kids played several games and didn't seem to be as sensitive to the cold.

Until the next camping trip! The kids already want to plan another one! I told them we definitely would - maybe in the summer :-)

Happy Sibs :-) and Church?

2011-11-02T10:09:00.005-04:00

And for those of you who know our "energetic" 3 year old. We have started to "practice church" at home. We shall see on Sunday if this has been beneficial.

Haas Family

2011-11-01T11:48:00.004-04:00

Not sure if this was technically a "reunion" or not. . . but it could have been! I counted at least 35 people and that definitely was not everyone that should have been there (note: this was just immediate family - i.e children, grandchildren and great grans of Gma and Gpa Haas).

David, Colt, Kylie, and I went down on Friday night and we all camped out in various parts of Gma and Gpa Haas' home. It was . . . interesting. We bonded. We stayed warm. haha.

For those of you who don't know, Uncle Andre and Aunt Christy brought half of their clan all the way from France! Aunt Beverly travelled a ways too, from Kansas City. So it was quite a big deal for everyone to be together. It was a lot of fun. Lots of laughter. The kids had a ball too!

Laughing Kiddos

2011-10-30T21:48:00.003-04:00

Colt love his little sister. . . and she loves the very sight and sound of him - obviously.

Fall Family Pics

2011-10-26T08:12:00.003-04:00

We decided to take the tripod and attempt at some family photos the other day. David had declared a "family day." So it was fun. Here are some of my favorites ~

Danger Zone

2011-10-25T16:29:00.002-04:00

Let me just blog about my afternoon for a minute here. . . Took the kiddos to the park, REALLY looking forward to the fact that they nap at the same time in the afternoons. Don't get me wrong, I love being their Mommy and wouldn't change it for anything - these kids are so awesome and precious! BUT, most of you moms know that time to take a shower, read, nap, or doing anything without interruption is only when they are sleeping.

So, we get home. Fixed Colt lunch. Picked up Kylie to feed her as well, only to notice something wet on my hands and pants where she was. Smells kind of poopy I think to myself. But I didn't notice that she had pooped. She didn't stink. Until I practically stuck my nose in the mess searching!! Oh dear. Indeed, she HAD pooped.

I have only read about these disasters. This was my first experience. There was poop in the carseat. Poop piled in her onesie and pants. Poop covering her leg and foot. Poop squished in between her toes. Poop all over the changing table. Poop on the wall now. Poop running down the OUTSIDE of the bathtub. Poop everywhere. (I feel like I could write a book with the Cat in the Hat style repetition going on here).

That was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. to me, to say the least. Colt thought so too.

She's clean now. Mess is cleaned up as well. Laundry is in the dryer. All poop removed before staining. . . I didn't really do much that I had LOOKED FORWARD to doing while my children napped at the same time today though.

If I had been thinking I would've taken pictures, but then. . . maybe I was thinking clearly when I didn't? Oh well. I will sympathize more when I hear these stories in the future.

Beautiful Fall Day

2011-10-22T15:51:00.002-04:00

I decided to get some pics today on our way to the park. I think we go to the park every day. At least it feels that way. Colt loves it though. He always finds a "best friend" there. haha. Today when we left he said, "Mommy, those were my bestest friends EVER!!"

I use it as a time to meet other moms and share the gospel while Colt is playing with the other kiddos. Never fails!

Anyways, Colt is such an awesome brother. If I am cooking or can't get to Kylie and she is crying for something. . . he will go talk to her and have her smiling and laughing in no time. He talks in this funny little voice and says things like, "Hey sissy blissy. Hey sweety girl. You don't need to cry, brother is RIGHT here and I will never leave you. I love you baby sister!" All the while smothering her with kisses and such. She REALLY smiles at the very sight or sound of him. Gets the best of me. So precious.

He's trying to get her to smile in this first picture. Unfortunately Smiley Kylie Joy was about to pass out in the stroller for naps. . . no smiles caught on camera today! But priceless moments nonetheless.

I could just eat her. . . she is so sweet and beautiful to me.

Looking at all of the Halloween decor people had put out, Colt said, "Mommy! Look at that BEAUTIFUL ANGEL!!" I had to get a picture. . . because this does NOT look like a beautiful angel to me? I'm just glad it doesn't seem that this will give him nightmares or something.

Understanding the Story

2011-10-19T11:40:00.006-04:00

We are 3 weeks into a 10 week session at our church focused on understanding the Story of the Bible, and then making it known! If you have kiddos, this resource is along those same lines, "The Jesus Storybook Bible," and is phenomenal! We have read it through many times with Colt and he continues to love it. It's part of our bedtime routine, teaching him the Story of the Bible:

"The Bible isn't only about you and what you should be doing. It's about God and what HE has done. . . . The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back His lost treasures. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves His palace, His throne - everything - to rescue the ones He loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life! You see, the best thing about this Story is - it's true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves His children and comes to rescue them."

-- Sally Lloyd Jones, author of The Jesus Storybook Bible

Anyways, I love that we are able to teach this to Colt at such a young age. I think most kids, and/or adults, learn individual stories from the Bible. . . rather than learning the Story OF the Bible.

Going back to the study at church. . . I LOVED pages 32 and 33, showing Jesus in the Metanarrative -
"Jesus is the true and better Adam, who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is given to us."

"Jesus is the true and better Abel, who though innocently slain has blood that cries out for our acquittal not our condemnation."

"Jesus is the true and better Abraham, who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go into the void not knowing whither he went."

"Jesus is the true and better Isaac, who is not just offered up by his Father, but actually sacrificed by his Father."

"Jesus is the true and better Jacob, who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserve so that we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us."

"Jesus is the true and better Joseph, who at the right hand of the king forgives those who betray him and sold him and uses his new power to save us.

"Jesus is the true and better Moses, who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant."

"Jesus is the true and better rock of Moses, who struck with the rod of God's justice now gives us water in the desert."

"Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer who then interceded for and saved his friends.

"Jesus is the true and better David, whose victory becomes his people's victory, although they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves."

"Jesus in the true and better Esther, who didn't just risk losing an earthly palace but lost the ultimate heavenly palace and who didn't just risk his life but gave his life to save his people."

"Jesus is the true and better Jonah, who was cast into the storm so that we could be brought in."

"Jesus is the ultimate lamb, the ultimate priest, the ultimate king."

NOW, do you see how the gospel is integrally tied to the Bible's storyline??

