Friday's Fab Five

Time for a little Fab Five reflecting on the past!

We just got back this evening from a little trip to the Washington, DC area. It was nice to have a few days to just relax. Even nicer was the chance to see Josh, Amanda, and Adah! While we were gone, Brennan took his first bath in a regular tub! He is getting so big. I was a little nervous about him sitting up all alone in a slippery tub, but he did great and loved the freedom to splash like crazy. Since Adah was there, the two of them took baths together! So cute and such good pictures to use in their slideshow when they get married!

Check out five fabulous pictures of this growing boy!

His first sponge bath on February 15th.


His first submerged bath on March 5th.


Taking up more space in his tub on June 1st.


Sitting in his duck tub on July 21st. We bought the duck tub for traveling and ended up using it each night at home too.


Sitting on his own yesterday.


Wow! Where did time go?

Happy Halloween

A post by Brennan:

Today was an exciting day. It was my first Halloween! We started the day by going to church. I was a very good boy and took a one-hour nap in the nursery! Then we all came home, ate lunch, and I took a 2 hour and 45 minute nap at home! I woke up happy, so Mommy took some pictures to commemorate this special day!

I decided to make some funny faces for the camera to celebrate this special occasion!

You might be able to see one of my two bottom teeth in this picture.

It is very exciting day, so I wanted to clap my hands!

Then it was time to get my costume on. I really do love my costume, but Mommy accidentally scratched me with her nail while getting me dressed and I started crying. But she insisted that I post this picture on here!

My tears didn't last too long because Mommy was acting silly trying to cheer me up. You should be able to see both my bottom teeth in this one!

Then it was time to head back to church. Our church was having a Light the Night party. Daddy went early to set up, so we went to find him once we arrived. He was dressed like a zookeeper!

And so was Mommy!

We had a lot of fun, but had to leave before the party was over because I was sleepy.

I hope you had a great Halloween too!

Love,

Brennan

Friday's Fab Five

I feel like this week has flown by! I guess that means we had fun this week. Hope you did too!

1. Even though it seems we just got back from a little trip to Atlantic City, we are about to leave for another little trip to DC. This will actually be Brennan's 2nd time to the city, but this time should be much more relaxing than last time. It's always nice to get away, but this will especially nice because we will get to see our friends Josh and Amanda and Eric and Christie and their handsome new boy, Matthew!

2. I bought Brennan a new coat this week. I figured he needed a warm winter coat to get him through his first full Connecticut winter. The best part?!?! I got it for 50% with a coupon thanks to Money Saving Mom!

3. Speaking of big savings...Amanda was kind enough to call me the other day and let me know that Southwest Airlines was having a huge sale (sorry it ended yesterday). Kyle and I have been looking at airline tickets to fly home to Kentucky for Christmas and even though they were cheaper than we originally expected, it was still going to cost us a pretty penny. Well, we aren't going to go home for Christmas, but we are going just before the holidays, so we will just have to celebrate early. And it is so worth it because it was only $60/person each way! Not bad at all. Of course that is the price before tax and that is where they get you, but we are now both going home close to Christmas for less than it was going to cost one of us to fly! Can't beat that!

4. I won a giveaway! I never win anything and I actually won! Amber over at Amber's Articles was giving away a Seeds Family Worship CD. I have been wanting one for a long time now and haven't gotten around to buying it. The CDs are scriptures set to music, so they are easier for kids (and mommies) to learn! I am so excited. It's kinda funny because my sister won a giveaway from that same blog a few months back. I guess we are lucky!

5. Brennan is excited about winning the CD too. Check out his new trick! He can clap!

He can actually clap even better than that now, but at least I did catch it on video. It's very cute because he will usually clap when you ask him to, but he also claps when anyone says "Yeah!" or "Good job!".

This next video makes me laugh. When we first got our dog, Ringo, we started trying to teach him tricks. He was actually a really fast learner. He quickly learned sit, paw, and lay down. He was always happy to perform them because it meant he got a treat. However, he got so used to doing all three in succession that as soon as you would ask him to "sit" he would immediately sit, give you his paw, and then lay down with the one command. Maybe we tried to teach him too many tricks at once. Does the same hold true with children? Brennan has learned how to put his arms up when we say, "How big is Brennan?" and he just learned to clap this week. But check out this video. I have him so mixed up!

The Versatile Blogger

Like many people, I originally started my blog for my friends and family back home. Kyle and I got married on July 8, 2006 and the very next day drove 14.5 hours to Groton, CT so he could start SOBC with the Navy. Being that far away from home meant (and still means) we can't see our family nearly as much as we would like to, so I started the blog as a way to keep them up-do-date.

