Spring.

Today, I decided to get the Little Monkey out of the house and enjoy this gorgeous spring day! My mom bought him this adorable pool for his birthday and I've been waiting for the perfect opportunity to get it out and have some fun :)  I think the Little Monkey thoroughly enjoyed his time in the pool.

Wake up sleepy head!! It's time to play!

I decided to put his new hat on him to protect his little head......

Apparently, he is not a fan of hats. There's $6.00 wasted.

He thought it was hilarious that he'd soaked his new hat.

Now, it's his pool toy.

Enough pool time, Mommy.....

Let's play in the dirt!!

I couldn't figure out what he was looking for here...

I should've known :) 

Well, this is my last post until May 9th.  Tomorrow we are leaving for Atlanta, where we will spend the night and get up bright and early to catch our flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico on Saturday. I am so ready to cruise the Caribbean with the Hubby, but I am already missing my Little Monkey and we haven't even left yet. It's going to be hard saying goodbye for eight days :(  I know he's in good hands, but it still makes me sad.  I plan on taking tons of pictures on our cruise, so you need to make sure and check back for a post of what we did each day. I can't wait! Southern Caribbean, here we come!!!

Bedtime.

Splashing the water in his face

After this shot, that cup full of water went all in the floor. Sigh..... :) 

He LOVES to wrap up in his dinosaur towel and get warm 

Posing for Mommy

If you give a Moose a Muffin, he'll probably......

His favorite book! Thanks Jackson :) 


Good night, Monkey! Sweet Dreams :) 

Just One More Breath.

Have you ever had days when you wake up and you are just so thankful for everything?  I mean, everyday I am thankful, but today I woke up and really counted my blessings. I'm in love with my life and the people in it. I'm so thankful that God has blessed me with such wonderful family and friends. Those people who truly care about me and want to best for me in everything I do. So, I've decided to make a list of everyone and everything I'm thankful for.

1.) My God. How great he is!!  He has blessed me and I don't deserve any of it. None of us do. Thank you my Lord, for always being there for me and helping me learn to put all my trust in you.

2.) My faith. Though I may swerve off the road from time to time, God always has his way of bumping me back on course. My faith is stronger than it has ever been and NO ONE can take it away from me. I fear that our country is heading down a road that will one day lead to practicing Christianity as being a crime. I'll hold on then, like I'm holding on now.

3.) My husband. Sweetheart, I love you a little more, everyday that I have you. You have taught me so many things over the last ten years and I'm so thankful I waited for you and your unconditional love :) You are an extraordinary man and an awesome father. I love everything about you!  I couldn't ask for more.

4.) My child.  One of the greatest gifts God has ever blessed me with.  He is my heart, my love, my life. I would die for him.

5.) My family.  Though, it's far from the perfect family, I'm so grateful that God has blessed me with these people who enrich my life every day.  I love my family and I'm so excited to see it growing!!

6.) Friends. It's true what they say, "As you get older, your friends will change". I used to think I couldn't live without some of my friends from high school, but we all went our separate ways and I met new friends. Over the last few years, I have gained friends and I've lost friends. Each one of you have come into my life for a reason. Even though I may not know what that reason is, I'm thankful. I've learned that you can't keep all the friends you meet along the way, but you can always remember what you learned from them. Some of them life lessons, others just learning to laugh at the stupid stuff life throws at you.  I'm so thankful for all of you that I can truly call my friend. You are worth more to me than anything in this world and I love you!

These are the things money can't buy, people I can't live without and loved ones who when they're gone, I will miss. Today, I'm thanking God above for giving me just one more breath, to keep enjoying the life I'm so in love with.

Family.

This weekend, we went back home to visit with our family and friends. We had so much fun hanging out with everyone! We especially enjoyed schooling Aunt Denay and Uncle Wez in a game of Rook :) Love you guys!! On our way back to our house, I started stressing out thinking about the packing and all the extra stuff my week has in store for me. We are flying to Puerto Rico on Saturday, leaving for our cruise and I haven't started packing anything (I'm such a procrastinator). Anyway, I don't have much blogging in me tonight, so here are some snapshots of our weekend :)

The Little Monkey with his Aunt Nay. I thought this was such an adorable pic :)

Silly Boy

At Levi's Baby Shower

Petting the horse with Uncle Greg

I don't think he liked the horse that much

Mini Me.

At 14 months, the Little Monkey is using the computer like his Mommy. I'm not joking, he literally will move the mouse around on the screen and select icons :)

Trying to be like Mommy

How does this thing work?

He enjoyed his time on the computer :)

Trouble.

First, I have to say Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband! 

We can't wait to see you tomorrow :) 

We had a pretty laid back day. The Little Monkey has played his little heart out all afternoon! He is a pretty good little walker these days. I wouldn't say he has mastered walking so good that he can run, but he's already trying. This afternoon, I decided I would start cleaning the kitchen while he played in the living room. I returned to see him going up the stairs. He's such a little stinker :)

Now, what do you think you're doing?

You know you're not suppose to be up there......