If you want to check it out:

The Story

Fireman Colt

2011-10-14T16:48:00.005-04:00

Here is what Fireman Colt, I mean "Fireman Jim" (as he calls himself), says: "Good Citizens! I am Fireman Jim, and I am here to save the day!" (Makes me smile and even laugh a little. . . good citizens? Where does he get this stuff?)He is loving watching the leaves change colors and begin to fall this year. . . he's growing up on me:-( sniff sniff. He wanted to go take pictures though, so I brought my camera too! Would have loved to have a picture of this (below) - us taking a picture of each other. Priceless.

Of course, the Fireman Jim needed a hose. . .
And I let him spray some water for a few minutes. It had been raining too - so he had some help putting out the "fires."

Mission COMPLETION! The "good citizens" were saved! This is such an awesome age - 3! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this little guy! He is becoming such a great little buddy. . . I love doing stuff with him, teaching him, watching him learn, and love life! He's got to be the coolest kid :-) --- besides his sister. I have nicknamed her "Smiley Kylie" and thought about changing her name to "Kylie Joy SMiles" - she is so awesome too. Just so thankful, and really enjoying them ~

Fall Festival

2011-10-12T00:01:00.003-04:00

While in WV, Sarah invited Colt to come to preschool with her on Friday to their Fall Festival. They had a lot of fun. They climbed a tree with the help of Uncle David, and Colt even won the "Cake Walk" game. He let Sarah pick the cake though - she picked the sunflower (you will see it in the picture below). There was a clown there to wrap up the festival. I thought he did great. You can probably tell by Sarah's expression that she did not agree.

Thankful for my little family ~

Pumpkin Coloring

2011-10-11T10:29:00.002-04:00

We colored out pumpkins this year - thought that might be cleaner than painting. Probably not.

Happy Birthday Mom ~

2011-10-10T16:23:00.002-04:00

Today is my sweet mother's birthday. . . . so here is a post JUST FOR YOU MOM! :) I am thankful for the parents the Lord has given to me. Mom and Dad are such great examples of a godly marriage. Mom has taught me by her own life what it means to love her husband and children (and now grandchildren). She is such a generous and giving person - selfless servant. AND of course, always puts a smile on my face. She jokes that "we will miss her someday." Well, I KNOW that Mom! You are just too funny and too much fun to be around. Colt can attest to that :)

Thanks for all you have done, and all you still do. I am so thankful for our friendship too. Love you so much!

Pumpkin Festival

2011-10-09T21:29:00.005-04:00

We went to WV last week during David's fall break from school. He was able to slay the deer and do a tile job for a friend of Mom and Dad. So, he stayed pretty busy. Colt started the week off with a bang. He had the croup and fevers up to 105 at times. He was trooper through it. Just led to sleepless nights.

By the end of the week, he was better and back to himself, so we were able to get out and do some things. Mom and I took the kids to the Pumpkin Festival. Where you apparently can't get pumpkins. I painstakingly dug out the 4 most beautiful ones the had, we pulled them around for hours in our wagon (the only reason we brought that wagon actually), only to be told at the gate as we were leaving that those were for the school kids. Ha! Laughable now at least.

Friday night, Kylie started to get congested, coughing, sneezing, running a fever. Only to get worse. She didn't nurse for about 26 hours because she couldn't breathe, became lethargic, wasn't making wet diapers, had diarrhea. So I took her to the ED. All of the urgent cares close at 4?! What?! Oh well. They gave her medicine for the fever and tried to coerce her to drink some pedialyte. No good (note: the whole time she was so sick and still trying to smile at every one of those doctors and nurses - so precious). Before they started an IV, they asked me to try to feed her one last time. I had been trying ALL NIGHT AND ALL DAY to no avail. But, praise be to God! She latched on and drank a bit. So, I brought her home and they said to bring her back if that didn't continue. She did much better last night and has done fairly well today. She has no voice, so she just squeaks when she tries talk, laugh, or cry. It's pretty adorable. She's such a sweetheart, and has been through this whole thing! I just love her.

I will be sharing pics over the next few days from our WV Trip (AKA Sick Trip).

Our little pumpkin was definitely the most "appropriately" dressed for the pumpkin festival, don't you agree?

Colt got a pretty cool bow and arrow - complete with a quiver and 6 arrows! Something he ALWAYS makes out of sticks at home. Thanks Nana Gail!

They had a great little tent there that sort of reminded me of Marbles Museum. Colt loved all of the different things to play with and explore. It was nice to get out of the sun too. They did a great job!

Will post some more pics from last week later. . . time for bed. Who knows what tonight will hold as far as sleep goes.

The Park

2011-09-29T15:51:00.004-04:00

I must say I am so thankful. So blessed. At the top of my "Praise Him List" today:

1. My Savior and my salvation.

2. The Gospel and opportunities to share it.

3. My husband - he's so wonderful! And I'm so in love.

4. SUCH a sweet and happy baby girl!! She is so awesome. . . I can't get over her.

5. That she slept from 8:30ish to 5:00 this morning. Ate. Went back to sleep until 8:15. Thank you Lord, I needed that.
6. That she has taken awesome naps today - right on time :-) ha!
7. That she is healthy. . . and seems to really enjoy her brother.
7. For my little man . . who makes friends like no kid I've ever seen. He practically tackled this kid with a hug and they became best friends. (FYI - they have never met before)
8. Colt wanted Dominique to "meet his Mommy!" How sweet. . . I love you Colt.
9. Colt loves water and fruit - gotta be thankful for that too!! Even if he's not a fan of veggies.
10. He doesn't like to make a mess when he eats. It would be ok if he did. . . but I'm thankful :-)
11. He's so funny. And so smart. And such the best!
Thank you God.

Scripture Memory

2011-09-27T22:07:00.002-04:00

What a responsibility we have with these little gifts God has given us. We try to teach them all about LIFE. There is also much we don't have to try to teach them. . . they just absorb things on their own.

One thing that David and I are trying to teach the kids is to hide God's Word in their hearts. I went through the books of the Bible and picked out at least one key verse from each book. Then, I wrote them down and put them on a little flip ring. Each night, we review the verses he has already learned, and we work on a new one. I usually put them to a little jig :-) He picks up on them a LOT more quickly that way. Here are our 2 verses from the past week.

(It's been fun to try to explain these verses to a 3 year old too - he's getting it though! So sweet to hear him answer questions about God, Jesus, heaven, etc.)

Family Night

2011-09-23T21:03:00.003-04:00

My wonderful hubby is such a good instigator of family time. Occasionally, we will watch a movie with Colt outside on the back porch. Colt thinks this is next to heaven it seems. Kylie was there for the picture - then she moved over to the swing and toys. And YES, we can all fit on that little outdoor couch :-)

Kylie meets Exersaucer

2011-09-21T10:24:00.004-04:00

So, I introduced the little 3 month old tot to the exersaucer! She loves it. . . her little expressions make me smile too.

