Snapshots in Time

My Knight in Shining Armor!

2011-04-15T19:23:00.003-05:00

This afternoon while scooting on her scooter with a couple of girls in on our street, Sydnie bought the pavement. The first growing up accident...not including falling off the slide in preschool when she was 2 years old. While she had to have stitches after the slide, this time only required a good cleaning, band-aids and lots of extra love. But is it ever really that simple???

I pulled out the first-aid kit and began cleaning her knees, through her tears, she was insistent I continue very carefully. She took a quick shower, dressed and cried from the pain in her knees. I sprayed her knees, with the pain-stopping spray, and she begins screaming it stings so badly!!! So much for no pain...then Daddy stepped in and saved the day. He gave her another shower to wash off her knees and put neosporine and band-aids on her. For the rest of the evening, she clung closely to Daddy, her "knight in shining armor".

What would we do without a Daddy to rescue us? I don't think it matters if we are 6 or 66, Daddies are special men in our lives and we should tell them often. However, too often, we leave our true feelings unsaid, whether we're embarrassed, uncertain, or have some other hidden reason. Take advantage of today and the opportunity to say "Thanks" to that special Dad, before it's too late.

I love you, Dad. You were a great dad and I am thankful Syd can know her "Pa". It's a real blessing.

We are still here

2011-02-03T16:55:00.002-06:00

Well, it's been 6 months since my last post. Don't worry, I won't bore you trying to fill you in on 6 months. I'll just give the highlights:

We went to Florida for our first official family vacation. We met Tim's family there and rented a house with them for a week. It was a beautiful time to go, but the ocean was VERY rough and Sydnie only ventured in twice. It was a little scary and she worried about anyone who went in. We were actually able to get in the water before the oil spill reached the area.
Sydnie started Kindergarten. Yes, Mommy cried while Sydnie took off ready to go. Tim was a great Dad and husband: he took off the day for Syd and myself :)
Sydnie has lost 5 teeth and has 2 loose now. She leaves notes for the Tooth Fairy (and Santa) with very clear expectations. The Tooth Fairy is nice enough to write back regarding Syd's concerns and thoughts. Like, a mini-trampoline really is toooooo big for a Fairy to bring for a lost tooth.
Sydnie and I went to Tennessee after Christmas. We rode back with my mom and dad to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday celebration. We surprised her when we showed up on her door step. I must say, it was one of the best surprises I've been involved with in a long time.
Sydnie is planning a redesign for her bedroom. She has some very clear ideas; we'll see how it all comes out. Right now, we are looking at colors, accessories, and budget. It will be a couple of months before it's finished, I expect.
We have been out of school for 3 days now with icy weather and rolling blackouts. Today to break things up a bit, we had orange muffins for the Chinese New Year (good luck for the new year) and some friends braved the roads to visit. Cabin fever was averted for one more day. We'll see what happens tomorrow with snow predicted tonight.
Sydnie is in Daisies (Girl Scouts) and is selling cookies. Yeah! She gets to sell cookies she really shouldn't eat - no gluten free options with these yummies. Her troop is also researching Egypt for World Thinking Day They are also planning for a day camp this month. A busy month for Girl Scouts!

I am sure much has happened in our little circle, but you get the idea...never a dull moment! But, we are blessed to have the opportunities we have and look forward to many more!

Blessings to you all.

Zoo Fun

2010-06-24T18:34:00.003-05:00

Sydnie LOVES going to the zoo and the last time we went, she was very bummed the new exhibit, The African Savannah, wasn't open. So, we went today. Even better, we went with Nana and Pa! It was HOT. It was fun :) We finally saw the cheetahs and elephants. Of course, we saw the lions, warthogs, and giraffes, which only received a passing glance. "Ok, I've seen it, what else can we see?"

After the zoo, we went to eat and yes we were so hot, we enjoyed a little bit of Frosty to cool us down :)

Memorial Day Fun

2010-06-01T17:46:00.001-05:00

Happy Memorial Day!! We didn't have big plans for our Memorial Day, or Memorials Day, as Sydnie put it, but it turned out to be lots of fun...and memorable...hahaha.

We had some friends over, kind of a last minute thing, to grill and just 'hang-out'. Sydnie and Silas, almost 4, have lots of fun together so they were sooooo excited to have the play time. Even so excited they didn't eat when the adults ate. If you know Sydnie, you know that is amazing, she will almost always be willing to stop what she' s doing to eat, especially grilled steak (which is quite a treat). After lots of good playtime, and a good meal, Sydnie decided to do something about her loose tooth, or rather allow someone else to do something about her tooth. Let me explain...