He knows how to charm his way out of trouble :)

Hanging Around.

Well, my week has been off since Monday. The Hubby left yesterday morning, flying out to Denver where he will be until Friday. I always miss him so much when he's away :( So, the Little Monkey and I headed back to my home town to spend the day/night with my mom. It was so much fun spending time with her yesterday! Thanks Mom, for letting us crash at your house :)

Daddy's Helper

This afternoon, The Little Monkey decided he would help his Daddy fix the lawn mower. He just looked so precious "working" with his Daddy that I had to snap some pics.

OK, so this one he isn't helping, but he sure does look cute :)

Our Day.

I've wanted to do this for a while now, but haven't found the extra time to sit down and put together such a ginormous post. Sometime before the next baby gets here (no I'm not pregnant), I want to take this blog and turn it into a book for Deacon to have. I want it to be filled with sweet memories of our daily life, for him to enjoy when he gets older. So, I have dedicate a post to our daily schedule. My day will be completely different when we have all of our children, so I thought it would be neat to remember what it was like with just one :)

Our Day

• Deacon usually wakes up around 7:00a.m. One of us will go get him out of his crib and bring him into our room for some morning snuggle time. What a sweet way to start each day. I just love watching him cuddle with his Daddy.
• We get out of bed around 7:20 and I start getting the Hubby's clothes ready while Deacon plays with the telephones.
• At 7:30, Deacon and I head downstairs where we spend the next 30 minutes getting him fed. For some reason, he really enjoys talking while I'm feeding him in the mornings. The rest of his meals don't take as long.
• After breakfast, I get him cleaned up/change his diaper and we go into the living room. I will either put him in his jumperoo or let him play with this toys, while I eat my breakfast. During this time, he enjoys watching "SuperWhy".
• After my breakfast, I clean the kitchen and then Deacon and I play in the floor or read a book.
• We usually play for 30 minutes together, then I''m usually answering emails or checking my facebook.
• While I'm on the computer, Deacon is usually playing in his toy box/bead maze. He does a really good job of entertaining himself during this time.
• Around 9:30, it's time for a nap. I will change him, so that he is in a fresh diaper for naptime and then I usually start cleaning the house or editing pictures. He will sleep for about an hour to an hour and a half.
• Around 11:00, he's ready for me to get him out of his crib. I will strip him down, put him in a new diaper and put his play clothes on.
• He is ready for lunch around 11:45. This is the time I will let him sit in his highchair and feed himself, while I unload/load the dishwasher. By the time I'm through, he's made a whole new mess for me to clean up :)
• After his lunch, we will get in the car and run errands or go see Daddy. Deacon loves to see Daddy during the day.
• At 2:00, he's ready for his afternoon nap. I usually give him some juice and a small snack before I lay him down. He favorite afternoon snack is a handful of mild cheddar crunchies and cup of apple juice.
• He will sleep for about 45 minutes. I take this time to do my daily bible devotional. I think it's important to spend some time, each day with the Lord. So, this is the time I usually do that :)
• After Deacon wakes up, I get him in a fresh diaper and we go downstairs to eat his afternoon meal. He really enjoys the Lil' Graduates dinner plates, so this is what he usually eats during this feeding. Mac & Cheese with veggies to be exact :)
• The rest of the afternoon is spent playing all over the house, while watching PBS. He loves to help me do my afternoon housework ( laundry, dishes, sweep, mop, etc).
• Dusty usually comes home around 5:00 and yesterday Deacon gave the Hubby an applause when he walked in the door, while screaming "Hi". I know, kinda disgusting :) How come I never get an applause?
• Dusty usually plays with Deacon for a few minutes. The Little Monkey really enjoys Daddy throwing him up in the air. After they play for a bit, the Hubby will take Deacon with him outside to do some "manly jobs". During this time, I am kickin' it in my recliner and either blogging/reading some of my other favorite blogs/ or getting dinner ready.
• Around 7:00, we will give the little monkey a bath ( if he wants one). I usually let him splash around in the tub for about 15 minutes before I start cleaning him.
• At 7:30, one of us will feed Deacon and get him ready for bed.
• Deacon does not have a set bed time. We will let him play in the floor until we start seeing signs of him being sleepy. He will usually got to bed around 8:30 or 9:00.
• After the Little Monkey is tucked away, safe and sound, the Hubby and I will clean up Deacon's mess, grab out Netflix movie and head up stairs.
• We usually go to bed around 11:00 and then the whole process repeats itself :)

There you have it, friends. 850 words describing my day. I'm sure you all feel enlightened now :) HA!!

My Boy.

Oh, my sweet boy.

You get more adorable with each day that passes.

You're constantly changing and I continue to look for my features in your appearance.

There aren't many, but you did get one thing from your Mommy.......her naturally curly hair. She loves her curly hair and she hopes you grow up to love yours as well :)

Blah, Blah, Blah.

