Austin's Birthday Party...

We had a small little birthday party for Austin the weekend before we left for Hawaii.  I think there were 7 kids over (counting a few babies), and it was the perfect little group to celebrate another year with our 3 year old.  Above are just a few pics of the event.

Something to remember...Austin was most excited about getting those cars off the cake, so he could play with them immediately!!

Christmas Pictures, 2009

Austin turns 3!

Last weekend Austin turned the big 3! Nate and I have LOVED watching Austin grow up this past year. I can't believe how much he has changed in just one year. He went from a shy momma's boy, who cried every time I left him, to a social little boy, who loves to be around people. Thank goodness he is taking after his father in that area! :) Here is what Austin's been up to...

• He still LOVES all things CARS related, he will play with cars all day long.
  
• He also loves to color, preferably with markers. :)
• He has gotten into reading (us reading to him). We go to the library every week to get new books, and he just loves them. Hoping that continues!
  
• He loves to dance around to music.
  
• His new favorite game is hide and seek, and he is getting pretty good at it!
  
• His favorite food is chicken nuggets and fries. :) Lately though he has gotten really into scrambled eggs, which is funny since he would never even touch them before.
  
• Pretty much he is just an average little 3 year old, that we LOVE so much.
  

Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.

Psalm 127:3

Chloe, 9 Months

Chloe is turning 9 months old today!! Woot, woot! Here is a little update on what she's doing...

• She started crawling, standing, and getting to the sit-up position all this month.
  
• Her favorite word is "Da-da".
  
• She eats only table food, her favorites are...chicken, green beans, & mac n' cheese.
  
• She still has no teeth.
  
• She nurses still 4 times a day and once at night.
  
• She goes to bed around 7 and sleeps until 8ish, usually waking up quickly at 5ish to eat.
  
• She naps twice a day...morning naps are usually 30 minutes long, afternoon naps are 1-2 hours long.
  
• She loves to be right next to her mamma, all. day. long.
• We didn't have an appointment this month but last month she weighed 18 lbs. and was 27.5 inches tall!
  
• She is starting to wear 12 month clothes now, and still in size 3 diaper! Although I think she could handle the 4's...her tummy is so big! :)

Chloe shares her 9 month birthday with her Grandma Pat, and wants to wish her a very happy 60th Birthday today!!

Crate Liners...

I've been looking for another bin for the living room for a while now, to hold all the library books we get each week. Then I found an old crate Nate had from his bachelor day's, and decided to cover it with this tutorial. I think it turned out pretty cute!

And it's....

Finished!

So glad I can scratch this project off my to-do list! It certainly isn't perfect, but it's good enough for me. Thanks to Pink and Polka Dot for the great tutorial! I love her white one, and almost did the same, but chose a chocolate colored fabric in the end. Much more suitable for my lifestyle. :)

Milestones...

This week Chloe reached 3 big milestones...

1. She learned how to get from her belly back into a sitting position. (that makes putting her bed real fun now ;))
   
2. She started crawling, like the real deal, on her hands and knees, (as opposed to scooting backwards like she used to do).
   
3. She has started standing on her own. (So far she doesn't pull up on her own, but if I help her up she can stand by herself holding onto something.)

November...

Austin planting a quick kiss on Chloe

November has/is going to be a tough month for this little family. With daddy away for what "seems" like the whole month, our lives are thrown out of balance yet once again. Although I know there might be many tough days ahead, tonight I am feeling so blessed. Here are some of the few things I'm thankful for...

• Phone calls and sweet emails from my husband. Love You!
  
• Playing out in the snow with Austin, and teaching him how to make snow angels.
  
• Chloe taking a three hour nap today.
  
• Finally getting started on one of my many big projects today. I'm following this tutorial... http://pinkandpolkadot.blogspot.com/2008/08/laziest-slipcover-tutorial-ever.html (I am even using the exact same chair!)
  
• Yesterday I sat in church and got to listen to an entire message by. my. self. That was amazing, and I so needed it. Thank you Lord!
  

Let's Go Sooners!

"Start 'Em Young, Raise 'Em Right"

Nate seriously almost got mad at me when I told him I bought this shirt. But he has since gotten over it, I think?? ;) Either way, I'm still a Sooner fan and I say, "Go OU!"

Trick or Treating...