Silas's family came over. You know that when kids come into the family the parents don't get the mention, as before kids, but Silas's mom is also a dental assistant. Sydnie wouldn't let Mom or Dad touch her tooth, but she let Mrs. Tiffany pull it!!! She was a little wary, but she was patient and out it came. We now have a snaggle-tooth in the family, who is very proud of the hole in her mouth :) She asked the tooth fairy for the tooth. She did leave the tooth, which she said was a 'very unusual request and practice' but this is Sydnie: the queen of unusual requests :) She looked at her tooth all night and all the next day. I wonder if each tooth will carry this kind of excitement??

So, we really did have a big memorable Memorial Day, maybe not as one would expect, but perfect for our family. A good evening with friends (Mr. Jacob and Carly, we are glad you came too) and a good family event we were happy to share.

'Til the next event...

Blessings :)

Gluten Free/Yeast Free Recipe

2010-05-05T22:27:00.002-05:00

I tried something new for lunch today I had seen in Yeastfree Cooking, or something like that. Anyway, it was so simple and actually tasty. I don't usually make meals during the day, I don't always sit down to eat, so what's the point? So this was more than I'm used to, but so easy. Ready?

One cooked sweet potato, peeled and sliced
1/2 banana cut lengthwise, peeled
1/4 cup pecans, toasted
oil

Toast the pecan for a few minutes, remove from the pan and add just about a tablespoon of oil. Add the banana and sweet potato slices. Cover and let cook until warmed through. You don't even have to turn them over. Plate with cooked side up and sprinkle with nuts. The bananas have a nice sweetness that comes out with cooking and blends well with the potato and pecans. Surprisingly yummy!

A Loose Tooth

2010-05-04T16:00:00.002-05:00

Well, it has come at last...Sydnie's first loose tooth! She has been waiting since the last dental visit. Looking at the xrays, the dentist said he anticipated he two bottom teeth would fall out this summer. She has been anxously awaiting. When she realized she had a loose tooth, I thought she would actually jump out of her skin. She had to call Daddy and work and give him the BIG news!! It is loose and getting looser, with help, of course, but she doesn't want Daddy to pull it. I'll be curious to see how things go when it is so loose it wobbles on its own...

Kindergarten Here We Come!

2010-04-16T08:35:00.002-05:00

Last night we went to school for Kindergarten Round-Up. Sydnie was a little nervous about the evening: I won't know anyone?! What will we do? Do you know how to get there? The typical questions and concerns of a child going into a new situation. After MUCH discussion, including the electives she might be able to take in high school, yes we had to talk about high school as well, after all, don't all 5-year-olds worry if they'll be able to be on the swim team when they get to high school??? or on the "book" team (yearbook)??? A side note: she'll be on the swim team, the yearbook staff, but NOT the debate team...we'll see about that last one.

So, back to Kindergarten...we get ready to go, she's still a little nervous, but also excited, which makes for an emotional little girl. When we arrive, she walks right in and sits with Daddy, no problems. She listens to the principal and teachers, as well as she can considering she's commenting on everything they say, so I miss half of it. Thanks for listening Daddy, and catching the other half! We go to the classrooms, and it love! "This will be my room won't it Mom"? We looked at the K classrooms and she sat in the reading corners of all of them and pointed out the science area of a couple. She is ready for Kindergarten. I hope Kindergarten is ready for her :)

After leaving, she learned she would not start this week...what a BUMMER! As I said, the emotions were close to showing themselves, how can one be soooo excited and soooo disappointed at the same time and not be emotional! This morning, we are calmer and just excited to know it's coming up this fall. "I know I'll love it, Mom"! If I were only so confident. I am still very nervous, for many reasons, but it's in God's hands, for which I am thankful!!!

Thankful

2010-03-01T11:44:00.002-06:00

I just have some random thoughts this morning, almost afternoon.

I am thankful for a husband who is loving and caring. He is a great Dad and wonderful hubby who never gets the credit warm fuzzies he deserves, but continues to all he can for his family in a Godly way. What would we do without you???

I am thankful for a daughter who has a heart for others. She is making cards for friends and kites for myself and Daddy with a sincere caring I hope and pray never goes away.

I am thankful for parents I can call anytime with crazy thoughts and questions and know they will answer me honestly and appropriately.

I am thankful for a sister that is great! I may not talk to her very often, but she is always in my prayers.

I am thankful for friends God has given our family and thoughts of them brighten our day.

I am thankful to God for his blessings that are new every morning and am sorry I don't appreciate them as I should.

Winter Snow

2010-02-23T16:20:00.004-06:00

I have not kept up well the last few months. No excuses, but we'll just try to start over and keep going. I thought I might as well start with the snow we had a couple of weeks ago. It was the most beautiful snow we've seen in Texas-and Sydnie's biggest by far! She built Lenny the Leaning Snowman, who actually hung around until the very last flake of snow had melted. I thought she would be sad, but she was actually glad to have warm weather again. Of course, it is cold again, we had a few snowflakes, and she is watching The Jetsons in front of the fire and still has on her coat. The bunny ears have since fallen off...She is a girl of complexities for sure!

