Thankful November: Day 29

Today, I am thankful for our new (refurbished 1st generation) iPad! I know it's material, but it's so much fun! I'm enjoying using it for lots of things, and playing games with Liam. There are so many apps for toddlers! Ryan is already loving it, he's been able to download a bunch of apps for school stuff. I am also excited about using it for entertainment when we fly to Colorado in January!


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Thankful November: Days 25, 26, 27, and 28

Day 25: I was thankful for leftover cranberry salad! It's my favorite part of thanksgiving.

Day 26: I was so thankful for a fun date night with my sweet husby. We haven't had time to schedule a babysitter for a date since our anniversary in September. We had a great time eating yummy food, exploring old churches, talking, and walking around the mall.



Day 27: I was thankful for a gray rainy day to enjoy lots of snuggling with my little family. My favorite days off are lazy days at home. Perfection.

Day 28: I am thankful for audible. It's an app on my phone with audiobooks! I love listening to books while I am doing laundry or cooking and especially while I am driving in to work in the wee hours of the morning. I'm currently re-listening to "Catching Fire," from the Hunger Games series (I might be obsessed).

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Thankful November: Day 24

I am so incredibly thankful for all of the loving family that I have! I am blessed by your love, prayers, and friendship. I was raised by some pretty awesome folks and I have two amazing sisters who have husbands and children that I love so much! I married into an incredible, large, loud, loving, and funny family that I love to bits! I am so thankful that God knew just the right people to give me as in-laws, I don't see them much but I love them more every time I do! I am also thankful for two families that I am technically not related to, but have been a part of for countless years: the Garton and Pohle households. Their girls have been my other sisters and I have been blessed to be loved and included as their own over the years! I'm a pretty lucky girl to call four families my own! So thankful for ALL of you! I wish I could hug everyone one of you right now! Next year, why don't you all come to Nashville for a change? Good idea! :)


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Thankful November: Day 23

I am so thankful for my sweet friends. I have been blessed by a lot of wonderful friendships here and around the world, but my true best friends are in Arkansas and California. I am terrible at talking on the phone, and I have a weird schedule so I am even more thankful for texting and facebook to interact with them throughout the day. Thanks, Mae, Kir, and Mir...love you girls and so blessed by your love in return.


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Thankful November: Day 22

Today, I am thankful for boogie wipes!



Have you used these? You should! They are made with saline so they don't dry up/irritate sweet baby skin. They also smell fresh. Perfect for my runny nosed, teething little man!
I should really just say that I'm thankful for all of the "modern-day-mommy-conveniences" in my life. :)

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Thankful November: Day 21

Today I am thankful for the fairness of State Farm insurance, and God's overwhelming provision in our lives. We were graciously awarded much more than the trooper was worth, as well as an additional medical settlement. So thankful to be able to replace the beloved trooper without having to add a car payment.


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Thankful November: Day 20

I am thankful for the incredible nap I just woke up from! It's a gray, rainy day--perfect for nap taking! I may regret it when my 8pm bedtime arrives, but for now, I am thankful for the extra rest.


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Thankful November: Day 19

I am thankful for SEC football! I'm so proud of my Razorbacks, and excited to hopefully see 3 SEC teams ranked in the top 3 tomorrow! Woo Pig Sooie!



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Thankful November: Day 18

Today, I just want to publicly proclaim that I am thankful for the television phenomenon known as "Friends." It is seriously my favorite show of all time! We recently got rid of cable so I am also thankful that I own all 10 seasons of the show! I really don't think I will ever get tired of watching it because each episode brings back different memories for me. I've been watching this show since middle school, so I associate different episodes with different times in my life. So many great quotes and great memories. Love.


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Thankful November: Day 17

Today I am thankful for Skype! We don't utilize it as much as we should, but it is nice to easily see loved ones who live far away. We loved getting to see our monkey nieces and nephews for a minute tonight. :)


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Thankful November: Day 16

On this wet, chilly day I am thankful for comfort food and the ability to make it gluten free!



White chicken chili, cornbread, and cider. Warm and delicious.

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Thankful November: Day 15

Today, and everyday, I am thankful for my husby! He never ceases to make me feel special, funny, loved, and beautiful. I am so thankful for his friendship and his partnership; we are an amazing team! He is a full-time stay at home dad, a part-time tutor and a more-than-full-time graduate student. He is an incredibly hard worker and a dedicated student (seriously, he writes papers weeks before they are due!). He is truly a hands-on dad, I am so proud of his relationship with Liam and his confidence in caring for him. I am so blessed by his tender heart and commitment to me, Liam, and the Lord. Thanks, loverface!



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Thankful November: Day 14

Today I am thankful for Liam's clapping! He is so sweet and proud of himself.

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Thankful November: Day 13

Let the Holiday weight gain begin! :)


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Thankful November: Day 12

Tonight I am thankful for a quite evening with my husby. We are snuggled up on the couch eating leftover chili and watching the Hogs beat Tennessee. My kind of Saturday night.



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Thankful November: Day 11

Today, on Veteran's Day, I am thankful for my sweet Pepaw. I was truly blessed to have him in my life for 26 years. He taught me a lot about life, baseball, solitaire, flag etiquette, and love. I am proud to be his granddaughter and be a part of his legacy. I strive to be as kind and as loved as he was; I already know that I am just as stubborn! Thanks, Peeps.




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Thankful November: Day 10

Today I am thankful for the joy of watching happiness through my child's eyes. After Liam's afternoon nap today we stood and played with his bird mobile, made by Auntie Mae, for a while. His face would just light up as we watched the birdies spin around! Touching them while they passed brought on laughter and squealing! What a simple pleasure.