First Day of Preschool

2011-09-08T16:47:00.002-04:00

Today was Colt's first day of preschool. He will go 2 days a week for just 3 hours a day, and I know he will love playing with the other kiddos! He has been wanting to "go to school" for about a year. I think it was hard for him to comprehend that we were REALLY going to school today, instead of me saying. . . "You will go one day Colt."

He was definitely excited.
Mr. Big Stuff and his bag to bring home all of his creations!
In awe of the playground facilities . . that is what he talked about the most on the way home anyways :-)
Yes, he just walked right in. Forgot about Mommy - no long sad goodbye. Actually, he didn't even tell me bye! I guess I definitely don't have to worry about him crying when I leave! ha!

Here is a little video of what he thought about the day:

And this is what baby sister did today - she was missing talking to her brother:

Ms. Fancy Pants and Mr. Photographer

2011-09-05T23:29:00.002-04:00

Colt and Kylie Video

2011-08-31T11:22:00.000-04:00

Colt

2011-08-27T09:31:00.002-04:00

I love these pictures because of the sheer joy on Colt's expressions! He's a lot of fun - and these days he says the funniest stuff. You will have to check out his blog on my sidebar. I try to post some of the funny things he says or does because he will NEED to know that when he grows up and has little ones of his own, right? :-)

He's 3. She's 2 months.

2011-08-20T16:56:00.004-04:00

He always wants me to be "Mary" and Kylie to be "Baby Jesus." He loves her. Surprisingly, she smiles at him a lot and doesn't seem to mind when he kisses her eyeballs.

Colt's New Track

2011-08-18T22:19:00.002-04:00

Here is what Colt bought with his birthday money! I had bought the train table and some track for $40 off of craigslist a while back, but was missing a few pieces and couldn't make a decent track. . . . soooo, I found this COMPLETE set for $20 (also on CL), and now Colt has a track with all the works that he doesn't stop playing with PLUS tons of extra for different set ups. He's pretty excited ~

Family Pics at the Lake

2011-08-14T18:33:00.005-04:00

We snapped quite a few. . . here are some of my personal favs ~

SML

2011-08-12T12:20:00.003-04:00

Just a few pics from the beach earlier this week. The kids are having fun and are swimming so well!! They were flying kites is the last few pics :-) Kylie even had her bathing suit on - pretty precious if I do say so myself ~

Ashlyn

2011-08-06T18:32:00.004-04:00

This little sweetheart was born 2 days after Kylie! So precious. . . and of course so much fun to do a photoshoot with another baby!

Look A Likes. .

2011-08-06T17:08:00.003-04:00

The first 3 pics are of Colt around 7 weeks and the last 3 are Kylie around 7 weeks. I definitely see some similarities (namely the hair and color?).

7 weeks

2011-08-05T16:25:00.005-04:00

I'm doing a photo shoot tomorrow of a baby who is the same age as Kylie. . . so of course I had to practice (wink). Colt was right there with his camera too. He's trip (and she's a sweetheart).

My little boy is 3!

2011-08-04T00:40:00.005-04:00

Colt turned 3 yesterday - August 2nd (he would tell you). David's parents had kept Colt over the weekend while we flew out to Denver for a wedding. We met them and picked him up on his birthday. Mama T was so good to have all the fixins for a little party and also made him a scrumptious cookie cake!

We cannot believe how quickly time has flown by!! It seems like just a few weeks ago that he came into this world, but really his baby sister did! Colt has got to be one of the coolest kids ever (who's to say I'm not biased?). He's so full of life, hilarious, active, smart, cute as a button, sweet, 1,000% boy . . . and did I mention hilarious? He definitely has a strong will and leadership abilities - looking forward to seeing what the future holds. I pray he becomes a man after God's own heart, following Him all the days of his life.

6 weeks old

2011-07-25T09:44:00.002-04:00

Kylie Joy is 6 weeks old today! Hard to believe. . . She started smiling and cooing last week :-) Pretty precious - and she sleeps a good 5-6 hour stretch each night now too! Just when I thought I was going to be crazy from sleep deprivation (God knew).

Colt is doing awesome with her too! He's been super sweet and affectionate lately. She DEFINITELY notices her brother - thankfully she doesn't cry when he's coming (yet). He may be a little loud, in her face, and MAYBE a tad rough with rubbing her head and his kisses on her eyeballs (he's almost 3 though so we have to give him a little slack). He will be 3 next week!!

WV meets Kylie

2011-07-21T16:21:00.006-04:00

We have had an extended vacation in WV - starting in Beckley with the Hogans. Colt really enjoyed their farm and all of the animals. Although he did get all banged up trying to "walk" their wild goat. It dragged him through the dirt where he proceeded to tumble and flip a few feet. He took it fairly well - it definitely left a mark.

Then we came to my parents and have been able to introduce Kylie to so many of our friends here! We've seen all of the Curry Family and the Stevens side of the family too! As well as so many of David and my friends too - more than we usually fit into one trip - so it's been great! Just to name a few for the record: Keith, Elizabeth, and Norah; Ricky, Heather, and Addison; my girlfriends from ABC - Jo, Laura, Heather and her girls. Everything couldn't have gone any better - sounds busy but really it's been quite relaxing! Colt is having a ball and Kylie just goes with the flow (usually sleeps through everything) - ha!

Here are some pics from when my Mom's side of the family met Kylie last Monday eve:

Kylie is napping, but still peeping :-) She's getting some little rolls too! So precious. .

Almost 4 years of marriage - I love this guy!
Apparently the new way to ride? They are funny together ~
Great Grandma Betty
Uncle Dale and Kylie :-)
Family friends that might as well be family! Danny and Audella ~
These kiddos are crazy about Gramps!

Bub and Hubs :-)

Great Grandma Helen ~

Santee with the Miles

2011-07-16T10:14:00.004-04:00

Our first annual Miles Family Vacation at the lake house for 4th of July. Everyone was there from the great grandparents down to the great grandchildren, but we were missing the Darin Miles family out in Texas - I don't know why they just didn't drive in. I mean the drive from Texas and being due with Baby #3 on July 16th (TODAY!!) shouldn't have affected anything right? Everyone had a good time - the kiddos played great together! We did some fishing (as you can see by the 30/40lb catfish at the end of this post), water sports, ate some good food (thanks Mama T!), played games, swam in the lake and only spotted 2 alligators (my favorite part).

