Repeat

Tonight's picture...

reminds me a little of this picture from last year at this time.


Apparently our anniversary weekend means rain. It poured on our wedding day too!

Happy Anniversary!

We've had a great annivesary so far, thanks to Mark. Friday Caroline and I got home from the grocery store and Mark handed me a card that led me on a scavenger hunt where I eventually found a new camera! It seems that it wasn't long ago that he bought me another camera. Unfortunately that one didn't last too long. This time we are going to be sure to keep the receipt and the original box so that if this one has problems we can correct it! Friday afternoon Mark hooked up another one of our new toys and we went for a ride. I'm not sure that Caroline loved it as much as we did but it was fun!

Later that night Mom and Vern came into town to be with Caroline so that Mark and I could hang out in Chattanooga for the weekend. We are having a great time! While I miss Caroline like crazy, it has been so great to relax here with Mark.

Caroline saying, "Mom, please don't leave me!"

Thankfully, I know that she is in good hands. I've been a good Mom and have only called twice so far. Both times she was making a joyful noise in the background!

Yesterday we went to Ruby Falls which is a waterfall inside of a cave. I think the older that I get the more fearful I become. The first few minutes in the cave were filled with crazy thoughts like, "What is there is an earthquake and the cave smooshes us to pieces?!" I eventually relaxed and enjoyed our time inside.

Best picture of the day. I think this was when I was still feeling a bit nervous about the cave!

We did some reading yesterday afternoon and then walked the town last night. Chattanooga has such a great downtown with parks, green grass, water fountains, restaurants and fun shops everywhere. I'm so glad that we have been able to be on our own schedule. Normally we are worried about getting home to the babysitter or making sure to get home for Caorline to get to bed. I'm very thankful for this time!

Fun in the park

Yesterday our friends Tortoise and the Hair, aka as Dustin and Adrienne were playing at the Marietta Square. It was a perfect day in the shade and we enjoyed a little picnic and some great music! We also ran into our friends John and Lauren. I think some of the pictures below may be from John's mom but I'm not sure which ones. Enjoy!









Nothing cuter than a chubby baby foot in a flip flop!

Amazing!!!

Today Nicole and I celebrate 5 years of marriage. Words can not describe the last five years and their impact on my life. You'll have to take its meaning from my smile and from the smiles of those around me. Nicole has been such a wonderful influence on me and has allowed me to grow in ways I never knew possible. Case in point, I just ate cucumber slices last night for the first time in my entire life. And she didn't trick me into eating them either.

I am so thankful for the peaceful, rock-solid woman I was lucky enough to marry five years ago today, on a rainy day at Axe UMC in Garland, Texas.... I can honestly say I had no way of knowing how good it would be, and am thankful that God had the grace to allow me to marry her anyway!

Back again

I finally used my sewing machine again. It's been collecting a little dust even though I want to use it! I just have a hard time finding the time! My friend Noelle is hosting a Bingo fundraiser for the Breast Cancer 3 day walk. She asked me to make a childs applique shirt for her to give away as a prize. I told her that I would do it a few months ago but as the time neared I was afraid I couldn't do a good enough job with the applique. I'm still a beginner appliqueist. :-) So I went in search of another project that I could do and I found this cute tote bag plan (http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=514 ).




Lauren H. told me about Sew Mama Sew, a sewing blog, and I love this little site. They always have lots of fun projects, some that you can do without a pattern! I have to say this is my best sewing job yet for a few different reasons...1)the pattern made it really easy to hide the seams 2)there are only straight lines in the tote 3) my sewing machine didn't mess up 4) I was making it for someone to give away as a prize! All of these things helped me to feel really good about the finished product!

Now if I could just get back to the sewing machine again soon and make something cute for Caroline!

Moving

Everyone has told me to fear the moving stage and it's here! She's not fast yet though! Last night Mark arrived home from the airport with a Chick-fil-a cookies and cream milkshake (my favorite). We all ended up spread out on the floor in Caroline's room just playing and talking. I gave Caroline a teeny, tiny sip of milk shake and then sat down across the room from her (this was in no way intended to get her to crawl). We were just sitting around the room and I ended up a little further away from her but after the sip of milkshake she wanted more! She got her little knees underneath her and crawled right on over to me! It was the sweetest thing to see her move over to me and to witness it with Mark. I'm thankful that with all of Mark's traveling we have been able to see her first roll and her first bit of crawling together. I hope we will get to see her first steps together too!

Who knew that a little Chick-fil-a milkshake was all it would take after all this time. :-)

Sleep

I know it sounds silly but I have only seen Caroline asleep in her bed a couple of times. I put her down, leave and come back when she wakes up crying or talking. Today her nap schedule was all out of sorts so I went in to wake her up and found her cloth diapered hiney sticking up in the air!

Whatever works! I was thankful for a couple hours of peace and quiet to get some work done!