Oops!

2009-11-06T10:32:00.002-06:00

I know I have not posted in a while, and I am feeling a little guilty about that. I expect activities to calm down in the next 2 weeks, so I will be able to catch-up, I hope. I do want to be ready for the holiday craziness, or should I say the 'busy'ness of the holiday time.

Check back soon,
Blessings,
Julie :)

Vocabulary Stew

2009-09-05T14:31:00.003-05:00

Vocabulary stew, vocabulary stew...I don't know if you are familiar with this children's song, but it is very fitting for a certain four-year-old in our house who likes to use big words. Here is just a sampling:

Last week, when we were outside, her (invisible) bat, Batwing, was flying around the backyard. Sydnie gave me updates of his flight path so I would know exactly where to look to see his flight tricks. She then informed me that "bats use echolocation to keep from bumping into things. So that tree branch won't be a problem for him". During the same conversation, she looked up at the moon and commented, "the moon is waxing" .

She makes "preparations" for picnics. Her classroom is "amazing"! I am wearing my "multiple" sandals. (That would be the sandals with multiple colored straps.)

Of course, now that I am finally getting to write them down, I can't remember them all. Next time, I'll jot them down as I go along.

Enjoy your own "vocabulary stew"

What Next!!??

2009-07-14T14:46:00.002-05:00

Saturday. It began as any other day in the Covington home. In fact, most of the day was a fairly normal day, except the child. She woke with an attitude that only worsened during the day. Naps usually help the attitude greatly, however, this was not to be a nap day. It was a quiet time then quiet play day instead. So now the stage is set: Attitude is primed, claws are easily shown, and Sydnie is restless.

Act 1: I went out to pick up some dinner (I was really not in the mood to cook) and was greeted with "Tell Mommy what you did". That's never an encouraging greeting, but especially after one of these kinds of days. To make a longer story shorter, Sydnie had for some reason decided to hang from the curtains. Yes, you read that correctly. She hung from the curtains hanging in our room. She bent the holders and it was being pulled out of the wall when, I am guessing, Tim found her and stopped her acrobatic stunt.

Act 2: The punishment was a spanking. Some things you can't play around with and we don't want to see her hanging from the ceiling fan next weekend. Of course, the tears began before the spanking.

Closing: Tim was able to straighten everything out again and Syd appeared to have remorse. We finally did eat, though it probably didn't taste as good as it might have. I am wondering what will be next. I know there will be a "next". I hope and pray Tim and I are prepared!

Growing Up...part 2

2009-07-05T21:32:00.002-05:00

My last post was about "the most handsome man" Sydnie had seen. Thanks to a good friend I can name the mystery man. Thanks Shannon, yes it was Laurence Olivier.

Another snip-it of growing up...

On the way home from errands last week Sydnie was putting on and pulling off her 'Priority Mail' stickers from her leg. Suddenly she squealed, "Mom, Mom, I'm old enough! I have hair on my legs. I'm finally old enough to have hair on my legs!" Something tells me in a few years she won't be quite so excited about that fact.

Happy July 4th!

2009-07-04T21:40:00.000-05:00

I attended my first tea party on the 4th. It was not a dainty tea party with cucumber sandwiches, but a political Tea Party to give information about the state of affairs of bills, Congress, and other political events on the Capital grounds. I have much information to sort through, but it seems our Congressmen will be hearing from me again, and again, and again. They don't seem to understand their jobs anymore, so I think we, as American citizens, need to remind them exactly what the phrase, "of the people, for the people, by the people" means and has not been forgotten.

I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July holiday. May you enjoy and appreciate the peace and freedom you have been given by the sacrifices of others. Never forget...

Growing Up

2009-07-02T09:14:00.002-05:00

A few snippits to share about growing up...

A couple of days ago, I sat down on the couch about 5:00 and was looking for something more appropriate on TV. Sydnie was ready to watch something and I was about to fix dinner. I came across an old black and white movie of Pride and Prejudice. I loved the book, so I thought I would see the last 15 minutes. That's not asking too much during the day, I hope. Anyway, Syd asked if it was "appropriate" for her to see it, and curled up next to me on the couch. We were watching the scene when Mrs. DeBurgh confronts Elizabeth about rumors concernin Darcy and their engagement. Mrs. D is not happy with the outcome of the discourse and leaves. Darcy is waiting outside, they have an exchange and he goes inside to speak to Elizabeth (yes, it is a little different from the book, but aren't most?). When the camera shows Darcy, Syd, who is now sitting on me, says, "He's the most handsome man I've ever seen." in the most serious, grown-up way. I just looked at her, dumbfounded. At the scene in which Darcy is in the house and has taken off his cloak and wearing tails (period clothing of course) she again says, "He really is the most handsome man I've ever seen." I wasn't able to see the credits, so unfortunately, I won't be able to tell you the name of the "most handsome man". Forgive me.

