Hello Fall!!! So Glad You Decided to Visit!

Today we got a taste of fall, and it was fabulous!  I have been wishing for fall for the last couple of weeks.  So much so that I decorated for fall last week.  This is what I have done so far.  I can't get my mantle to look the way I want it to this year, so I don't have a picture of it yet.

I like how my piano area turned out this year. I have had the two Halloween guys for several years.  They are from Home Goods.  I got the lit up Jack-o-lantern at Target for $6, and I just love the Halloween sign.  I got that today randomly at Barnes and Noble.

GG gave me that cute little mini Jack-o-lantern several years ago.

 

Love my "vintage" sign I found at B&N today.

 

Despite feeling not so great today!  I think it's allergies!  I can't stay away from a box of Kleenex.  Today was a great taste of fall. We had lunch and ran a few little errands.  While at B&N I got J a Halloween book--

 

It's super cute!!! And not creepy like some of the ones I looked at!

 

 

I got my first pumpkin spice latte of the season from Starbucks.  Aaron says it's dorky, but I stand by my statement, "A pumpkin spice latte is fall in a cup."  Love them!!!

 



 





 

 

J and I even had a "fallish" looking dinner.  We're fancy over here I tell ya!!!

 

Yes, that is a baked sweet potato with butter and cinnamon.  Doesn't it look good with my orange placemat and mini lit up Jack-o-lantern!!!  I tried to color-coordinate when I can. ;)

My little picky eater loves a sweet tator, and he's getting better at feeding himself.  Just one of the many things we are working on with him!  Practice, practice, practice!!!

 

I hope this is the first of many "fallish" like weekends.  Now, to get it cool enough, so we can visit the pumpkin patch and wear jeans and long-sleeves.  Bring it October!  Bring it!!!





An Unexpected Visit to Toyota

On Wednesday, J and I took an unplanned visit to the Toyota service department.  When I say unexpected, I mean we got in the car to go to the grocery store before we met Daddy for lunch to find my battery dead.  Talk about inconvenient!!!  I quickly called Aaron because I didn't know what to do.  My parents were in Jackson Hole for the week, so I didn't have them as back up.  After Aaron told me to put the car in neutral and push it into the driveway, then find a neighbor to jump my battery (not practical with a toddler), I called my parents in WY.  After joining AAA (thanks Dad!!!), the guy at AAA called me and walked me through how to get my car to start.  Yay!!! It worked.  I was still a little skeptical because my 4Runner never gives me problem!  So I called my dealership and they told me they could test my battery if I brought it in.  While I wasn't dying to spend an hour in a car dealership waiting room with a 19 month old around nap time, I gutted it up and did it.  In an hour, I had my battery replaced (it was about to bite the dust!), oil changed, and basic check-up.  Thank you Toyota service department for speeding my service along realizing I had a toddler!!!  So now, I have a new battery and feel much better!!!  Here are some pics I took of J while we were waiting.  By the way, he did great!!!  I am pretty lucky to have such a great little kiddo!!!

My Daddy needs this truck with a backseat for me.

 

 

 

This and That + Beth Moore

Where has the time gone?  I mean seriously? It's been a week since I've posted. How is that possible? I honestly don't have anything that is newsworthy.  We've just been living life and doing what we do.  You know- the usual. 
Here are some pics of J from this last week- In both, he's wearing new Halloween shirts from RaRa.

We had a great weekend!!!  On Saturday, my mom, Ali, Kristen, and I went to a Beth Moore simulcast.  A sweet friend of my mom's told her about it about a month ago, and I promptly invited myself and then invited Kristen.  Over the past year, the MOMS Bible study I've been fortunate enough to be apart of has done two different Beth Moore studies.  She's just amazing!!! I love her passion for God and her love of his Word.  Needless to say, she was her wonderful self. 

Me and Kristen

All of us

 

A few pics from our small group

I watched J's age group while the other adults had a devotional.

Aren't they too cute?

Love how they're playing together. 