We took the kids to the mall in Nashville last Saturday night and dressed em up all cute so we (I) could get some free candy. ;) Neither Nate or I are big on Halloween, but I was looking for something for the kids to do, and they (as in Austin :) ) had a blast. Austin was so pumped to be looking like daddy (and just in case you are wondering, Nate didn't wear his uniform when we went to the mall) and I had Chloe in a little cow outfit. She will probably kill me when she's older for dressing her up as a cow! Ha! But, I thought she was pretty cute.

Trip to Nashville...

Grandpa and Austin checking out the scenery...

Gaylord Convention Center...beautiful waterfalls...

Austin was just lovin' this phone...maybe b/c we don't have one like this??

We took a super fun, super spur of the moment trip to Nashville last weekend. I didn't decide until Tuesday whether or not I should go, and by Wednesday evening we were bording the plane on our way. Nate had a conference to attend and he spent most of the time in meetings and social gatherings, so he called up his parents and asked them to meet us out there. It was SUCH a blessing that they came. They were so much help to me, and the kids (esp. Austin) just LOVED the attention they doted on him.

If you are ever in the area, you should check out the Gaylord Hotel. It is AMAZING. I'm not even kidding. I'm not super wowed by many things, but this was one place that completely impressed me. The conference that Nate attended was held there, so we spent a lot of time walking around it, checking out the shops, eating in the restaurants, etc. The Grand Ole Opry was right next door as well as a huge shopping mall, Opry Mills. Yep, that was another one of my favorite places, I think I went to the mall 3 times. :)

Anyways, I'm thinking I love the south, and I told Nate it would be okay if we moved there. :)

It turns out that the trip was just what we needed. A chance to get away and a chance to be together as a family. We probably won't be going back home this winter (unless I get desperate), so this was a good way for us to see family one more time. So, thanks to Dave and Pat for meeting us out there. I know it was A LOT of driving for you guys, but hopefully it was worth it?? We sure thought it was!

Having a girl=getting to accessorize

I am having way too much fun accessorizing Chloe these days. Last summer when we were home, my friend Sarah made these this bow/bracelet set for Chloe, and I thought I'd finally show it off on-line. :) Man, it is SO nice to have creative friends! Didn't she do a great job? Thanks Sarah, we love it!

Love this girl...

Welcome to the Family...

little Silas!

Here are some of his stats...

• Name...Silas Wheatlee
• Birth Date...September 23
• Time...around 8pm
• Weight...6lbs, 12oz.
• Height...19.5 inches
  

Both Anna and Silas are doing well. They started the induction a little later in the day than they had originally anticipated, but they got into the hospital in the afternoon and he was born later that evening. We are all praising the LORD, for adding another little blessing to the family!

“I sing for joy at the works of Your hands.” – Psalm 92:4

Looking Unto Jesus

We are in the middle of day 8 of being without Nate. I'm not sure if it's because this trip has lasted longer than it was originally suppose to, or this week has just been much more busy than normal, but I find myself completely exhausted today. Weeks without daddy home always seem to drag on so much longer than the weeks he is home. To bad it isn't the opposite! I've been thinking of the hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus", and been so encouraged by it today. I'm so thankful I can fall at my Savior's feet, as the rest and peace He gives is what I truly need.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in his wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!

His word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Helen Howarth Lemmel (1864-1961)

First Bath Together...

This week I let Chloe take a bath with Austin, and they both did surprisingly well. I can't believe Chloe is already big enough to take a bath in the "big" bath tub. Austin wanted to "help" bathe her, which she didn't enjoy too much. :) She loved chewing on all the bath toys though, yum!

Autumn in Here!

Autumn in here in Alaska. That makes me both very happy and a little sad too. I'm happy because Autumn in the most beautiful time of the year (in my opinion) here in Alaska, but a little sad too, because it only last for a few short weeks. Before I know it, gasp, winter will be just around the corner!! Yikes, I am NOT ready for that. I can't believe next month we could be getting snow...boo! We are enjoying the beautiful weather though and trying to soak in as much outdoor time as we can. Praying you are all doing the same!

What style are you?

I take these quizzes from time to time, b/c honestly sometimes I'm not quite sure what my style is. I thought this one was fairly good at describing my style at the moment.

