Friday, November 5, 2010

Fall Snapshots


His new hat

Love the smile


Half of the surprise face

Full Blown surprise face!

Happy Fall

Some Favorite Expressions of Oliver's


Cheesy smile :)

So Cute

The Oh So Great - Surprise Face!!! Love it!

Trip to The Zoo


Oliver's Favorite- The horsie!!!! He could ride all day.



Second Favorite at the Zoo- who would of thought... I mean all kinds of animals?? Nope-
rather pump well water into a tub!!!! What a boy!

Well we thought it would be fun to feed the goats (have Oliver feed them) but the zoo wasn't too busy since we got there early and the goats acted like they were starving... even though they are so fat. Well Brandon barely got the goat food in his hands and they attacked him and Oliver jetted!! haha

He did like this goat until it jumped up on a stump and started eating a little girls hair.

Well ... I mean what can i say about this...?? Luckily Oliver can't ask questions yet. I told Brandon that I wasn't quite sure how this was physically possible and I wasn't about to stick around and find out!


I love this picture because Brandon and I each have a picture of us in this same Kangaroo when we were young and went to the Ft. Wayne zoo.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Grateful

Lately I have been feeling an overwhelming gratefulness feeling. I am not sure if it is from hearing a lot of bad news lately or just God opening my eyes to how lucky I am. I wanted to share some of them: I am grateful for....
1. My awesome husband. He is gorgeous, talented, hard-working, loving, and so much more. He gets what life is about and he loves me so much. That is an irreplaceable feeling.
2. My beautiful son Oliver. He is truly his Father's son with looks and his Mother's son with attitude. I am still trying to figure out if this is good or bad, but his attitude is STRONG. He is so independent and sassy (naturally).
3. My family- The older I get the more I realize how blessed I am to belong to such an amazing family. The would truly do anything for me and they love me a lot as well. They are giving an unselfish and I don't know what I would do without them. Having brother's and sister's is so much fun (99% of the time) and I am grateful for each one of them.
4. My extended family of in-laws and so on.. Oliver is so lucky to have so many people love him. I couldn't ask for a better family to marry in to.
5. The opportunity to wake up each day and see soothing water and sounds of nature all around.
5. The ability to even have kids.
6. Indiana - I know right?? Indiana?!?! This Hoosier state is what made my husband and I the way we are and I love it. Corn, rednecks, camo, carhart, deer, small town USA yes please!!
7. On that note-- I feel that it is necessary for me to be thankful for Brandon and I's desire to travel and see the world outside of IN. This is home, but we both want to discover other things.
8. For Brandon opening my eyes to design, appreciation, nature, ... the list goes on.
9. For my mother-in-law for raising Brandon up in church and teaching him about God. He would NOT be the man he is today without that most important thing.
10. For my parents raising me in church, even when I didn't want to go.
11. For Brandon and I's relationship. I find that it is closer or deeper on many levels than a typical relationship. You name it we talk about it.
12. Being able to stay home with Oliver a couple days a week.
13. For a healthy baby boy.
14. For the two big trees in our front yard- what would we do without them.
15. For my best friend, Kati, she is truly a one of a kind and I love her. Two gangly, freckle-faced, flat-chested brunettes from small towns and went to Prairie Heights. (say that last sentence with a southern accent- I promise it will bring a smile to your face)
16. My two part time jobs- I have never liked let alone loved a job since college and I really like both of them and the people I work with!
17. Seasons- each one brings a different mood, emotion, attitude and we truly wouldn't appreciate one without the others.
18. Time- God giving me each day with my husband and son, and hopefully many more days.
19. Coffee and Iced Tea- equally enjoyable to me.
20. Even though this one is last- it should be first but I did it on purpose so that it is most remembered. I am most grateful for God- without him none of these things would be important or mean anything to me.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Oliver's 1st Bday Pics. (little late)

Some of Oliver's cousins and friends.
Oliver doing his "Superman" arms. Grandpa Pete taught him that one.
My mom made Oliver a big and little cake and Gpa Pete made him a Fish cake!
Mom going in for the cake kiss!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Blog Much?!?!?