Today was J's second speech therapy.  Ms. Nancy, the speech therapist, is super sweet, and J seems to like her, which is a plus.  While I know he's making some small progress, we still have a long way to go.  The most important thing at this point is to get him in some physical therapy of some form.  Nancy doesn't think we'll see a whole lot of progress with his speaking until some of his gross motor skills are addressed.  Hopefully, we can get in touch with someone from ECI this week that can come out to work with him soon.

Here's to a new work week for me and to hoping I can post more than once this next week!!!

Fun Weekend!!!

We had a great weekend!!!  I had Friday off, so I could be at J's first speech therapy.  It was such a relief to finally meet with Ms. Nancy, and get some things to work on.  She gave us four different activities to work with J on over the next week.  So far we've worked a little bit each day on these items, and J is already starting to get some of it.  It's amazing how quickly he picks things up.  Just tonight, one of the activities she showed us, he finally got.  It's so exciting to see him understand!

Here's a photo dump of pictures from our weekend! 

Friday-

Looking out after the speech therapist left.

 He wore his pj shorts on his head for a good 30 minutes!!!

 

Love that silly boy!!!

 

Saturday-

 

He's so silly!!!

Lunch at BoomerJacks with Addi, Owen, and Donna.

Daddy and J wearing Batman shirts.

Dinner at Fireside Pies with all the Chandlers.

J loves the famous egg noodles!!!

J is a true Texan.  He had his eye on some boots!

Walking with Meema.

The crew.

Love those boys!!!

Walking.

 Precious.

Love these kiddos!!!  Especially the boy on the end clapping and having a good ole time!!!

 

Sunday, I didn't get any pictures.  Shame on me!!!  We went to church like always, had lunch, and J napped.  Then, we had our first small group meeting of the year in the fellowship/gym area at WWCC (if you can call it small with 35+ people ).   Aaron went with GPa to the first Cowboys game of the season, and they won!!!
Monday, again, no pics!!!  My MOMS Bible study group started up again this morning.  I am super excited about our new study! Then, J and I hung out the rest of the day getting lots of important stuff done. You know grocery shopping, dusting and vacuuming, napping (J not me), playing, and making dinner.  You know the usual stay-at-home mommy stuff.

After a great four day weekend, it's back to the grind tomorrow.  Yippee!!!  I am particularly looking forward to that 8 am faculty meeting! 

'til next time...

 

Labor Day Weekend- J's Walking!!!

After a rough week, we couldn't have asked for a better weekend.  We didn't have any plans, which meant we spent lots of time together.
Saturday, we didn't do a lot.  We hung around the house and worked with J a lot on his walking.  It seems like in the last week his interest with walking has grown so much.  Daddy took that as an opportunity to really push him to walk even more.  Then, on Saturday afternoon we ran to the mall and had J fitted for another pair of shoes at Stride Rite.

 

We worked on his walking for quite a while.  He was so receptive! He usually isn't interested unless it's his idea. (hmm...wonder where he got that trait from...)  But he persevered.  With the help of the handy dandy popcorn push vacuum, J really started gaining more confidence.

 

On Sunday, we went to church as usual.  Then, in the afternoon after a two hour nap, he got up ready to try some more walking.  And it happened.  J walked by himself with no support for the first time. ( I got video that I can't get to pull up on my computer.)  We were beyond excited!!!  Since it was almost time for church, we got ready and headed up to church where he showed off his new skill.

 

He looks so big with his new shoes on.  Notice he had already undone the Velcro strap.

 

Monday- We had another lazy day.  After lunch, we went to GPa and RaRa's to swim. J didn't swim much.  He hung out by the pool with RaRa and GPa snacking and playing.



 

 

 

To end our Monday, J played in the water table before bath time and bed.

 

 

We truly couldn't have asked for a better weekend.  It's amazing how God's timing is always perfect.  We have been so worried about J not walking, and in J's and God's time he did.  We have a lot of work ahead of us, but this was such a great first step.  We couldn't be prouder of our little boy!!!