Last night on the way home from church Sydnie and Tim were kidding with each other about everything. We noticed, each new conversation, Syd always stuck in a last comment. This wasn't the first, at all, but we are noticing it more often. Tim finally mentioned to her that she needed to have the last word. After explaining that phrase, she did indeed have the last word, on EVERYTHING. I think it's time to begin saving for law school.

"Mom, I'll be 5 in 4 months!"
"Dad, I'm almost 5!"
"Well, I can't do that...I'm only 4."
"I can to that when I'm 5."

It seems that Sydnie can only do certain things when she is five, but can't do them at four, and visa versa. I wonder how we merge those ideas????

Have a great day!

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

2009-06-27T19:53:00.002-05:00

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang we love you......This afternoon we went to the production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I have taken to Syd to plays for children and she loved them all, but this was our first time to go as a family to a live theater production, not written and produced solely for children. She was excellent and had a great time! Whew! Nutcracker...here we come.

The play was based on the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, not the original story by Ian FLeming. In the story, which we have listened to countless times, the children are kidnapped and rescued by Chitty. Not knowing which version we would see, I tried to prepare Syd for the differences without scaring her, however, I did have to take her out during the "childcatcher" scene. She was enthralled with everything else, laughing and clapping with the audience. Chitty was great and the effects were better than I expected; Tim actually didn't dislike the play as much as he anticipated, either. (He has been burned by too many viewings of the Nutcracker.) He was a great sport and we really had a great time.

If you see it, I will caution, be prepared for some adult humor. I think we missed some that followed the "scary scene" for which I am thankful. Why can't they produce a good family show without having to add stuff for the 'adults'?

Right now, Syd is in bed singing the song about Chitty and I don't anticipate it stopping very shortly...glad we saw the matinee.

A Great Visit

2009-06-20T17:26:00.003-05:00

Aunt Linnette visited us this past weekend. We had a great visit, even though it was a short one. Unfortunately, Uncle Rod wasn't able to come this time. We have missed them and are grateful for such good friends!

We took a walk around the lake in our neighborhood. It was quite a windy day!

Don't forget your good friends. They always enjoy hearing from you. Until next time (when I will try to fill in some gaps I missed).

WOW! We are progressing...

2009-04-21T16:30:00.003-05:00

I have to let you know that in our battles with Sydnie, I am seeing progress...at least in one in particular. The weather today was beautiful. Sunny and warm. As always for school days, I picked out a couple of outfits for Sydnie to choose what she wanted to wear. I find this is the only way to get her to wear something other than play clothes. Anyway, today, since the temperature was forecasted to be in the 80s, I picked out 3 different skort outfits. (skirts with shorts connected underneath). She picked one, with only a little discussion and NO argument...what a happy beginning to the day. This afternoon as she was playing in her room, I went in to put something away, and she said, "I like wearing skorts. They really aren't so bad." I could have fainted. To most, this seems very silly and we must have quite a boring life if I must blog the day we wear a skort willingly. However, such is not the case, at least not in our lives. Since Sydnie was 2 she has been VERY opinionated regarding the clothing she would and would not wear. She went through a period of wearing skirts, dresses and skorts, and then it all came to a stop...until today. Dresses are still not high on the list, but the battles have proven to work. The war is not lost in the clothing department. Not yet, anyway :)

Food for thought: As you look in your closet tomorrow morning, think carefully what you pick out. I can guarantee there will be a little person somewhere who will ask her Mom, "If she can wear it, why can't I?"

Western Wear Day

2009-04-02T12:17:00.001-05:00

Today was Sydnie's "Western Wear Day" at preschool. I actually think it was 'Western Day' but she added wear, since everyone was to wear western clothes. It makes sense. She was soooo excited about it, she woke up at 6:15 and every time I directed her in completing tasks, she said, "I can't, Mom. I'll be late for school." We did leave a little earlier and she had a fun day. They learned to bow and curtsy in PE, I am guessing for the square dances. Can you picture 4-year-olds trying to do a square dance??? I bet it was cute! Anyway, I have a couple of pictures of her decked in her western wear...thanks Nana and Aunt Stephie for the box of clothes which had the perfect shirt for the day!!

NEWS FLASH

2009-03-24T18:47:00.002-05:00

Sydnie may have the discovered a cure for Hydrococaufofathis last night! Hydro... is the illness which causes coughing spells in small stuffed rabbits, jaguars, dogs, or any other well-loved animal. Dr. Sydnie concocted a mixture of crocodile mix, fish mix, flour and eggs which may have saved Bitty Bunny! She also tried a mixture of crocodile eggs, fish eggs and flour. (Both make a type of soup.)

