God Bless this Child

The past week has gone by in a blur.

Just a week ago, we were surrounding by huge snowflakes and everything covered in white!

Yes, I am not making it up. 

We had quite the little snow flurry last week.  Who knew?

Oct. 22nd and over an inch of snow!!

The kids ran outside like it was Christmas.

We pulled out the winter coats, the hats, the scarves, the snow pants, and boots. 

We dug out the sleds from under the swimming pool and water guns, which it feels we just used yesterday and prepared for winter.

After the tea party on Sunday, the whole week felt like a celebration for Lil Miss.

She wore her crown every where. 

The YMCA

Grocery Store

Target 

and to Bed.

On Thursday night, we did the whole cake and ice cream thing,

and opened a few more gifts.

Baby girl had the whole "Happy Birthday to Me" song down and

sang it nonstop.

 

Over the Weekend we headed to Ohio, for my nephew Reed's baptism. 

Lil Miss tried to capture some shots of the baptism.... little photographer!

Nate was chosen as Reed's godfather, so we wouldn't have missed it. 

We love Father Mark.  He baptized all my little ones. 

He had the kids help with a few of the steps.  Rosie helped him

with the Frankincense and Bubba helped drape the baptismal cloth on little Reed. 



One happy family.

 

Going back to Beth and Scott's house, the kids had a blast playing with their cousins. 

The house was filled with kids giggling and lots of pretend car noises. 

We did triple duty with the cupcakes, celebrating Reed's baptism, Lil Miss's third birthday and Mason's third birthday at the same time.

Birthday Kids 

 Nate got in his Reed time.... awwww. 

Gigi was in baby heaven too. 

She's a natural.

 Sadly, the trip was too short and we found ourselves Sunday morning

packing up and saying goodbye.  It was so

hard to leave this little booger... but Thanksgiving will be here soon.  

 

 We are back at home now having archery practice and

trying not to break anything too important. 

 I have to be content with getting pictures of my littlest nephew

every other day and hearing his little noises through the phone.  

So blessed to be a part of his life. 

 

Being Blessed

It's a yucky rainy gray day outside. 

Time to blog and then maybe take a nap because it has

been a late night Friday and Saturday and momma is tired. 

Not to mention we lost an hour yesterday.  Darn Day Lights Savings!

 

We spent the weekend back in Ottumwa, the place of our first home. 

Not much has changed, but Nate still couldn't remember how to get anywhere. 

Good thing he has a good navigator along! 

We drove by a few of our old haunts, the house, their old school, and daddy's old work. 

The younger ones remembered very little, but Rosie did. 

 

We met some friends at one of our favorite restaurants El Rancho. 

The queso dip and margaritas were worth the trip!! 

After dinner and TOO MUCH grown up talking I was reminded by Bubba, the kids were going bonkers so we headed to our hotel for the kids to go swimming. 

Our friends followed us so we could have drinks by the pool while mommy and the kids swam.  

When I booked the hotel earlier in the week Nate and I tried to remember the last time we

stayed in the hotel with all 6 of us.  The consensus was we don't remember!

It was back when lil miss was a itty bitty baby is all that I can recall.

So, for comfort sake we splurged and got two rooms.

Kids in one room and mommy and daddy in the other. 

At least that is how it started until baby fell out of the bed at 2 in the morning and crawled in with us. 

The whole reason for our trip down to Ottumwa, not that we needed a reason to visit,

was to celebrate two little girl's baptisms. 

I got a text message a few weeks ago from baby Josie asking if I wanted

to be her godmother.  After texting back... did you send this to the wrong person?

I found out I wasn't dreaming, I was floored they wanted me to

be Josie's godmother.  What a honor!

This was the first time Nate and the kids got to meet baby Josie and baby Ella

 and they are so gosh darn cute!!!  Tiny little fingers and the sweetest baby cries.

Josie is the size now at 3 months that Lil Miss was at birth! 

 

 {Proud Mommy and Daddy}

I love to see Joey never take his eyes off those girls!

He is going to be in trouble in years to come because they have him

wrapped around their itty bitty fingers.

 

{Melissa, my fellow Fairy Godmother with Ella}

{Me and baby Josie}

All my kids were infatuated with the babies and wanted to hold them. 

Lil Miss asked Angie to "Hold Baby" and Angie graciously obliged.

She was in heaven. 

She touched every inch of baby Josie from her soft cheeks, to her little ears, to her feet.

Taking the baby away from her wasn't easy. 

"MINE!" she cried.  She didn't want to give her up... either did mommy.  LOL  

She couldn't take her eyes off her. 

It was like one of her doll babies came to life!

Rosie was all smiles as she got to hold the baby all by herself. 

Since yesterday, she has asked me 5 times when she can start babysitting.

I took my Godmother duties seriously.

Spoiling has started!

I made Josie and Ella both little dresses.  I loved the bright fabric and wanted to make two that matched but weren't the same.  It was the smallest thing I have ever made.  Lil Miss thought they were for her doll and kept stealing them off my sewing table.

It was a fun and happy day, but when we got home last night we were all exhausted.

 

Thank you Angie and Joey for picking me as Josie's godmother.

I am deeply honored and will teach her all the good things that a girl should know. 

Like you can never have enough shoes. 

Auntie Lynn will be there for her at a moments notice.

I am so over the moon for you two and those little girls are so blessed to

have such wonderful parents.