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On another note, I took Kylie Joy for her 1 month appt. She weighed 9 lbs 10 oz (up from 7 lb 2 oz at birth!) . . . couldn't believe how much and how quickly she has grown! She is in the 50-70% for everything and the doctor said she is just perfect - thanking the Lord for a healthy little girl.

Anniversaries

2011-07-03T08:37:00.003-04:00

July 3, 1975 My wonderful parents were married - you should ask them about it! It's a great story :-) Thankful for their marriage, friendship, and love that's still alive!

July 4, 1925 My wonderful Papaw Gene was brought into this world. On June 21, 2010 he went to be with our precious Savior. We will always love and miss him dearly. He was something special ~

So Peaceful

2011-06-26T22:53:00.006-04:00

This child seriously sleeps 22-23 hours a day. . . so I took advantage of her sleepiness :-) I'm hoping to get some pics with big brother up soon! The timing just hasn't quite worked out yet ~

Snuggles with Daddy

2011-06-25T10:37:00.001-04:00

Daddy loves his little girl. . . and she loves to snuggle!

Visit from the Grands

2011-06-23T09:17:00.002-04:00

Well, Grandma and Grandpa Miles were actually present for Kylie's birth. . . but they paid her another visit at 1 week old :-) We always enjoy their visits and Colt wore Grandpa out playing with his train track! They had a lot of fun together. GREAT Grandma and Grandpa Haas came for a few hours too. They brought Colt the book "The Little Engine That Could" and Colt LOVES it. We've already read it at least a dozen times. . . of course we can't read it just like "Grandpa Choo" does it (that is what Colt calls his Great Grandpa Haas since he makes the best train noises).

Video by Daddy

2011-06-18T08:52:00.001-04:00

Just a little video for our memories of the day Kylie entered the world. Colt was so excited!! She is doing great by the way. She was 7 lb 2 oz at birth and was already up to 7 lb 4.5 oz. yesterday at her "weight check" appt. So thankful for God's blessings!

First Photoshoot

2011-06-16T16:32:00.004-04:00

What fun. . . I shall have my creative juices flowing before long! I thought I'd catch a few shots while all was quiet and Colt was sleeping. I probably should be sleeping too is the only problem. Oh well. I will treasure the memories ~

Colt and Kylie

2011-06-15T09:08:00.004-04:00

Colt singing Kylie a song (notice she is smiling)

Sharing some lovins. . .

One proud big brother! He was reading his shirt upside down: "P-I-G..." haha

Welcome Kylie Joy!

2011-06-14T13:05:00.002-04:00

I was first awakened by my sweet boy having a bad dream or something early Monday morning, June 13th. Once he was settled, I knew I wasn't feeling well, but I was going to try to go back to sleep. Nevertheless, it was contractions indeed. So, I just got up around 2:30am and started timing them. I called the doctor at 4:00am and she said to go ahead and come in since the contractions were about 3 minutes apart. I just didn't have peace about waking up Colt and either taking him with us OR taking him to someone else's house that early in the morning though. . . I knew the day would hold enough "changes" and the night's rest would be very beneficial for him. So, I prayed about it, woke up David, and we waited until 6:30 (Colt's normal wake up time) to get on the road.

Thanks so much to Jenn Braun, a great friend from church, for keeping him until my parents were able to pick him up around 3pm. Colt LOVES "Mrs. Jenn" and Kaelynn, so I didn't worry a second about him being excited about going there for the day! After dropping him off, David and I headed to Wake Med, arriving around 8am (after traffic) - good thing she didn't come too quickly! But, I just had such a peace that it would work out fine the whole time. God is good!

The CRAZY thing is that after arriving at the hospital, and having contractions since 2am (REGULAR HARD CONTRACTIONS), they just stopped. What?! But, the doctor wanted to keep me since I was already 4 cm dilated and it would take us so long to get home and come back if necessary.

So, David and I walked. . . for a few hours. Nothing. They broke my water, and we walked for a few more hours. Nothing. So they started Pitocin around 2pm and things progressed with the return of contractions at about 5 min apart. . . eventually to 2 minutes apart. Then, all of the sudden it was time to push! It all happened so fast! David's parents were there, and had stepped out so I could use the restroom. David left to use the restroom. . . and walked back in to "time to push!"

David and Mama T were both present when this precious little girl entered the world after just 5 minutes of pushing. 7 lbs. 2 oz and 20 1/4 inches long. It was SOOO much different and easier than Colt's labor - it's a surreal feeling to love 2 children so much! David and I are enjoying every minute (he's such a sweet daddy of a little girl too).

My parents brought Colt shortly afterwards and he was a joy to watch! He calls her "my baby" and just loved and loved on her. No jealousy (yet). . . just such a sweet big brother! Hope you enjoy the pics!

Happy Birthday Babe!

2011-06-12T16:57:00.003-04:00

Happy 27th birthday to the most wonderful husband a woman could ever wish for, hope for, ask for, dream of!!! And the most amazing, fun, and loving Daddy too! I didn't know how good "my end of the deal" was when we got married nearly 4 years ago. You never cease to amaze me with your character, talents, and abilities. You have consistently been a godly, loving, patient, kind, strong leader for our family. Not only that, but you are sooo much fun! I love spending time with you and doing life with you. You are my best friend, and I can honestly say that I love you more today than ever!

Little Photographer

2011-06-11T22:24:00.002-04:00

(The adoring subject - LOVING being 40 weeks pregnant!! ha!)

Colt playing photographer with the tripod: "Look at the CRAMRA!"

39 weeks

2011-06-02T10:37:00.003-04:00

Well. . . I was hoping she would come before I had to go back to work for the next 3 days. I suppose she still has a few hours :-) Then again, I am mentally preparing to be 8 days late like I was with Colt.

Playing in the Rain

2011-06-01T09:26:00.001-04:00

Classy outfit. . . I couldn't resist getting a picture :-)

Kylie Joy's Room

2011-05-30T15:15:00.004-04:00

Sooooo, I finally caved and we decorated the nursery. I just had this sickening feeling that MAYBE it wasn't a girl?? I mean, I've only had ONE ultrasound - at 17 1/2 weeks, and even though it was an hour long and the tech definitely said it was a girl. . . let's just say I could've used an "affirmation" ultrasound :-)

For those of you who know me, this may sound shocking that I was going to wait until she was born to wash girly stuff and decorate a girly nursery - since I'm the super organized type. I've accepted that she's a girl now though since she's SOOO much smaller than Colt, measuring just 35 weeks (though I'm 38 1/2 weeks) and since I've plateaued at 19 lbs of weight gain - - hey, I can handle a smaller baby after an 8 ob 10 oz Colt David.