As important as this medical discovery is to small stuffed animals everywhere, I couldn't keep it a secret! I hope your animals never need it, but if they do, you are armed and ready.

Good Health to all!!!

(No we didn't actually mix anything this time; I was able to talk her into pretend ingredients, thank goodness, but we did have quite a bit of excitement!)

Funny Sayings

2009-03-09T16:03:00.002-05:00

I really should keep a miniature voice recorder handy for all times. I think, I won't forget that...but I do.

In the bath the other night, Sydnie was rubbing the soap on her legs to make "her skin skinny".

She was trying to get Daddy to do something, but he wasn't quite into her play, so I told her to say, "Please, just humor me, Dad." So she said, "Just humoree, Dad. What's that?!"

Weighing rocks (Syd is really into studying rocks lately) she put them on the kitchen scale and said, "Wow, Mom, that rock is 1 inch heavy!" Of course, it was about 1 ounce in weight. We're working on that concept.

There were many more I was planning to pass along, but unfortunately, they have gone to the Land of Words, never to be brought back again. (Since I don't think I'll remember them any time soon.)

Lasagna Recipe

2009-03-09T15:47:00.002-05:00

Here is the Lasagna Recipe that has been awaited for soooo long. Sorry it took so long. I hope I remembered everything :)

Spinach Lasagna

Lasagna noodles (may be regular, gluten free, or no boil) about 1 box
1 chopped onion
1 TBS oil
2 lbs. ground meat ( I used 1lb ground beef and 1lb ground sausage)
2 eggs
2 boxes frozen spinach, thawed and drained
3 c ricotta or cottage cheese
2c tomatoes (1 can)
2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
2 TBS parsley
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated

Heat skillet and cook onion and oil, add ground meat. Drain and add tomatoes and tomato paste and salt. Combine remain ingredients, except mozzarella cheese, in a blender until smooth, layer noodles, meat sauce, spinach mixture and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Bake for about 30 minutes. (Mine took closer to 45 minutes.)

The spinach may be removed easily for just a meat lasagna.

Enjoy!!

Muffin Recipe

2009-02-27T09:04:00.002-06:00

I am adding a recipe, just because it is pretty good and finding good gluten free recipes isn't always that easy. I know, I still need to send out a lasagna recipe, so I'll look it up and post it next.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

3 eggs
5TBS. Brown Sugar
1TBS. oil
1/4 tsp. vanilla (I use a little more)
1/4 c. peanut butter (cashew butter works as well)
1/4 c. coconut flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt (I don't always remember this)
1/4 c. chocolate chips

Mix the wet ingredients, add peanut butter until well blended. A whisk works just as well as a mixer without the extra mess. Sift the flour and baking powder and add to wet ingredients. Add chocolate chips. Mix well and add to 6 lined muffin cups. Bake in pre-heated 400 degree oven for 13-15 minutes.

It's filling and really not bad :)
Enjoy!

"My Twin"

2009-02-19T08:48:00.000-06:00

Yes, you read the title correctly. Sydnie received a "twin" doll for Christmas from Nana and Pa. It has long curly hair, blue eyes, basically it looks like her-her twin. Well for the last several days Sydnie and her twin have been inseperable. She has gone to the store with us, to school to say goodbye, the playground. Everywhere that Syd can carry her. I noticed with her playing with her "twin" so much lately, I am having to do a double take when I see the "twin" in different places. It has been fun to watch and listen to Syd talk to and take care of her "twin". Truly a sweet exchange.

Valentine Party

2009-02-13T08:39:00.000-06:00

Sydnie's Valentine party was her first at her new preschool. She was soooo excited! When I arrived Ms. Amy was reading an Arthur Valentine story. The children were all sitting around the tables listening, or rather wondering when they could dig into their treats. I was very impressed how controlled and patient they were. After the story they handed out their treats to each other and took a few minutes to look through their Valentine bags. What a fun day!!

Quick stories

2009-02-10T07:43:00.003-06:00

Sydnie, our in-house comdian, shared these stories with us:

Mom! When the President is pregnant there is a new Build-a-Bear Dog coming out! Is he out yet?

I don't know anything about that Syd, I can't answer your question. (As I try to look serious and not burst out laughing.)

A weather report while playing outside:
Mom, there is a storm coming. It's headed east or west; something to do with the sun. I'll tell you if it changes.

Thanks for the report.

A few minutes later:
Mom, the storm is still coming. We'll have to close all the windows when I come in to stay dry.

We'll do.

I have some precious pictures that I won't post of Sydnie washing off her bike. You've heard of the topless carwashes? Well, yesterday she was the owner and operator of the "bottomless" bike wash. She sat in mud and water and decided it was not feeling good on her bottom, so she matters into her own hands and solved that problem. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Yes, I did take her some dry clothes so her bike wash was more reputable.