HomeGoods StyleScope - I'm an Earthy Casual

Ruth, you are an Earthy Casual

You're interested in creating a welcoming home where people feel comfortable and happiness flourishes. You appreciate the warmth and individuality of natural materials and handcrafted things and are inspired by colors and forms from nature. You love mixing up different textures and are sensitive to the tactile qualities of objects. Your style is grounded and solid, not flighty or frilly. And you are never taken in by the trend of the moment.

You value creativity. You are stylish and fun loving, and can be an inspiration to others. You have a natural sense of drama, and you know you have to be willing to take risks—whether with colors, finishes, furniture choices, or ideas—for your home to stand out. Your home can be happy and lively and the place all of your friends want to be.

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Picnik.com

Have you guys heard of the site, Picnik.com? It's a photo editing website, that you can use for free without even registering. I was just messing around on it with some photos we took recently. It's pretty fun for being free...my favorite thing is that you can write on the pictures...

Homer, Alaska

Flowers on the roadside.

Some of the cute little stores.

Family Pic on the beach (minus me).

The tide made really interesting patterns in the sand.

The beach.

View of the "spit" from our cabin up on the hillside.

The last big thing we did with Nate's parents was to take them down to Homer. It was about a five hour drive, all the way to the end of the Kenai Peninsula. To be honest, I was a bit hesitant to do this as well, if you have driven with us in the car for any amount of time, you would know why...my children are just not good in the car. Thankfully the trip down went really smoothly, and well, we endured the trip home. ;)
Homer is now one of my favorite places in Alaska, hopefully we can go back and visit next summer again. It is just a tiny little town, but right off the beach. Before I moved to Anchorage, Homer is what I would have pictured Anchorage to be like. I just love the beach, and even though it was cold, there is just something so relaxing and peaceful about being by the water.

Austin's Update...

So, I thought since I always update on Chloe, I would do a little update on Austin too. That way I can look back and remember what he was like at this age. There are many moments I would like to just forget about (ya know, the terrible two's), but I'll try to focus on the more positive things. :)

• Austin has started potty training!! I know we have a long road ahead of us, to be completely potty trained, but I'm so thankful to have it at least started.
  
• His favorite thing is still cars. He would be so happy to have someone to play cars with him 24/7. Anyone want to volunteer?
  
• He can recognize all his ABC's (only capitals though), he recognizes numbers 1-10 and some of the teens too, and is learning to count in order, he knows pretty much all the regular colors (like red, blue, brown, pink, etc.).
• He still naps every afternoon (thank goodness), usually for about an hour and a half or so.
• He is very impressed with skateboarders (much to my dismay). We have quite a few in the neighborhood, and he just loves it. When we were in the mall last week we went by this store that sold kinda "skatery" looking clothes and they had skate boards in the windows as displays, and he just LOVED it. Ha! Here's to hoping that trend does not continue for him. :) (No offense, if you like that kind of style)!
  
• His favorite show right now is Backyardigans. We don't have cable, so I've been checking them out at the library, and he really likes them. We just got library cards for the first time earlier this summer, and I am SO glad we did. I can't believe I didn't do it sooner. It is perfect for Austin's age, since he gets so tired of the books and movies we have here.
  

That's about all I can think of for now...

Glacier Cruise

Glacier Cruise, August 2009
This was another fun thing we did when Nate's parents were in town. I had been so nervous about going on one of these, b/c of sea sickness. If there is ever a chance that someone will get sick, it is ALWAYS me. Boo. But I found a cruise company that guarentees no sickness or your money back, so I signed us up! It was a huge boat and super smooth and I didn't feel sick even one little bit. Such a relief! Another thing that was a little scary was that the cruise was from 1:00 to 5:30, which meant no nap for Austin. Yikes that is never a good thing. Overall he did pretty well, and ended up crashing on the way home for a short nap. THANKgoodness!

It was a beautiful cruise and worth the trip. It was nice to just sit, relax (well as much as you can relax with two small children) and take in the beauty of Alaska. We saw tons of Sea Otters, they were just swimming around us, and were so adorable. The glaciers were, of course, the highlight...GORGEOUS gorgeous views.

Lake Eklutna...

Nate took his parents up to Lake Eklutna one morning while I attended a planning meeting for the upcoming year of MOPS. Its a beautiful lake about 45 minutes North of where we live. These are some of the pictures he took...