Obviously, my TRUE personality got the best of me. Hence the following pictures:

My awesome friend, Amanda Wentzel, painted the mural on the wall like one I had found online. . . and the pom poms (cutesy) I found from budget nursery ideas online as well. The crib bedding was a $12 craigslist find. David and I are quite pleased with the turn out. I didn't know I was going to enjoy this decorating thing so much! hehe.

I think she will have a headband/hat for every day of the month - thanks to so many generous friends and family :-)

The rug matches PERFECTLY and was a random gift from my sweet mother :-) Our friends, the Cardonas, are going overseas to China and have graciously given us their glider! For closet organization - a must for me some cubbies for all sorts of odds and ends.

I can only think of ONE thing we still need = Kylie.

Strawberries. . .

2011-05-15T16:28:00.005-04:00

We stopped at Lyon Farms to hand pick some delicious strawberries after church today. It was "fruitful" (haha) to say the least! We got to eat as we picked too. . . so that was a good appetizer to lunch :-) As you can see in MOST of these pictures, Colt ate pretty much the whole time.

36 weeks yesterday (just for the record). .

May not look like it. . . but here is 18 lbs of scrumptious strawberries for future snacking, smoothies, and homemade icecream!! Whoo hoo!

Is there such a thing as a "strawberry mustache?"

Wild Animals

2011-05-02T18:06:00.006-04:00

Here in "Wild and Wonderful West Virginia" once again. . . for a few short hours. We made a weekend trip to PA for a wedding and made a slight (5 1/2 hr) detour to see the family one last time before little junior arrives. We haven't been up since Christmas, so I guess that compelled us to come even though we are here for just 2 days.

We've been here for less than 24 hours and have already been bombarded with the "wild animals" at Gramps and Nana's :-) David and Heath decided to go hunting this morning. They went out at 6:30 and called at 6:50 with their trophy turkey kill. . . that's got to be a record for hunting time. I liked that they weren't gone all day, but I didn't like the plucking (feathers flying), blood, and turkey gizzards - literally. We grilled some for lunch though, and it REALLY did taste like chicken . . .

(Colt practicing his turkey calling)

(Comparing weight between the gobbler and Colt)

(The hunters)

THEN there are the rabbits here on the "farm." Gramps has about 14 rabbits (and counting I'm sure since they multiply you know), that live all around his house and the barn. It's so funny to see them everywhere! We fed them some lettuce and were able to catch and pet quite a few. Colt's loving it! (I have too many favorite pics to just post a few)

(Robin Hood)

Few more pics from SML

2011-04-22T17:09:00.004-04:00

Colt fell asleep twice on the boat - must be the soothing lull of the motor and the movement. I know it had that affect on me as a child - in fact I probably could have fallen asleep at the time too! Nana was the privileged one - anyone who knows this child, also knows he doesn't sit still for long . . . so holding him ASLEEP is probably monumental :-)

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This is the boys' sand castle - complete with a moat, a bridge, and staircase to the pimple/hump thing on top! :-)

Colt helped by getting water to pack the sand and fill the moat. He was loving this!

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And lastly - but Colt's FAVORITE part of the trip according to him - golfing! After we played once, that was all Colt wanted to do. He woke up talking about it. So we did go twice (at least he was free). This first pic was his hole in one!! An amazing act of God - but he obviously has a natural golfer's reaction, huh? With the hand up and everything? He was this excited after every hole though. . . ALL 18 OF THEM.

It was a good trip - everything about it was great! Thanks Mom and Dad ~

SML Fishing

2011-04-21T09:17:00.003-04:00

We have enjoyed a beautiful week at Smith Mountain Lake - even in April, we all managed to get too much sun and enjoy the boat! God is so good to us, isn't He?

We all arrived on Sunday. Colt is loving his time with Gramps, Nana, and Jacob. We are missing Uncle Heath, Kelly, and Sarah for sure though - and Aunt B and Uncle Dale (the Baileys need to make this trip so we can miss them too)! We have fished, swam in the indoor pool, played at the beach, enjoyed the boat, played miniature golf, and even flew kites! I think Colt thinks he is in heaven :-)

This is the view from our porch. . . so calm and beautiful -

Jacob is such a good cousin, and Colt just loves him. They've shared a lot of laughs :-)

While the men got their lines ready, Colt lined up all of the bait/tackle that didn't have any hooks. He was really into this fishing thing.

If you notice. . . my Dad is sitting on our back porch. We joked that "this is the life" (fishing off your porch, sitting with your family at a beautiful lake with perfect weather - we even caught a couple!).

So, there is a good story behind this fish - the men decided they wanted to run to the store and get some chicken livers for bait (ew). Mom and I were just sitting on the swing and talking - left to "keep an eye on the lines." Well. . . of course, we got a bite. Not just any bite either. It was BIG one. . . So, yes, the 8 month pregnant lady takes off running down the steep hill fighting with this big catfish on the line. I even managed to jump some rocks onto the floating dock and keep the fish on the line while the men rushed home. (This is not a 'fisherwoman's tale' either -haha).

So we put the fish in a small tub until David was ready to fillet him. Colt wanted to hold it, told it that he loved it. . . and even named it. I guess we need a pet catfish, huh? Ah, memories.

(It's almost as big as Colt!)

I will post some more pics later - I think we are off to the zoo today!

31 1/2 weeks

2011-04-14T08:51:00.002-04:00

So. . . We are down to the home stretch. I feel like I'm already past the 40 weeks mark. Don't know why it seems so different from the pregnancy before, but I would L.O.V.E. to go early instead of 8 days late :-) Nevertheless, my prayer is for a healthy baby and grace!

Fishing with Daddy

2011-04-13T08:08:00.004-04:00

After going to Marble's Museum and discovering Colt's love for fishing we decided to get a line and a few poles - we even have a small lake/pond within walking distance! So David and Colt came back from their trip to the store and David had gotten Colt a cane pole! Beautiful and classic, but maybe not what a 2 year old needs :-) We will look again for a kids pole, but they had fun nonetheless. Unfortunately, no fish were caught.

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Here are some random pics that I took while we were waiting for Daddy at his school. I can't believe how big he is getting!

Getting ready for Easter!

2011-04-05T08:55:00.005-04:00

And Happy Birthday Grandma (Mama T)! We love you lots and lots!!

A taste of spring. .

2011-03-28T14:00:00.006-04:00

I can never find a wreath that I like that doesn't cost a million dollars. . . so I made one :-)

Plus I found this cute little green vase that was up for grabs at work and couldn't resist the fun color!