Fast forward to now and I guess you could say I am addicted. I try to keep my blog pretty up-to-date and have been doing a much better job of it since Brennan was born. But I am certainly addicted to reading blogs. Some are really sad, yet inspirational. Some are uplifting. Some are about fun crafts and activities to do with your kids. Some are just about families. Kyle doesn't understand why I like reading about these people I don't even know (in real life, because I do kinda of feel like I do know them). I can't really explain it either, I just like it.

Anyways...one of my best friends just recently started a blog. Laura, over at Storybook Reality, blogs about life, religion, cooking, and her new handsome son. She was kind enough to award me with a little blogger award.


To accept this award one must:
* link back to the person who gave you the award
*share 7 things about yourself
*pass it along to other blogs you enjoy (it said 15 but i say do what you want!)
*make sure you tell your awardees about the award so they can repost!

Let's see seven {extremely random} things about me....
1. I don't really like hot drinks. People are always talking about their favorite hot drinks during this time of the year and I just really don't think drinks should be hot. I know I'm strange!

2. I have a fear of stairs. I do not like to walk up or down stairs without holding onto the railing. I have really poor balance and I'm extremely afraid I am going to fall down. I HATE bleachers for the same reason.

3. My husband is working late tonight, so right now the baby is taking a little cat nap before bed and I have a frozen pizza in the oven.

4. A new house is being built right next door to us and it seems to be going quickly, but I am ready for it to be done. It is loud (although Brennan seems to be able to sleep through the noise fine) and the work they are doing makes our house shake. I hope we get some really nice neighbors though!

5. I took a long nap today while Brennan napped (shh don't tell anyone).

6. I kind of want to get my hair cut, but it is getting colder, so I'm not sure if this is the time to do it.

7. One of my friends had this "This brand new week is a blessing from God- what are you going to do to glorify Him with it?" posted as her status on Facebook today and I like it.

So now I need to pass the away along to some other bloggy friends. I do read some pretty "famous" blogs, but I wanted to give the award to some of my friends in real life who have great blogs. Hope you enjoy!

The Hoover Family

Notable Music Studio

One Mama's Madness

Snyder Stories

Nurse in Training

Gotta Love Those Eyes

Friday's Fab Five

We just got home a little bit ago from spending three days in Atlantic City. My parents flew up for a week's vacation and we drove down so they could see us Brennan. Here is a recap and some fabulous pictures from our little vaca!

We arrived on Wednesday, let Brennan take a nap, and then went to dinner with my parents. On Thursday, we got up and drove to Cape May, NJ. We ate lunch, walked on the beach, and shopped a little.

Brennan's first time in the Atlantic Ocean. Haha!


Much happier not in the water.


Not so happy sitting in the sand.


Cap May beach houses...so pretty!


Thursday night, Kyle and I went out to dinner after Brennan went to bed. Ga-Ga and Ge-Ge stayed back in the room with Brennan. Then we got up on Friday morning and packed up to head home. It was a short trip, but we had fun and I'm so glad my parents to got to see us Brennan!

Brennan loves his Ge-Ge and Ga-Ga!

Friday's Fab Five

No lack of fabulousness around here this week!

1. Brennan got his first tooth! It is the front, bottom left tooth. And he really didn't seem to be extra cranky. He never woke in the middle of the night or anything. Check out my handsome boy!

2. We had friends over for dinner on Wednesday night, which is always fun! The Dishmons and McClures came over and Amanda cooked us White Bean Chicken Chili. It was delish! The Dishmons have Adah and baby girl #2 on the way. The McClures have four daughters, so Brennan was the only little boy. He was loving all the attention though! Both families are moving within the next week and we will miss them a lot!

3. Brennan got his flu shot yesterday. I really don't think shots are fabulous, but hopefully it prevents him from getting sick this winter. I feel very blessed to have the medical benefits associated with the military. I hear people complain about them all the time and I do know there are some hoops you have to jump through for certain things, but I think we have it pretty good. I have had to take Brennan to the doctor three times in the past five weeks. Once for an ear infection and twice for follow-ups and never once paid a dime. He has gotten a flu shot and two prescriptions and again we paid nothing. It is a huge blessing!

4. I read this earlier in the week from Shepherding a Child's Heart and it has stuck with me. Brennan is too young to start applying principals like this, but I think it applies to adults as well. I think it helps remind us we need to examine the "why" behind the way we act and the things we say.

"A person's life is reflection of his heart. Proverbs 4:23 states it like this: 'Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.' The word picture here is graphic. This theme is restated elsewhere in the Bible. The behavior a person exhibits is an expression of the overflow of the heart. You could picture it like this. The heart determines behavior. What you say and do expresses the orientation of your heart . . . Luke 6:45 corroborates this point: 'The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.'"

5. Check out what I made! I am loving this wreath. The directions are here. I followed them pretty much exactly except that I used three sheets of each color felt (except for brown---only used one sheet of brown). It cost me a little more to make it because I had to buy a hot glue gun. Now I just need to hang it on the door!