Well it is official. I have to be the world's worst blogger. One thing that I have figured out however is that I am great at reading other people's blogs and really enjoy it. This should inspire me to be better at it, but for some reason- i have been slacking BAD! It could be that I now have 2 part time jobs and it is Summer. For those of you who don't know- I took a part time job at our local YMCA doing some front desk/ courtesy counter work and the other one is doing the same thing at a Chiropractic/PT office in North Fort Wayne. I love both of them and and combined I am only working about 20 hrs. a week. I still get Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays with my baby :) Well not really baby anymore.. more like Big Toddler. ha! He is such a big boy now and is doing all kinds of new things. He will be 13 mo. old on the 13th!!! I will try to post more pictures of him from his big 1st Bday. He tore into his cake and got spoiled beyond belief. It was a beautiful day and we had oh about 65 people at the lake!!!! I have much more to blog and I am really going to make an effort to do it more ( i know i promised this before in a previous blog, but that was when i was jobless)

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Music Videos... WHAT!!!

So anyone that knows me well, knows that I love music, dancing, and costumes. I grew up with my dad recording Friday Night Videos in the 80's and we would watch them over and over. I loved watching MTV music videos (when they still played them) all the way through college. I get a rush watching the dancing and crazy costumes and the lyrics and beats!!!! Ok so anyway- it has been a while since I have had time to see a music video or that I chose to watch one. I usually try to catch Live with Kelly and Regis in the morning and that is about it. Well this past Saturday morning I woke up early with Oliver and Brandon was at work. I saw that either MTV or VH1 had a countdown on. So I decided to watch some videos. Usher comes on with his new song OMG which was pretty good. Then I see that a new Christina Aguilara song is coming up. So in my head I am thinking... wow she is making a comeback and she is a mom now and has a baby... I wonder how she is going to look and sound, etc. So then the video comes on and the whole time I am watching it, I am baffled. It was basically a porn!!! I was holding Oliver and I was just thinking - How am I going to keep my precious son from seeing this oneday!?!?!?! How am I going to explain to him that this is not what you look for in a lady!!! How do I explain to him that this is NOT right. UGH!!! I was beyond dissapointed and disgusted after seeing that. I feel like I can handle a lot too. This was just beyond what I thought they could even play on TV! Wow have things changed since the 80's even. So to make matters even worse... I have been humming the tune to Lady Gaga's "Aleandro" song since it came out. Mainly because I can't seem to escape it. I think that she is a total nut, but I can't help but like her music. I frustrate myself with this. So I actually looked this video up to see it because when I listen to the song- I feel like the video would be light and maybe even a little fun. (it's summer time) . HAHA! Well I couldn't be more wrong. Christina has nothing on Gaga. I can't really explain this video, but I felt so saddened afterwards. I can't believe I live in a world where it is OK to play things on TV like that. I am nervous for the future and having to explain things like this to Oliver. God please help me!!! Seriously!!! I have been thinking about this for awhile now and I think about my friends who have daughters and they will have to explain to them oneday that it is not OK to want to be like these celebrities.
Well I guess I have put my little rant in for the day. I have been wanting to blog about this since Sat. when I saw all of this.
I have a lot more to blog about with our lives.... soon...:)

Friday, June 4, 2010

Young Love :)




Well for those of you who don't know yet... Oliver has a girlfriend and possible future wife. Miss Braylee. She is 4 months old and she is quite the beauty. My cousin Chelsea babysits for her and we get the two together all the time. I have many more photos to post of these two. Surprisingly enough - Oliver is quite gentle with her.

Oliver is going through a little biting stage right now. He got me on the shoulder and then on my love handle today which not only hurt really really bad, but reminded me of how I want to get rid of those things! Erk! I am trying to teach him "No" without over using it on the wrong things. When he bit me today it hurt so bad and caught me off gaurd that I elbowed him in the head and screamed "ouch". He took a deep breathe and his face got beet red.. and I just waited for what seemed forever for that cry to come out. He was so scared and heartbroken.. :( Me too though.
He is on his 2nd two hour nap today which is just unbelievable. I don't know what to do with myself. This weekend is pretty much chalked up to graduation parties. Man how the time flies. I can remember mine like yesterday and now I am married with a kid! yikes!