Total for my wreath + cute flower/vase decor = $12.50 :-)

The Cardonas

2011-03-26T22:22:00.003-04:00

Was privileged to take some photos of this awesome family for their future prayer card. The Cardonas - Jon, Shawna, Kephas (Colt's BFF), and Malachi - have been such a blessing and gift from God ever since we moved down here. They were our first neighbors, and of course with little boys close in age we became dear friends. They are so refreshing and encouraging to us and we really look forward to our weekly dinner/hang out/playtimes :-)

We love them and hate to see them leave this May/June, but are so excited about where the Lord is taking them and how He is going to use them to reach the lost overseas.

Here are some of my favorite shots:

27 weeks

2011-03-15T14:18:00.005-04:00

Nearing the last trimester. . . ah sweet bliss - maybe, not really. I enjoy the movement and the closeness of carrying a precious life, but could probably also tolerate it if it only took about 20 weeks to take place instead of 40 (or 41 as was the case with Colt) haha :-)

My parents came down Sunday and surprised me by bring my grandma too!! That was fun - she hasn't been down here since we've moved, and it's been awhile since Dad and Mom's last visit too. So we've all enjoyed them.

Colt is so blessed. He got to spend several days with David's parents last week. . . and now my parents are here (not to mention his GREAT-grandma!!).

So we've had fun playing at the park - Colt learned how to lean backwards and forwards and pump his legs, though I'm sure he could stand to use some practice :-) He thought he was pretty big stuff.

The boy never meets a stranger these days. . . he talks to people if we are stopped in the car and they are walking by like they can hear him. Cracks me up.

I mean how many 79 year old great-grandma's PLAY on the playground with their great-grandchildren?

And of course Papaw is going to get in on the action! Actually because of our limited sleeping accommodations, Papaw and Colt have been camping out together. Colt has THOROUGHLY enjoyed this. Not sure how we are going to sleep without him now!

It's been a good visit - short but sweet. Thankful for the blessing of family!

For us to remember. .

2011-02-23T12:59:00.002-05:00

I would love to go through the whole Bible and teach Colt a verse or two from each book. Then, recite from Genesis-Revelation. That's a good goal anyways. We have Genesis, Matthew-John, and Ephesians :-) He's funny.

Tickling Gut

2011-02-22T17:32:00.006-05:00

Colt and his buddy Kephas came up with the name "Gut" while they were playing. . . it was hilarious to them at the time (and still is obviously).

Mallory and Craig

2011-02-20T21:24:00.004-05:00

I got to do a photo shoot for some friends from work who are getting married this July. . . it was fun and the weather was nice too. Here are a few of my favorites -

Ode to Valentine's Day

2011-02-19T21:49:00.002-05:00

So. . . let me just start by saying that I L.O.V.E. my husband. These past 3 1/2 years have been full of love and laughter from him. I wish I could be more like him, but I suppose what he is really driving me to be is more like Christ.

This year for Valentine's day he really outdid himself - he got me an hour long massage and facial at a spa AND a new lens for my camera. Not to be outdone ;-) I surprised him with tickets to one of his favorite musical groups - Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers (insert promo here: world class musicians with great bluegrass/classical talent. Go ahead and google them).

So, we went to the concert. Doors open at 7:30. Show starts at 8:30. We took Colt. He is 2 1/2, but he likes the Punch Brothers.

We got there at 7:45. . . standing room only. STANDING ROOM ONLY. What?! Did I mention we had a 2 1/2 year old with us? We walked around with Colt. . all in all he was a golden child (Thank God!) and pretty much just enjoyed watching all of the other people. New environment for him - first concert :-)

8:30 came and went. . . 8:45. . . 9:00. . . 9:25. And then this group of people just stood RIGHT infront of us and we couldn't see ANYthing - not that there was anything to see at that time though. So not only had we been standing around for 2 hours (with a 2 year old, past his bed time and I'm 6 months preggo), but now we wouldn't be able to see IF the band did decide to come out sometime that evening :-) I can laugh about it NOW, maybe not then?

We got a refund and headed home because we had only planned to stay until about 9:30 anyways with the little guy's bedtime and I had to get up at 5 for work the next morning. We were all slightly devastated at the disappointment. Especially Colt. Our conversations seemed quite repetitive that evening, "Where are the Punch brothers Mommy? I have NO idea, buddy."

So, sorry my love for a disaster of a Valentine. . . but then again, I can't use my massage because I'm pregnant and it's not "specified" as pregnant, so they won't let me :-) And my lens didn't work. Again, we laugh about it all NOW . . . hahahah

On a lighter note - I don't know what these boys were doing or why I was taking their picture? Yes, that is Thomas the train underwear on their heads. Colt thought that was pretty awesome. They make me smile.

A Night at the Museum

2011-02-15T22:11:00.004-05:00

So, we have this awesome kids museum here in Raleigh - Marbles Kids Museum. The 3rd Tuesday of each month from 5pm-8pm it's $2 and free parking! Well guess who went tonight. . . . Me and the Colt man while Daddy was slaving away in class.

We did all kinds of fun things like. . . surfing and practicing our balancing -

Jumping. . . something he does ALL the time. He kept saying "Mommy! I'm jumping really higher!"

We raced cars with the big boys. . .

Here is Colt's car. You can tell there was no "man brains" involved in it's making (it looks like it's about to fall apart doesn't it?). Actually, I'm not sure Colt trusts it either.

Colt made me some pizza, but he also made me pay for it. We ate it in the Wells Fargo armored truck. It was a first for me!

We took care of the animals (supposed to teach responsibility, but we don't have a parrot). Maybe a parrot would be a good pet for this little boy who talks incessantly?

We "learned about money" at the bank. . . or just played with balls?

And there was splash land. . . with lots of water

My favorite (at least I thought it was the cutest) - the store!

Last but not least, the trains! This boy loves him some trains. . .

Like I said, we had LOTS of fun . . . and it was educational too :-)

Bathroom Party

2011-02-04T11:54:00.002-05:00

I've been contemplating throwing a "Bathroom Party." Is this socially acceptable? I've never heard of one, but I think in this case. . . it could be in order! As most of you know, we got a great deal on our home (all thanks and praise to the Lord), which was a foreclosure. We love the location, with several parks in walking distance. . . and it's also within walking distance to the seminary for David.