Well, the Hubby is pretty sick. He's been up all night and is unable to sleep. I feel so bad for him :( My whole day has been "off" and you're probably laughing at my typing right now. That's ok, I don't have to mental energy to speak or type correct English today :)

This is how the Little Monkey feels about his Daddy being sick. Awwww :)

What We're Reading.

If you know me at all, you know I love children's books! When I took Children's Lit. in college, I fell in love with a few authors and I can't get enough of their books. I started collecting books during my last year at ASU, preparing myself for the humongous library I would need when I started teaching. Since I never had a classroom, I've had these books tucked away for future use. So, the elementary teacher is coming out in me tonight and I want to recommend some excellent books for your little one.

Books for Babies:

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? ~ Eric Carle
• Where Is Baby's Bellybutton? ~ Kathy Katz (she has several more like this)
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar ~ Eric Carle (love him)
• Goodnight Moon~ Margaret Wise Brown
• Where The Wild Things Are ~Maurice Sendak
• The Giving Tree ~ Shel Silverstein (great author)
• Sheep in a Jeep ~ Nancy Shaw
• If You Give A Moose A Muffin ~Laura Numeroff
• A Snowy Day ~ Ezra Jack Keats

Books for Toddlers:

• Anything by Dr. Suess (love these books)
• Anything by P.D. Eastman
• Shoes From Grandpa ~ Mem Fox
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom ~ Bill Martin Jr.
• Corduroy ~ Don Freeman
• How I Became A Pirate ~ David Shannon ( love this author)
• Five Little Ladybugs ~ Melanie Gerth
• No David ~ David Shannon

Here are just a few of the authors and their books that I love. If you have a little one, or will one day, I would recommend these books for them. I have a ton more of authors and books, but I don't have the space to type it all :)

Sailing the Caribbean.

I am so excited about what's happening in the next few weeks! Dusty and I are going on a romantic getaway, just the two of us. We will be sailing the beautiful, turquoise waters of the Southern Caribbean on May 1 - 8 !! I am beyond stoked!! We went on a Western Caribbean cruise a couple of years ago and we loved it!! I've been wanting to do another one, but couldn't stand the thought of leaving the Little Monkey behind. I've been thinking a while about it and I have come to the conclusion that I need to let go a bit. I love my son, but I also love my husband and it's good for us to take a trip, just the two of us every once in a while. I figure when the next baby gets here, our "just us" vacations will come to an end :) Anyway, we are flying out of Atlanta traveling to San Juan, Puerto Rico where our cruise ship leaves for Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Maarten, St. Croix and then back to San Juan. This means I will be away from the Little Monkey for eight days!! Right now, we are planning on calling and doing web- cam chats with him daily. I figure if I can hear him and see him, I will be fine :) The only thing I'm nervous about, is if either connection is bad, which I've been assured by Royal Caribbean that all connections (Internet, cell tower) are "the best out there". We'll see :) Also, don't expect to see any posts on this blog from May 1-9. I will have Internet access, but I'm not going to blog. I remember trying to use the Internet the last time we went on a cruise and you had a time limit and there was always a long line waiting for the computers. I love blogging, but I think it will be more trouble than it's worth on this trip. However, I do promise to create a daily post, when I get back, of everything we did on each day. So, you'll still get to see the daily activities with pictures from each stop, just a week later :) I'm officially counting down the days!!

24 Days till Cruise Time

Ladies & Gentlemen.......

We have a walker!!!

The Little Monkey has been taking a few steps here and there, but today I walked into the kitchen to turn around and see him following me!! He was going pretty fast too :) It was such an amazing thing to see :) I have a video, but my computer is pretty full right now so it might be a while before I can upload it. Here are some pictures I took of him today. He has been in the best mood all day.

He's been walking all over the house for most of the day :)

He let go of his bead maze and was clapping for himself. He's so proud :)

He has the most adorable laugh :) Right after this shot, he took off towards my camera!

My Big Boy

So pretty...

Easter.

We had so much fun during our Easter weekend and we hope you did too. We traveled back home Saturday to spend the day with Dusty's family. We had a blast at the Easter Egg Hunt Saturday night. All the grandkids had such a good time. The Little Monkey didn't really know what to do with his basket and eggs, but he sure looked cute :)

Family picture on Easter morning. The Little Monkey had just woken up from his morning nap. You can tell he is excited :)

Kissing the Little Monkey

He looks so happy :)

Hunting Easter eggs with Uncle Matthew :)

My aunt bought him his own little tool set and it came with a hard hat. Look how precious! He loves his hat :)

Sitting Pretty.

Here's a picture of the Little Monkey, sitting pretty in our grass that needs to be mowed ;) Even though he is being blinded by the hot afternoon sun, he still looks adorable with his little hands clasp together ( he knows when the camera is pointed at him). Silly boy :) We are leaving this weekend, going back home to visit with family and friends for Easter. I probably won't be posting anything this weekend, because we'll be doing quite a bit of traveling. Saturday night, my in-laws are having an Easter Egg Hunt at their house for all the grandchildren, so I should have some super cute pics to share with you all.

We hope everyone has a Happy Easter!