Through the eyes of a child....Enjoy your day.

School IS Good

2009-01-13T17:05:00.002-06:00

Well, we finally found a preschool for Sydnie. Thank goodness!! We are visiting at Mesquite church of Christ, which has a day school Tuesday and Thursday. They had an opening, we took it. She was so VERY excited she wore her new sling backpack all day-the day before school and woke very early the morning of school. Needless to say, she had tons of fun and was exhausted when she got home. The school is 9-2, so it's a little longer than what she was used to. Yesterday, I heard her singing a song she made up, which she does often, about school. It goes to "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and the words are: "I love to go to school, go to school, go to school. I love to go to school. It is so delightful" She began singing another verse, but I couldn't hear it, so we'll just have to imagine the words.

Today was her second school day. She was dazed on the drive home, but wouldn't admit she was tired. She fell asleep on her bed...wonder when I should try to wake her???

Fun Pictures

2008-12-16T21:06:00.005-06:00

I haven't been able to upload any pictures for a while, but I am finally up and running with the camera and computer, so I thought I would just post a few pictures for fun from the past few weeks/months.

Enjoy!

Fun with Friends!
Halloween Activities
I have on make-up, let's go!
I love my Daddy!!
Do I have to be awake to Trick or Treat?

"Real Snow"

2008-12-10T08:19:00.002-06:00

Yesterday a cold front came through. In San Antonio, that means cooler weather for a day or so, then back to short sleeves or light clothing. In Rockwall, we are learning that may mean a little more. The wind was very cold and we had sleet last night. We woke up this morning and saw a little snow/ice on the roof. sydnie was soooo excited! "It snowed, it snowed! Can I go see it? " So she puts on her crocks and runs outside in her penguin pajamas to look at the snow. "I see it! It did snow. Real snow!" It really is the little things that we take for granted that give us joy, if we will stop and allow them.

Have a wonderful day. Enjoy your "snow" today.
(If I get the memory stick cleared off before it melts, I'll post a picture. I know everyone will want to see the snowdrifts....haha)

Happy Birthday

2008-12-02T21:23:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday to a very special person-my sister. We didn't get to talk to her tonight, but we are all thinking about her. She is a very caring person, everyone should have a sister like her :)

Love you, Steph

Happy Holiday Season

2008-12-02T21:09:00.003-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas! We had our first Thanksgiving dinner in Rockwall. Syd and I made squash casserole, sweet potato casserole, cranberry relish, honey biscuits, turkey and dressing. It was delicious, if I do say so myself. Of course, Tim and I enjoyed it more than Sydnie, who actually took one bite and ate no more. Oh well...

I braved the storm Friday morning, literally and figuratively. I left the house about 5:30ish and went shopping-by myself!!! It was chilly and rainy, but there weren't as many people out as I expected. I bought a couple of Christmas gifts and a few things we needed for the house or for us. Really exciting things such as lotion, soap (from Bath and Body Works, of course), running shoes, knives, and I went back for curtains. I know the excitement might be too much!! But, I was alone. The time was precious. I know Moms can appreciate the thought :)

Tonight we went to see Santa. The city of Rockwall sponsored the evening with free refreshments and goodies for the little ones. Sydnie was very excited, but also very nervous. I didn't think she would sit in his lap for the picture, but she came through. She asked for a Jr. Flexible Sled. What is this, you ask. I don't know. She has been asking for it for several weeks. I guess she is preparing early for the snow we will be having on Christmas.

We are trying to find our way around. Of course, I did get lost and so turned around today. Where is the GPS when you need it??? In the other car, duh. We did finally make it to the library and Syd actually received her own library card. She was as excited about that as she was seeing Santa!! She could hardly contain herself. The library is new and has a pretty good selection, from what we saw. It is much, much larger than what we are used to. Story time is 3 times a week, so I am sure we will be adding that to our week's activities.

We're thinking about our friends/family in SA. It is odd not seeing you every week, but you are thought of daily. We miss our family in TN and are thankful for each person.
God Bless!!

Rockwall, TX

2008-11-23T13:51:00.002-06:00

Well, we are here....I think :) We are settling in, we have a new number, internet is working and the boxes are down to a minimum. I am still parking in the front, but eventually the garage and attic will be cleaned, sorted and arranged so there will be more room behind the garage (we have back drive ways). The only room we haven't done much with is the office. So sorry, no pictures yet. Soon...

Sydnie is missing her friends and school greatly. She has given me the charge of finding a new school for her, which I am doing. It is hard to find preschools, since they tend to be church schools and do not do a lot of advertising. We did find a MOPS group, so she did have a little playtime last week, which she loved.

In time, we will have a good routine. I am hoping sooner rather than later. We still haven't been to storytime at the library, a once weekly or twice-weekly event. Although I haven't heard wonderful things about the storytime, Tim said the library looks fantastic. Now that we are getting mail actually addressed to us, we can go get a library card.