Brandon almost quit his job yesterday, but is going to stick it out for another week to see if the hours do really get better. It is another week that I haven't gotten to eat supper with him or even talk with him at all. He leaves at 6:30 and gets back at 9:00. Ugh!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Good Morning, good morning

This week has been just beautiful. Everyday when I wake up the sun is shining and the birds are chirping. So much better than the 2 weeks of straight rain we had.
When Brandon and I went on the pontoon ride the other day- I put on my bikini. I think that may be the last time for this summer. I really need to work out or something. I have always been able to control my weight with what I eat, and this is obviously not the case anymore. I eat just fine, but I am at a complete stand still. I look back at old pictures and I can't help but wonder if I will ever look the same again. I know that I won't anyways because of stretchmarks, but I actually don't mind that- it is this extra layer around my stomach that won't go away!!! I know it is going to take work, and I am just so not the exerciser. I am hoping to get this part time job at the YMCA, and it is just 4 hrs in the evening on MWF. You get a free membership and they may watch Oliver. I am thinking this really leaves me no excuse to work out. So pray that the job will work out for me :).
I look at Oliver and I know it was worth it and I know that I am going to have more kids, but then I see Brandon who is EXACTLY the same and it makes me a tad bitter, which I hate to be that way. Oliver is fussing.. gotta go

Monday, May 24, 2010

Not about me anymore




This weekend was beautiful. Brandon only had to work a half day on Saturday and so we spent the afternoon together and all day Sunday. We have went on two pontoon rides during the week and Oliver was not very good. He wanted to walk around and go straight for the gates to look over the edge at the water. This wouldn't of scared me so much, but we hadn't gotten him a life vest yet- so I had to hold him the whole time. My son hates to be constrained in any way so it was not fun. After church on Sunday we went with Brandon's dad and stepmom and they wanted to buy Oliver a life vest which was so nice of them. We get back to the house and we decide to go for a ride and try out the vest. Well he seemed to hate it at first but I think it was because he was so dang hot in it, so we dipped him in the water (which was chilly) but he loved it.
I couldn't help but think back to all the past summers I had spent on the lake or a pontoon.... all I needed to get around was my sunscreen, towel and lay back and soak in the sun.. ahhh, peaceful. It was whatever I wanted. Well I think sometimes you don't realize how much freedom you had before kids until you have one! ha. This boat ride being the perfect example. Being a mom, along with being a good wife is one word- sacrifice. Brandon kept pointing out houses to me on the lake and just relaxing and driving the pontoon- I am constantly trying to keep Oliver entertained! ha! It is so worth it though- I am grateful for the responsibility. This life of being a mom though is still setting in for me, all of my life it was just me to take care of and now it isn't.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Strike a pose

So Mr. Hammie here is taking a bath at Grandma Sheryl's. He likes to stand up and be a goofball during bath time. Sometimes I get so busy with just taking care of him and going through the motions that it seems like time has flown by. When I start feeling like that, I take a step back and really look at Oliver and think.... that is my son!! He has Brandon's eyes, hair, etc. (Ok so everything) but he certainly has my strong attitude at sassiness. Eek!!! This is a scary thought. I am glad that he will be the oldest sibling and I would want him to have a strong attitude. Going back to my original thought.. what a miracle! He was created by Brandon and I. How could someone go through pregnancy , give birth, and doubt that there is a God????? It truly is a miracle from God. Speaking of which:
It scares me sometimes how much Oliver means to me and how precious he is to me that I don't know what I would do without him. I don't try to think about it too much, but I won't lie, the thought crosses my mind every once in a while. Then I am reminded that he will be gone one day and that he is just a temporary gift from God. I have been given the job as "Mother" to raise him the best I can, and then he will leave Brandon and I to start his own family. Yes, I will always be his mother, but he will be on his own one day.

Setting a new Goal.....

Blogging... something that I have come to find harder than I thought. I love to read blogs that some of my friends have and look at their great pics. I think that reading them inspires me in so many ways. To be a better writer, to be honest, to be real, to share our life in a very personal way. So many things that I want to do but just need to practice at. So from here on out, I am going to start blogging more and about different things. So let's start with today:
It is now 1:19 in the afternoon and I am still in my PJ's. I have fed and bathed Oliver, wrestled with him to go down for his morning nap, washed the dishes, cleaned the kitchen and living room and still managed to not get dressed.... I swore I wouldn't be "that" mom. Ha! I am not this way everyday though.
Friday is the day that I usually enjoy knowing that Brandon will have the next 2 whole days to spend with Oliver and I, but that is not the case. Ever since he started working for this company he has worked every Saturday and has put in somewhere between 60-65 hours each week. It is killing me! I feel like we are just strangers sometimes. He hates this job and wants something new so bad, but there really isn't too much available. I knew that moving home, that was my biggest fear that he would hate his new job. Fortunately the people he works with are great and he has really clicked with all of them. For anyone who knows the kind of work that Brandon has done in the past, this couldn't be any more different. He is doing manual labor now and getting very dirty!!! ha! He doesn't mind the work really, it is just the long hours and Saturdays.
Our lake cottage has been under construction just about ever since we moved in. God is so humorous sometimes in the way he works- let me explain. I probably complained every other day about washing Oliver's bottles when we lived in Indianapolis and now I am washing dishes everyday by hand!!! ha. I have never wanted a dishwasher so bad. Our clothes dryer isn't producing any heat now, and so I had to call a repair man which is $35 and then if they fix it, another $35 and then who knows what for the part!! I was so frustrated about this because I am sure that it is something that is so so simple.
Well I guess this was a good start to my new goal... I can tell I need practice with my writing though. I feel that it is good for the soul to get these frustrations out somehow! Ta Ta