Thankful November: Day 9

Today I am thankful for cloth diapers! Seriously! I am so glad we chose to use them. They save us about $50 a month and they're so darn cute! :) And the extra cushioning provides ample support when our toddling little man collides with the floor!



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Thankful November: Day 8

Today I am thankful for my education. I attended a fabulous public school system and went to a renowned private Christian college. Both experiences molded and shaped me into who I am today. I learned a lot from books, but more from the people I shared those experiences with. I'm thankful to have had the privilege to attend JBU, even if my grandchildren will be paying off my student loans. :)


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Thankful November: Day 7

Today I am thankful to have a job that I truly love and am, somewhat, good at. I am blessed with incredible benefits: vacation, full medical/dental/vision, stock grants, discounted prices, free coffee! I work with, and for, incredible people who challenge and motivate me. I have a fairly flexible schedule that still allows me to spend a lot of time with my family. And, I get to pay my bills! It's a great job, and I'm honored to have it!


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Thankful November: Day 6

Today I am thankful for a relaxing day off. We have had a long and stressful week so a day of errands, laundry, and photo taking in a beautiful park was much needed.






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Thankful November: Day 5

Today I am thankful for my goofy puppy, Gus! We have had, and loved, him for 3 years now and he is truly our fur child. He is very protective of his family and is such a curious dog. He and Liam still need to work on a few things with their relationship (like Liam's incessant need to terrorize him), but I am confident they will eventually be buddies. I never thought I would love a dog as much as I do, but Gus loves me so much that it's impossible not to reciprocate!


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Thankful November: Day 4

I am so thankful for all of our "Nashville family," who love on our family. From work people, to church/home group members we have a really wonderful support system here. It's hard to be away from family members, but wonderful to have adopted family! Thanks for being awesome!


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13 Months!

Dear Liam bird,

You turned thirteen months on Tuesday!  You are such a spunky, busy, sweet little boy and I love each and every moment I get to spend with you!

Your personality truly shines, you are a little boy to the core and you love to have fun!  Your are also a supreme mess maker, no clean surface is safe!  You take clothes out of drawers, hampers, and clothes baskets.  You remove folded diapers from their storage container faster than I can put them into it and you could gold medal in how quickly you can strip a bookshelf of its books!

I haven't weighed/measured you in a while, be we know you are growing because it happens right before our very eyes!  You are wearing mostly 12 month clothes and we have had to adjust how we snap your diapers so that they fit you better.  Your feet are still teeny tiny, I bought a pair of 6-12 month slipper-type shoes recently that are too big!

You have gotten two and a half new teeth this month, you now have four bottom teeth and part of a top tooth.  You are actually a pretty good little teether, you love tylenol and ora-gel to ease your pain.  You are using those chompers to eat everything in sight!  Seriously, you love to eat and we still haven't found anything that you turn your nose up at!  Favorites include: bananas, apples, cheese, quinoa, squash, peas, and pasta.  You eat three substantial meals a day and have three 6-8 ounce sippy cups of whole milk as well.  I am still nursing you right before bed, but that is mainly because it's the only way you will sit still and let me hold you and not because you need the nourishment.

You are such a good sleeper.  You prefer to go to bed by 6:30pm and sleep until at least 7:00am each morning.  You're still taking two 1-2 hour naps each day and you wake up happy and ready to play!  Our bedtime/naptime routine is pretty simple.  You get your paci and your lovie (only at nigh-nigh) and we turn on your noise machine and you usually go right to sleep!  Love it!

Besides the occasional "dada" you aren't really talking.  You do babble and squeal all the livelong day, so I'm sure the day is coming when the words will be constant!  I swear you tried to call Gus the other day while sitting in your high chair and holding out puffs.  It sounded like, "Guhh," and he came!

You aren't walking independently yet, but cruise around furniture with great speed and grace.  When you realize you are standing alone you quickly drop down to a sitting position, I think you just need to gain a little confidence and you will be off and running!  You crawl at warp speed and are a pretty good little climber as well, heaven help me!

At thirteen months, you love: food, chewing on anything, books, your lovie/paci, being thrown in the air, bath time, running water, Gussy (even though he is gruff with you), blowing raspberries, getting into Gus' bowls, music, dancing, "little people" (toys, not midgets), drumming, and mommy and daddy.

Wiggles, you are seriously such a fun baby!  Everyone comments on your sweetness, happiness, and general easiness.  And it's true, we are blessed beyond measure to have you as our little baby!  You have made our, already pretty great, lives so much better that sometimes I feel like I will literally burst with love.  And it's a love that you have to do nothing to earn and nothing to keep; being a parent truly has given me a tiny glimpse of the Father's love for us in a tangible way.  How great, how vast, how wonderful.

Love you forever, and ever,
Momma

*I have had a hard time getting this post to work out and load for me!
*Photos are from Halloween, Woo Pig Sooie!

Thankful Novemeber: Day 3

Today I am thankful that my husband did not suffer any injuries in the accident that totaled our beloved Trooper this morning.

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Thankful November: Day 2

I am so thankful for the beautiful fall we have been having. The weather has been beautiful lately, crisp in the mornings and warm in the afternoon! The trees are so pretty, I am always amazed by their different colors. We've got our down comforter on the bed and wiggles is sleeping in fleecy footy pajamas again, it's the most wonderful time of the year!


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Thankful November: Day 1

In honor of my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, being in the month of November, I want to blog something that I'm thankful for each day!

I am immensely thankful for my little boy, Liam David, who turns 13 months old today!



Check back later for his 13 Month letter.


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