Costco

We went to Costco last night as a family. We met Mark out at the one that's closest to his work and had a great time. We like walking around looking at the incredibly big boxes of everything and anything.........did you know that you can buy a casket at Costco? I just saw that for the first time last night. Sort of odd if you ask me, but I'm sure it's a great deal. Last night we had 5 things on our list and we left with only 3 of the 5......that's pretty good for Costco (the other two things were not there.) Usually it's the other way around. I would have 5 things on my list and I would end up leaving with 10 things. We are really trying hard to stick to a budget and use what the Lord has blessed us with. It has been a challenge but we really feel that God is working on us to live simply and humbly. I love looking at my pantry and seeing how I can make dinner with the things we already have. It makes it fun and knowing that we are doing what God has asked us to do makes a so-so dinner seem like a gourmet meal.
"He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever." Psalm 111:5

Happy Birthday Papa!!

My mom and her dad a month (May 2006) before he passed away. We all wish you were still around to see Lulu and Levi join our family. I got pregnant with Lulu a month after Papa passed away. I have so many memories of him. I will never forget the New Years Eve that my brother and I spent with my grandparents. Grandma had gone to bed and Papa let us stay up to count down to midnight. I was about 8 years old so this was a big deal for me. At exactly midnight we all ran up the stairs from their basement (where the T.V. was) and went out to the front yard and banged pots and pans to make as much noise as we could. I will never forget that. We miss you!

Toilet Paper

Lulu has always loved playing with toilet paper. The first two pictures were taken when she was 14 months old playing with the toilet paper that she took off the roll when I wasn't looking. Ever since then she has enjoyed tearing it into little pieces and making piles with it. I will find little pieces of toilet paper all over the place for a few days after she has done this. The last picture is Lulu just the other day playing with some toilet paper that she asked for. I know how much she loves it so I let her take a bit now and then to play with. She calls it her "stuffs." She'll say "mommy, where's my stuffs?" "mommy, can I have some toilet paper to make stuffs?" Who would have thought a little toilet paper could make a 2 1/2 year old so happy. Hopefully this will make potty training that much easier!!

Tummy Time!

Levi is getting so big, about 12lbs now. He is 6 1/2 weeks old and he loves "tummy time." He can hold his head up really well and push up with his arms. He does get a bit tired and then ends up laying flat on his tummy and really likes that position. He's very content where ever he is and it takes a lot to upset him. He is cooing a lot and has been tracking for a while now. Levi is a great sleeper!! We usually put him down around 8pm and he is up at 7am. He will usually wake once at night to nurse and even then he doesn't really wake up. It's been such a blessing to get this much rest. I can't wait to see how God is going to use Levi as he gets older.....and also Lulu. They are so different and I could see that even when Levi was still in my belly. The way he acted inside of me is just how he is now, calm and content. It's amazing how God creates life and gives a baby 9 months of a warm place to live before coming out but they still take on their personality from very early on in the womb. I remember how Lulu used to flutter in my tummy non stop and those flutters became kicks that were non stop and to this day she is always moving and dancing. Levi would flutter and take long periods of rest then he would flutter some more, then he started kicking but not very hard and would have long periods or rest......just like he does now. I just know God has something very special planned for both of them just like he does for every single little baby waiting to be born.
"For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to you You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. Psalm 139: 13-16

To the beach!

Today Lulu wanted to go to the beach. She has been asking to go for a while. She even wanted to go swimming but seeing as it was 58 degrees out I had to explain to her that it was too cold for swimming. We still had a blast throwing rocks and running in the grass. On our way back to the car Lulu found so many beautiful Fall leaves. Mark and I love talking with her about God's creation and how everything we see is all because of the hand of God. Fall is such a great time to see God's amazing and perfect creation in the colors He has given us. I love that I get to be with my children daily, at home to help them see how God is working in our lives and how we give God the glory for everything. I am truly blessed!
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up." Deuteronomy 6:5-7

Daddy's Home!!

I love when Mark gets home from work. We all get to just have fun, relax and be a family. This evening Mark was showing Lulu how to stand on her head. She loves spending time with her daddy and they are always doing something fun. Levi got to have fun watching them. He is now smiling so much (but of course not when I get the camera out.) He also starts waving his arms up and down when Lulu is running around and dancing near him. He loves watching her play and I'm sure he will be right there with her playing sooner then I expect. Time is flying by.....I wish it would slow down just a bit.

I wonder what we'll do tomorrow evening?

Going to the Pumpkin Patch

Here is Lulu at the local farm we visited to get our pumpkins. Then we of course had to walk the green bean maze (the corn maze was too big for her little legs). Uh oh, which way do we go now? Then Lulu got to climb and play on the hay bales. She had a blast doing this. Finally we found the pumpkins. The pumpkin patch is very different then going to the gorcery store. Here they are all different shapes and sizes and actually sort of funny looking. We like the odd ball looking ones that have personality. And Lulu found one that she could actually carry!!

Date Night!!

I remember when date night used to mean getting dressed up and going out to a nice restaurant with my husband. We would probably talk about work and where we wanted to go on our next vacation. We would always talk about someday when we have children......ahh the childless life.....BORING!!! We are so thankful we aren't there anymore. Children for us means LIFE!! For Mark and I we always would talk about "when" we have kids. One day we looked at each other and said "what are we waiting for?" The Lord blessed us with our beautiful daughter Lulu in April of 2007 and now our darling son Levi this past Sept '09. So, our date nights have now become this:

Here is Lulu exactly 2 1/2 years old and Levi exactly 6weeks old yesterday, Saturday October 17th, 2009 going on a date with Daddy and Mommy. Mark put the car seats into our new 1965 VW Beetle and we took the kids on their first ride to the drive in Burger Master. Here is Levi....he actually had so much fun he fell asleep on the ride home.

Can't wait for our next date!

-Kimmy