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Back on the Blog!



Well we are finally back to where we originally started, "home". Brandon, Oliver, and I are now moved into our little lake cottage on Sylvan Lake, IN. Things have been more than hectic during the process, but we are doing well. I will post more tomorrow! Love and miss all of my Indy friends!!!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

On Vacation in Florida :)







Well we are in the midst of our vacation and Oliver has decided to open a whole new bag of tricks! He is now crawling and pulling himself up and wants to let go and walk. I can't believe everything that he has done since we have been here. I guess that all he needed was carpet.. our hardwoods were too slippery. We are having a great time catching up with Grandma Penny and Powell.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

What to pack for Florida???



Oliver has too many clothes to choose from, due to Grandparents spoiling him :) These pictures crack me up because he looks so big. I was trying on some summer clothes to make sure they fit him to pack for vacation. We will be going to FL - March 19th- 28th. We are pumped to see Grandma Penny & Powell!

Moving Home!!!!


Well Brandon has officially accepted a job in Fort Wayne and we are moving home. We listed our house FSBO and 4 days later had an offer and accepted it. We will be moving into my Grandma's house in Avilla for the month of April and then moving to Sylvan Lake after that. I am nervous and excited all in one. We have so much to look forward to and it will be great that it will be summer time at the lake! Moving 2x and with Oliver will be stressful though, I'm sure. We are so happy that we will be closer to family and friends, and once and for all settled! Good Bye sweet house!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Oliver is now 7 months old





Well Oliver is showing off his two bottom teeth in the picture with his Colts outfit on. He has a top tooth in too that you will be able to see soon. I am hoping to get his 6 month photos back soon because we got to take some outside when the snow was beautiful and fresh. He is very strong but still not very interested in crawling quite yet. Which is completely OK with me. He already seems pretty mobile. He is grabbing everything and can spin around 360 degrees no problem. We are patiently awaiting Spring Break to go to FL. Can't wait!!!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Yum Yum















Gotta love the green beans and prunes! Well Oliver does even though it doesn't look like it- ha! Well he is eating so much food now that I just don't know where it all goes. He has two bottom teeth and he thinks he can chew with those two teeth. He has been eating some puffs though lately! Last week I went to see two of my friends' babies. One was one day old in the hospital and the other was 4 weeks old. I had a little breakdown seeing how big Oliver looked next to those tiny babies. He is so much fun now, but it is hard to believe that just 6 months ago that he was that tiny!!!!

Hammie Ham




















I just love that sweet face!

I love my washrag!















Lately during bath time I can't seem to get the washrag away from Oliver. He loves to suck the water out of it. It is an all out battle to get it from him. As you can see he is sitting in the deep end of the tub and can sit up on his own now without falling over. He loves bath time!!!

Jamie and Oliver


Jamie is the little boy I nanny for on MWF. He is 2 months younger than Oliver. They seem to get along pretty well. Oliver isn't quite sure about sharing mommy yet :)

Like father like son

Well I know what you are all thinking..... Oliver sleeps with you guys?!?!? NO! He only gets to come into our bed when he wakes up at 7 am and we want an extra hour and he will sleep in between us till 8. He loves his own room thankfully :) This picture just cracks me up though. My two boys!!!

Lakers vs. Pacers

Well last week we went to the Lakers/ Pacers game at Conseco Fieldhouse here in Indy. We couldn't find a babysitter so Oliver came with. He didn't do quite as good as he did at the Purdue game, but still was pretty cooperative. There were way more Lakers fans there than Pacers fans though.