Random pics

Here are just some fun snap shots from throughout the week...

After the storms, there was this pretty sunset in our backyard...
Levi helping Daddy tighten the legs on the coffee table :) Cute!
Here's how we found Levi when we checked in on him before we went to bed. Learning by osmosis. :)
Levi on the gator at Papa & Grammy's house - such fun!!

Pizza & Playing

Sundays are my favorite day of the week. I love the thought of starting our day off in praise & worship and getting together with friends to study the Bible. It's so nice when we are able to be home on Sunday evenings and just relax and have family time! I've mentioned before that we usually get together with our neighbors/friends, Jill & Bob and order pizza and let the kids play.

Eric got out his remote control airplane and tried flying it a little on our street. Unfortunately he got a little excited and crashed the plane. We will have to go out and get a new wing!
Janie relaxing in her stroller
Reece & Levi trying to "fix" the lawn mower :)

Last year, we put Levi in Infant Swim Resource which is a 6 week course where he learned how to save himself if he were to fall into water. On Friday, he finished his refresher course! He did really great. It's a good feeling to know that if he were pushed into water with all his clothes on, he knows the steps to do to get to a back float and wait for someone to pull him out of the water. So, I am going to take him for his first "swim" of the summer at my parent's house tomorrow night! I'm excited to see how he does in the pool. Hopefully I'll get to post more pictures tomorrow. :)

Memorial Day Weekend

It's been a while since I blogged! Last weekend, we went camping with some other families from our Bible Fellowship class. It was the first time we went tent camping since we sold our camper. Levi and I stayed Friday night with Eric at the campground and then I came home and slept in my bed Saturday and Sunday nights. :) Levi ended up staying the weekend with his cousins. He stayed at Aunt Tricia's house on Saturday and at Aunt Jenny's house on Sunday night. He was so excited to play with his cousins all weekend.

Eric is fixing our breakfast on Saturday morning
French toast, sausage
strawberries - yum!
some of the girls...Angela, me, Gretchen, Jill
Oh, and one of the highlights...there was a snake, right near our tent! The kids were amazed!
Conner, Ian, Avery, Levi and Pierce

On Monday evening, we went to dinner at my aunt & uncle's house. Some of our family was in from Texas!! :) Here are some cute pictures of the kids all playing outside after dinner.
Great Granny Miller & Bailey
Casey Grace
Emily Grace
Griffin & Levi - they found a small ditch to jump over and were set for the evening!
Blake & Max playing ball with Uncle Mike

Mommy is the favorite tonight!

Usually, Levi is Eric's little clone. He wants to sit with him, play with him, follow him around the house and yard, go places with him.....get the drift? I'm kind of like chopped liver. But, thanks to Lincoln Logs, tonight, MOMMY became the hero! Eric had to go to church and Levi was dying to build a house with his new Lincoln Logs (special thanks to Aunt Jenny & Uncle Travis!!) that he got for his birthday. I got out the directions and here's what it is supposed to look like:

I think we did a pretty darn tootin' good job!

And then, Daddy gets home from church and things return to normal:

Oh well! It was fun while it lasted! ;)

My birthday

This time, three years ago, my birthday became just another day on the calendar. Don’t get me wrong…I still love my birthday, but since Levi’s is the day before mine, his kind of started taking precedence! I decided several weeks ago to take Monday off work so I could spend it with Levi – the perfect end to our weekend long birthday celebration! My morning started at 7 am (a nice change from 5:50 am!) when Levi burst in my room saying “the sun is up, Mommy!” Yes, it was. Right away, Levi started singing “Happy Birthday” to me. It was so sweet! Then, I saw the card from Eric and Levi sitting on the bathroom vanity. Of course, it wouldn’t be normal without Levi’s first demand of the day, “chocolate milk, blanket, tractors, please!” So, as he watched John Deere Tractors for Kids, I jumped in the shower and got ready. I scheduled Levi’s 3 year check up for 8:30. After a finger prick, many tears and two stickers, he got a clean bill of health! We then called Gretchen and headed to the big metropolis for some play time! We ended up taking food to the park for a picnic and the kids just played their little hearts out. Very cute!
The boys on their way to the park
Levi on the "airplane"

Little Miss Hopie, cute as always! Love those piggies!!

Levi in action...

Gretchen gave me this adorable frame for my birthday. I love it!! Also, she baked me some homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Way yummy! Thanks, G!!

After play time, we headed home for nap time. We both took a big ol’ honkin nap and then headed outside to play once Eric got home. We ordered pizza from MaZarella’s for dinner and played outside for the rest of the evening. My parents stopped by to see us and Levi kept proclaiming “My Papa loves me!” for the rest of the evening. He is right, his Papa does love him! Not sure why Grammy doesn’t love him, too, but her name wasn’t proclaimed all evening like Papa. :) Sorry, Mom! All in all, it was a great day and a perfect way to spend my birthday. Thanks to everyone who posted a message on Facebook and to the many people who called to wish me a happy birthday! (I left my phone at home all evening, so if I missed your call, I’m so sorry!! But, thanks for all the voicemails!)

Happy Birthday, Levi

Sunday was Levi's 3rd birthday, but we celebrated it Saturday night. It blows my mind that it has been three years ago since my little angel was born!

the cake...it had small football and basketball rings on it. very cute! Here's Levi early in the day using his "back pack leaf blower" to help Dad with the yard. (yes, we are creative...his back pack with a paper towel roll)

Party time!! Enjoy the pics of our family:

Our niece, Emilee and her boyfriend, Jesse (I can't believe my BABY niece has a boyfriend!)

Eric's dad, Phil, Peyton (our nephew) and Amanda (our sis-in-law)

Hopie just a-swingin'

Pierce and Levi swinging

Peyton braving the slide

Levi was so happy all his cousins were here for the party, plus Hopie and Pierce!! ;) They're like "family", too!

Emmy, Griffin, Levi & Pierce swinging

Tanner & Megan on the teeter totter

Levi blowing out his candles

Levi showing off his big football ring! ;)

Opening gifts with Dad; Casey & Bailey are helping, too!

Pierce, Hope, Tanner, Griffin, Levi, Megan and Peyton

Oh, and Emilee and Jesse trying to hide out at the picnic table! Young love... ;)

Eric, his dad, Phil and brother, Alan (Gretchen in the background like "what the ???")

All the kids running around and enjoying each other

My dad throwing the football with my brother

Emily trying to find someone to play on the teeter totter with her!! Pleeeease!

Gretchen & Eric - 2nd spouses

Ok, let me explain this picture! My loving brother always tries to take the most unflattering pictures of me that he can! He snapped this one and we all just cracked up! It is kind of a cross between bad constipation and a semi-bad interpretive dance move! Thanks, Trav!!

What a beautiful day it was! It was supposed to rain all day - 80% chance and we only got a few sprinkles and lots and lots of sunshine!! Thank you, God!! Levi had a blast. We want to thank everyone for coming and sharing Levi's birthday with us. We have a great family and are so blessed.

Later in the evening, Daddy and Levi work on letters and numbers on his computer. :)

And, Mommy gets in one sweet shot with her baby boy before the day is done!

I love you to pieces, Levi Alexander. You are my precious, precious gift from God and I cannot explain how happy I am that God chose me to take care of you. May you always know the love of Jesus and always try to grow closer and closer to Him all the days of your life.