David has singlehandedly renovated the whole house to save money. The master bath to be his last project - way to go Babe! You did it. . . and he did it well. I lost my before pics (shocking I know), but this was a total redo. He cut and laid all of the tile - note especially the shower!! He moved in the vanity, sealed the top, and hung the mirrors. He had to move the light fixture and replace an outlet, so yes he is an electrician as well. And the plumbing to the vanity was something the plumber we "hired" (though never paid) said he wouldn't be able to do. . . so guess who did it? MY MR. WONDERFUL. Yep. He's amazing. Amazingly gifted and blessed by our God. He is also gifted at finding anything and everything you see in these pictures at extremely discounted prices. . (i.e. the slate tile normally 9.99/ft for .99/ft). So, when he's all finished here, I'll gladly hire him out for his extreme skills in every area of life :-) Can you tell I'm a proud and adoring wife? haha

He still needs to redo the tile around the tub. . . but that will be a weekend project. I'm just glad to have my bathroom back!!! Whoo hooo!

Did I say that would be David's last project? I take that back. . . we have a baby nursery to paint now :-)

Family fun time. . .

2011-01-27T19:18:00.005-05:00

We have thoroughly enjoyed a family day!! I must say we are blessed to have lots of them. David's classes are narrowed to only Tuesdays and Wednesdays this semester, and with him working at church he doesn't have to be away during the week. Of course, I love my job (working 10 days a month = full time. . . really!).

So, we had a lazy morning and all 3 of us just snuggled and played in bed (David got to feel our active little one as she joined in the fun). Then we read lots and had our family devotions, a yummy breakfast, and some more playtime. Colt and I made some "too-rich" cookie/brownie mix. . . we are definitely going to have to have some friends over to help eat that (and get it out of the house before we eat it!).

Then we realized it's warmer today!! Yay! So, we loaded up and treated the dog to a walk at the park. . . I think it was a treat for Colt to be outside too of course. I couldn't resist the picture taking. I'm a sucker for natural light, and don't much like to take pictures inside. Hence. . . the recent lack of blogging and photos on my end.

Enjoy!

(getting ready for all the pink and girly things!!)

Thoughts provoked from Radical, the book, chapter 6: American wealth and world poverty

2011-01-17T19:37:00.008-05:00

No real New Year's Resolutions this year besides what the Lord keeps laying on my heart, giving me desires for, and continuing to convict me to work towards - knowing Him and making Him known.

So, I'm reading the Bible in a new light. Not with the mindset to read daily so I can say I "read the whole Bible through this year". . . but I'm reading it to be CHANGED. I want to KNOW HIM MORE.

The other conviction is to "make Him known." If David and I have such a burden for missions and for the lost overseas in tribal/unreached areas. . . why not the lost surrounding us daily ALL THE MORE, now?! David Platt speaks a lot of biblical truth on this subject in his book "Radical."

Something David and I were reading this past week keeps coming back to me. In Mark 10 Jesus tells the rich young man to sell all he has and follow Christ. This is obviously a tough command to follow that seems a bit extreme. . . especially to Christians in America. The beauty of this conversation is in Mark 10:21, "Jesus looked at him and loved him." What a WONDERFUL phrase! Luke 12 echoes this theme of love where Jesus tells his disciples to sell what they have and give to the poor. BUT right before that He said, "do not be afraid, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom." !!! Christ isn't condemning riches. They aren't inherently bad, but it is nearly impossible to be COMPLETELY dependent and trusting in God when you have an abundance of wealth and riches. . . right? I can't argue there.

When Platt preached a message on this at his church, a wealthy man approached him and said point-blank, "I think you're crazy for saying some of the things you are saying. . . but I think you're right. And so now I think I'm crazy for thinking some of things I'm thinking!" He described how he was selling his large house and had decided to give away many of his other possessions. He talked about the needs he wanted to invest his resources in for the glory of Christ. Then he said (AND THIS IS WHERE I CAN ECHO THIS MAN) "I wonder at some points if I'm being irresponsible or unwise. But then I realize there is never going to come a day when I stand before God and HE LOOKS AT ME AND SAYS, I WISH YOU WOULD HAVE KEPT MORE FOR YOURSELF."

If I were to question for just a minute if I were being irresponsible or unwise, I just picture standing before the Lord. Would He really say, "Haley, you should have kept more for yourself." (Just in case He couldn't provide right?)

"Lay up treasures in heaven where moth and rust won't corrupt, and where thieves won't break in and steal. . . for where your treasure is there will your heart be also."

Finally. .

2011-01-15T10:37:00.004-05:00

We are having Christmas in WV this week (maybe a "little" late?), and it has been lots of fun so far! We had a big birthday dinner last night with the Curry Family and I do believe (as my Dad told the table next to us), the restaurant WILL put us in our own room next time. 25 people and little ones that don't know how to appreciate a 5 course fancy meal make for a lively dinner party! There was lots of love and laughter though! Wouldn't have traded it for anything - so glad we could be there!

There is still some snow left on the ground here too, and since we were out of town for the big 7-8 inches that Wake Forest got during Christmas, this is really Colt's first time playing in it! He loved the "purple sled" for some reason? And had a blast sledding and throwing snowballs with Daddy and Papaw. This was AFTER they fed the cows and I learned that they had been throwing cow patties at each other too. . . ?! Really guys? Come on. . .

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This was our Christmas present to Colt this year. . . BUNK BEDS!! He loves them, and I really think he sleeps better too! The mattress IS super comfy. Usually, if either David or I lay down with him "for a few minutes" we end up falling asleep! It's been fun though, and thankfully he doesn't like to get on the top without one of us. I'm sure that will change in the years to come though :-)

He did help Daddy put them together of course. . .

Merry Christmas from the Miles!

2010-12-26T09:51:00.004-05:00

The Longest Post of My Life. .

2010-12-24T15:22:00.006-05:00

We decided to get out of the house this morning and let the kiddos burn some energy. It was good to get some fresh air, but it was definitely a bit nippy! It's been fun to have the family together. The kids are getting along well and I think the brothers are for the most part :-) By the way, 3 of the 4 "daughters" are expecting! How fun is that? Should be fun next year!

The whole gang (except Mama T and Daddy D of course) -

One sweet little Jack -

Like father like son -

Our precious little guy -

Caily helped walk the doggies :-)

Colt helping push the babies -

The crazy Texans -

Sweet baby girl -

Watching Uncle Daniel fish -

Colt didn't want Lexi to have to walk anymore -

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Gingerbread House Making

The Littles really enjoyed this. Caily was very into the decorating part, but the other 3 were more into the eating-the-candy part! :-) You can see the pics of each holding their own decorated cookie. Colt had about 3 pieces on his - the rest were in his stomach. Crazy kid. They had a blast though! Caily pointed out that we were "making a birthday for Jesus!" So, we all sang Happy Birthday Jesus and I guess His cake is a gingerbread house (made with LOTS of love)?

