Sunday, August 19, 2012

wa-chis!


despite the fact that her sister does the majority of the talking for her, Miss Tulip has taken quite a leap into the world of speech

over the past few weeks, her language has really started to develop
her favorite phrase is, "wa-chis!"

if you lived in this house and heard it as often as we do, you'd know that means, "watch this!"

to which you MUST respond, "I'm watching..."
no other response will do
not, "okay, go ahead..."
or "ready, go!"

nope.
she'll keep repeating herself until she gets the desired response and then, she shows off some random trick that MUST be followed by lots of clapping :)


"wa-chis" - i can eat with a fork




"wa-chis" I can drink out of mommy's cup



"wa-chis" I can kind of imitate my sister's somersaults and sometimes i even incorporate a balloon into the trick - FANCY!


"wa-chis" I can eat a freezie pop


"wa-chis" I can scoop, dig, throw sand and take my sandals off!

really, though - watching her grow this summer has been pure joy

some of her other phrases these days are:

"seh-go!" - ready, set, go
"ta-tu" - thank you
"peesuh" - please
"ep!" - help!
"appy" - happy...she'll say this over and over again until someone starts singing if you're happy and you know it

she's one cool cat
so glad she's mine :)


Friday, August 17, 2012

county fair


i must begin by saying that the last post was a total surprise and the PERFECT anniversary gift......wow
my husband just might be the best guy out there
how did i ever trick him into marrying me? ;)

moving on.......

with just a week and a half left of summer, we're squeezin' out every last drop

case in point:  a gorgeous night at the steele county fair

we'd never been there, but a few friends highly recommended it and we decided to give it a whirl

this smile pretty much tells the story:


we had a total blast!
it was a perfect summer night
with good food, cute kids and plenty of barnyard animals.
who could ask for more?


i honestly forgot for a minute that i was at a county fair
it felt so much like the state fair that i had to remind myself that the admission was FREE!


we started out with the livestock, where Peach got down and dirty talking to the animals


tulip, on the other hand, was terrified!
ever since our neighbor's dog ran up and knocked her down, she's been uneasy around animals and the fair pretty much tipped her right over the edge.

she whined, cried and scratched at our necks for dear life
poor thing!
we must get a dog to remedy this situation........soon




we pried Peach away from her four-footed friends with the promise of a corn dog



it had been decided (by me) on the way to the fair that since we didn't have to pay to get in, we would eat whatever our hearts' desired and (for once!) not worry about cleaning our plates or consuming things that actually benefit our bodies :)


i enjoyed my favorite fair food....a gyro



the chocolate covered strawberries on a stick were a hit!



as was this enormous pickle!
i promise you, it had enough salt in it to provide for all my sodium allowance for the next month(s)


wouldn't you know, Peach found herself some more animal pals
at the petting zoo, she got to pet a kangaroo, giraffe, camel and a whole host of other animals' whose names i had never heard of





this guy was extra friendly - he even gave out kisses! 



on a trip to the bathroom, Peach discovered a small band playing polka music and she was in heaven!

we had to run to get J and Tulip so they could join us in dancing in the streets




we're goin' to a wedding tomorrow.....should be fun!



look who got brave at the very end!
she even fed a piece of corn to a goat and pet this calf!
i was proud as punch.....


and if the animals were the highlight for Peach, the following pictures will tell you exactly what made Tulip's fair-lovin' heart soar:





i cannot put into words how heavenly these cookies tasted
i'm closing my eyes right now to remember it
mmmmmmmmm....
i pretty much had to hose down the wagon when we were through, but my oh my were they worth it!


finally, Peach insisted that we not leave the fair without riding a "roller coaster"

while we couldn't find a roller coaster, we did find these little kid versions of the tilt-a-whirl

the girls in line in front of us heard Peach say that she wanted to ride in the purple one
they then did a bunch of whispering and rushed to the purple car, sticking their tongues out at us as we headed towards the yellow one instead

my heart sank for just a minute, but Peach held it together and we showed them by whooping it up in the yellow spinner :)




on the way home, it was decided that we will definitely be back again next year

Sunday, August 12, 2012

7 year anniversary


Well...I better begin by unveiling my identity.  I (J) sit sneakily downstairs as I hear my beautiful bride getting the girls ready for a bath, then a movie, and finally bed.  Today is Sunday, August 12th, 2012 the night before our 7th wedding anniversary.  I thought long and hard on how to creatively show my love for my wife.  In the past I've taken her on a surprise trip, made an art or craft, planned scavenger hunts, or bought her something special.  Not that the year seven is a big year, but I thought this year would be thrilling to hack into her blog and write something from my heart.  So, today (our anniversary) I give you, Leah, 7 gifts.

  1. Gift 1...7 purple daisies.  Her favorite flower and already sitting on the kitchen table.  You'll have to trust that they're there. 
  2. Gift 2...7 kisses.  We'll save those for tomorrow...wink...and "NO"...reader I'm not posting pictures.
  3. Gift 3...7 of my favorite memories of the last 7 years
    1. our wedding day
    2. birth of Peah
    3. birth of Tulip
    4. both landing teaching jobs in New Prague - what GOD thing for two fresh grads
    5. buying our first house
    6. going to Chicago while pregnant with Peach as a little "pre-kids" hurrah
    7. This whole summer 2012 - I LOVE the ages of our girls, and the adventures we've taken
  4. Gift 4...7 things I love about Leah
    1. She is other-centered.  Thinks first about others before herself.  She's so helpful and kind.
    2. Her generosity.  Generous with her time, gifts, love, possessions, creativity, and so much more.  One of the first things I fell in love with...so much like Jesus.
    3. Simply gorgeous inside and out!
    4. Follows the basic Christian command:  "Love Jesus.  Love people."
    5. She is real, genuine, and honest.  I love that with her it's no games or facades...with Leah she is true to herself. 
    6. Blessed with such creativity.  Her blog and crafts she's does with the girls just scratch the surface.
    7. Humility.  Leah never acts or speaks like she's "got it altogether".
  5. Gift 5...7 promises I renew today
    1. I WILL love my family, protect them, serve them, and be "completely invested" as a husband/father.
    2. I WILL teach them the Word of God and pray with them.
    3. I WILL honor you and the girls with word and deed.
    4. I WILL be be quick to forgive and reconcile with those I've wronged.
    5. I WILL learn from my mistakes.
    6. I WILL seek to obey God's Word, and do His will.
    7. I WILL have an attitude like that of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5)
  6. Gift 6...7 verses
    • "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  
      • Joshua 24:15
    • "How happy are those who fear the Lord - all who follow His ways...=>your wife will be a fruitful vine flourishing within your home...=>your children as vigorous and healthy as young olive trees."
      • Psalm 128
    • "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."
      • Ephesians 5:25
    • "Fathers do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
      • Ephesians 6:4
    • "Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples; if you love one another."
      • John 13:34-35 (our wedding verse)
    • "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
      • Romans 15:13
    • "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments I give to you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
      • Deuteronomy 6:5-9
  7. Gift 7...7 of my favorite photos from the last 7 years
August 2005 - at our wedding rehearsal

Moving to New Prague...Fall 2005
hi-O!  my eyes as I show off that hottie!

Christmas 2008 - baby Peach and Mya (I miss her) 
Leah and 9-month-old Peach - Spring 2009 
Tulip and daddy - April 2011
AND...#7...those eyes and that look:)  
Jesus...I'm so thankful for another year with my bride.  Every day is a gift.  Every child a blessing.  All we have is YOURS.  I declare  a blessing over this 8th year together in Jesus name...AMEN!