I am looking for Goodwill, yes, again! We threw away and donated so many things before we moved, but I have 5 more boxes of things that we have discovered and need to pass on to someone who can use the items, not to mention that our bulk trash pick up is tomorrow and very full! Oh, well, you don't want to hear about trash. Hopefully, next time there will be something exciting, in a positive way, to report.

Blessings

Packing Day 1

2008-11-05T14:22:00.002-06:00

Well, this morning before 8:00 the packers came and started to pack things into boxes. Wow, are they fast! I was not fully prepared for their speed and organization and have found a few things packed that I really didn't want to be packed yet, but nothing too important. Does a 4-year-old really need to wear socks with shoes anyway??? I did have to ask for some paperwork they had packed, but Steven was able to pull it right out and didn't lose a beat packing another room. Sydnie was fine this morning during the process, she played outside, until something bit her, and then watched tv. Yes, I am sorry to say she has watched a little more tv in the whole relocation process than I would like, but sometimes it just is what it is and she hasn't complained one bit...haha. Anyway, the difficulty came when she walked into her room and saw boxes stacked on one another and an empty toy box, you get the picture. "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy"! came ringing through the house. The initial shock didn't last too long when she understood everything in a box was moving to her new room and if it wasn't packed it meant it was staying. Of course, then it was well pack these too, they have to go, referring to the things she wanted to keep out while we are without a house and stuff. I don't have any pictures because I don't want to get in the way and the camera in another spot. Just picture our house with furniture and boxes for decorations. It won't be long and I'll post pictures of our move to Rockwall, Lord willing.

I did have a very nice lunch today with a good friend, Kayren, who was so nice to bring us lunch. My friends will be missed so much, but I can't say goodbye. They are too important and so it is talk to you later, see you later, don't forget us!

Our furniture is moving out Friday so I don't know I'll be posting again until after the move. So, God Bless and we'll see you in Rockwall!

We're Up and Running Again

2008-10-31T07:34:00.002-05:00

We are hooked back up to the internet after a 4 day lay-off...yeah! I think there were only 60+ messages to go through. One very good email we did receive during that technology free period was an offer on the house from a prospective buyer! Tim received it at work and now we are waiting for the next part of the process. The inspection is Monday and we move Friday; how's that for God's timing. I pray God will continue to be in control of this process and the sale will go through without any hitches or unforeseen problems. Let me reword that: I am thankful God is in control of this process so I do not have to worry about any problems that may arise and truly put it and leave it in God's hands.

This and That!

2008-10-23T19:26:00.007-05:00

There are a lot of little things that come up in the week that makes it difficult to put everything in a blog, and still make sense, so I will just share some snip-its for today.

Halloween is coming soon, as everyone knows, and Sydnie has finally decided on a costume. Last week the waffling ended and she decided to be.....( and the drum roll please)....a clown. It actually fits her as she is developing a sense of humor and telling jokes ALL the time. She also told me, "Mom, since you are an expert knitter, you can make it for me." I tried to explain the difference in knitting and sewing, but she didn't quite grab it, so I surrendered that teaching moment and just agreed to try to make it. She picked out the colors and fabrics. What a crazy, colorful clown she will be...if I am successful. I'll post the finished product, if it is wearable. If you don't see it, you'll know it went away, never to be seen by human eyes.

We voted Tuesday, another wonderful teaching moment. I explained the process and what she would see and how votes were cast, all that good information in a way that would make sense to a 4-year-old. She was not too sure about it all, but she was very attuned to happenings around her, even pointing out that I could not take my cell phone in with me. It actually just had to be turned off, but she was "reading" all the signs as we were waiting in line. After we finished, she asked if "your person won?" Oh, how I wish it was that easy!

Tuesday on the way to preschool, Sydnie and I were talking and she started asking me about school: school past preschool. As we chatted she asked me about college and I explained I went to college to learn how to teach. This is a little bit of the conversation:

"What did Daddy do ( in college)"?

"He learned about communications and social work."

A puzzled stare..."So he didn't go to class"?

"Yes he did, just different classes to learn different things."

"I don't want to be a teacher. I'll have to think about what I want to be."

"You don't have to be a teacher, you have many choices." And I named several. And then a few more. Finally, she decided she wanted to be a painter.

"I'll be a painter! I like to paint." I mentioned a few other things, I don't know why.

"No, I'm going to be a painter, just a painter!"