Save the date. .

2010-12-15T12:52:00.002-05:00

This is pretty much the extent of my Christmas decorations this year. Sad, I know. But, when all hope that pregnancy #2 will be better than the first (on the sickness scale that is) are dashed. . . things like this just get put on the back burner. That's right, Baby Miles #2 will be here on his/her Daddy's birthday - June 12th. I'm almost to week 15. I must say I am feeling better this week though! So, thank you Lord :-)

It's been another humbling and teaching experience as far as this "trial." Hard to keep your focus on the many blessings and joys of life (and not strongly dislike those preggos that don't experience any hardship during their "9 months of bliss") when the nausea and vomiting just won't stop. BUT, God uses little things like helping through my shifts at work - those were some of my 'best' days! And showing me people who don't have sight, or warmth during the winter, or parents/husbands who love them!

David has been awesome by the way! He has really done so much - without as much as a murmur or complaint. 4 years ago today he asked me to marry him. . . I would say "YES!" again in a heartbeat (wonder if he would ask again?) haha.

A Few Christmas Pics to Share

2010-12-07T11:11:00.004-05:00

Well, here are a few of the pictures that Mom and I tried to get. I must say we had high expectations, but 2 year old cousins that just want to play together don't really do pictures that well. If only a messy room full of toys would be a good back drop. . .

Family Pics

2010-11-20T15:51:00.002-05:00

Colt and Connor

2010-11-18T09:11:00.003-05:00

DJ, Julie, and Connor came up for a few days about 2 weeks ago now, but I'm just posting this video. The boys had such a good time and played so well together! When Colt watches this he says, "I want to play with Connor!" Loved having all of them and look forward to seeing them at Christmas!

The Many Sounds of Colt

2010-10-28T14:31:00.003-04:00

This is to pacify my sweet mother in law :-) You will also probably notice a common theme in outfits - tshirt and underwear. Lovely. . . but hey, we are happy!

Our Little Tool Man

2010-10-20T11:44:00.004-04:00

(This second picture reminds me of his cousin Caily)

David and I long to train our children according to their individual "bends." We want to cultivate godly values and a strong character in each child that the Lord blesses us with, but we also want to cultivate whatever it is that they are so interested in - and help them to excel in it! Enjoying it all the while!!

It's hard to tell what Colt is REALLY interested in, since this child just loves life to fullest! I opened a pack of ABC flashcards this morning and he said "THANK YOU MOMMY! THANK YOU!" Like I had just handed him the moon. He's such a joy :-)

He LOVES balls, so sports may be his thing. He LOVES animals, so that could hold lots of different opportunities as well. We went to this great kids museum yesterday and he got to pretend to be all sorts of different things - loving them all. He really enjoyed the painting though . . . I can't imagine where he would get a love for art, seeing how neither David nor myself can draw much more than stick figures. Boy, that would be cool though!

Anyways, he obviously enjoys his tools too! He tries to be just like Daddy working on all sorts of stuff :-) Thanks Addison for the tools!! Colt sure does love them!

Family Time in SC

2010-10-06T22:39:00.004-04:00

Well, David is on Fall Break this week. So, we decided to make a quick trip to see his parents since we haven't been down there in so long! We were surprised to get to see DJ, Julie, Cort, and Connor on Sunday night. Colt loves him some Connor :-) I asked the boys to hug for a picture and Connor took that request very seriously as you can see by the last picture :-)

We also got to spend some time with Daniel, Renee, and Jack! Yay! David and Colt have seen them a couple of times, but this was my first time meeting my newest nephew! He is filling right out and already changing his looks a lot I think (at least from the pics I've seen right?) He's such a good tempered little guy and they are very blessed!

The boys all wanted to hold him, which Aunt Nea so graciously allowed. Mama T and I had to learn to share when it came to holding him too. I just kept "reminding" her that this was my FIRST time seeing him. That worked every time ;-)

Rain, Rain. . .

2010-09-30T22:40:00.003-04:00

It's been raining here nonstop the past couple of days. It's been nice for our plants and such, but Colt and Rosie are missing their playtime together outside and our walks to the park. This morning Colt asked if I could "turn the rain off just for a little bit." That made me smile. God heard his little request though, and it did stop for a few hours today. The coolest part was the big beautiful rainbow Colt got to see this evening!

He did get good use out of his rain boots that he's been wearing everyday during this past drought. So, this is the first time they have actually gotten wet :-)

The sky was beautiful too. . . too bad I didn't get a picture of that rainbow!

ABC's and Baby Jack

2010-09-16T12:02:00.005-04:00

Colt decided to show me that he learned his ABC's yesterday. . . honestly, I'm not sure where. I suppose we do sing them sometimes. Not sure who gets the credit for that one though :-) The other funny thing is his "Baby Jack." Does that name sound familiar? Ever since he went to see his new cousin, "Baby Jack," he now has his own Baby Jack. . . it's funny to watch him take care of his blankie like this (especially since he is 100% boy), but it's also sweet. I know he'll be a good big brother one day.

Just a little video. . .

2010-09-10T17:50:00.007-04:00

So, this is a video that I wanted to post for Colt's 2nd bday, but I'm just getting around to it. Videos are much more complicated than pictures to me :-)

Colt loves these cards. He probably just likes to dump them out (all 50,000 of them) . . . haha. We started with Scripture memory at his 2nd bday too. So, he's learned John 3:16, Ephesians 4:32, and Genesis 1:1. We are ready to start a new one this week. What else is new? Colt is in his "big boy underwear" all the time now :-) I love that he told all his new friends at the park today. That made for good conversation among the 2 year olds I'm sure.

Anyways, we have had a good week together. Back to work tomorrow.

Something is different. . .

2010-09-07T15:48:00.003-04:00

Well, if you took notice, Colt is wearing "big boy underwear." Instead of blogging about that saga, just check out his blog in my sidebar where I've been writing about potty training :-) Let's just say it's been kind of fun. I know David and I are definitely ready for the diapers to be a thing of the past. It is strange to hold him and not feel that cushion of a wet or stinky diaper. . . haha

His other big thing (at least to him) is on his feet - those boots! He LOVES them. It's so hot and he insists on wearing them, which is fine by me. He can take them off when he gets too hot. And he's obviously not wearing many clothes. Don't worry, there wasn't a person in sight of these pics :-) Then again, I'm posting them on the blog for everyone to see?? Where does that logic come from?