OK with me. a future artist :)

This and That

2008-10-23T19:09:00.001-05:00

Blessings of Friends

2008-10-16T13:46:00.002-05:00

Today began as an ordinary Thursday, nothing very exciting: I woke up a little earlier to get some things accomplished before Sydnie woke up; I woke her up, actually at 7:30 gave her oatmeal pancakes, that is a blog in and of itself , "Where are the good wheat-free pancakes?", and then rushed around the house as quickly as possible to get her bathed and ready for school so we would not be late. It doesn't matter how prepared I am for the morning, we always end up with a rush the last 10 minutes :( Anyway, after dropping her off at preschool I decided to take advantage of the cool fall morning and go for a run. It was a nice interval run and the cool breeze was perfect. After my run I popped in to say "HI" to Laurin, my customary pop-in during the week. After a short visit I may Kayren for lunch before picking up Sydnie at preschool. As I said, it was not an extraordinary day of events, but one that truly made an impact on the blessings of friends. God has blessed us in San Antonio with friends who are as close as family and I am sorry I have not let them know often enough how special each one is to us. I know I am preparing to move to Rockwall and the life God has prepared for us, but it is becoming very difficult not to focus on leaving the treasures he has given us. I must remember, as should our friends, we are only 4-5 hours away. If we don't see them, there might be wrath to pay!! I may not get angry very often, I don't want to start now, so just know the interstate, whichever one it is, travels both ways and we are expecting guests, as you should expect us to visit as well.

Blessings to all.

Outdoor fun!

2008-10-15T15:34:00.004-05:00

Last month Sydnie and I went to a near by playground for a picnic lunch. It was a picture perfect autumn day, so I took my camera :) It was a great! We had a nice lunch, peant butter and jelly of course, and Syd played on the structures while I snapped pictures. My favorite were the sequence of climbing trees. She has been very intrigued by trees and wanting to climb all that she sees lately, and what do you know...the perfect tree for a beginning climber. I love the final shot! You can see the joy and pride of accomplishing a task in her little smiling face. I am thankful for the day and the reminder that joy is ever present in our lives, we must only be open to finding it.

Oh My

2008-10-06T20:40:00.005-05:00

Oh my! I knew it had been a while since my last entry, but I didn't realize it had been sooooo long. Can you say "Life"? I knew you could. Yes, I have to admit that life has been busy, non-stop, chaotic and out of routine. Instead of trying back date, I have decided to give an overview of the last month.

We finished our home projects. All of the main areas and the office have been painted Dapper Tan. The kitchen and bathrooms have new tile. The office and dining room have new light fixtures. We like it, in fact I would buy it again. Sydnie was very disappointed we did not paint her room blue, since that is in fact her favorite color right now. Somehow sell-ability doesn't mean much to a three-year-old.

Our house is on the market. We have had 2 lookers, but no buyers. I can't imagine why...We can take the company buy-out this month, so we don't have the added pressure of needing to sell immediately. The house is clean, but I must admit I have relaxed my expectations with no prospects knocking on the door. We do still live here and I have to give up a little control of the living /neat factor. That's not so easy, but we're making it :)

We went to Dallas last week and found a house. It is in Rockwall, east of Dallas across from Lake Ray Hubbard. It's in a great neighborhood on a cul-de-sac and we can see the neighborhood lake from the front yard. We are in the 10 day inspection and waiting period with a closing date of November 10. We are all ready to move and get settled, even though we hate to leave San Antonio. This has truly been our home away from home. I'll write more about our transition as the move approaches. Sydnie will miss her friends and her school, but is excited about the future, as she can understand it. She will get her big girl bed when we move, so she has an added incentive to move.

Sydnie and Regan celebrated their 4th birthday. We had a princess/fairy theme since Regan loves princesses and Syd "is really into fairies right now". The moon bounce was a pink castle. The little princesses loved it!! Thanks Joy and Cory for your generousity.

I am sure there are things I have missed in this filmstrip of our lives. (It's a little too long to be a snapshot this time.) Sydnie has given up naps and quiet time is not much. I'll have to find another time to blog. Hopefully, I'll be able to add more pictures. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, I just have to remember to use the main computer since that is where the digital equipment is hooked up. Oh, well, as I said. "Life" there is never a dull moment and always too much happening. I pray you are able to see God's goodness in the midst of your 'busyness'. In all of the transition that is one thing we are reminding ourselves: God has a plan for us, we just have to have the faith and the eyes to see it. There is much to unfold, and I'll will be honored to share it with you.

Blessings

Give me stories!!!

2008-09-04T16:26:00.004-05:00

Sydnie has always loved listening to stories and curling up with Mom and Dad to read a book. It has always been a special activity to ground and calm and just remind us what is important. We wouldn't trade the snuggle time for anything!! Lately, we haven't had much time to read and enjoy books together, not to mention play time. Sydnie has gone through the typical three-year-old reaction to the upheaval in her world. She was feeling left out Saturday as I was painting and Daddy was cutting tile, and so she decided to paint...the floor...ugh. I did clean it up and we moved on, after some serious lesson learning. Since then, Syd has gravitated toward stories on tape/cd. She has spent literally hours in her room playing with her doll house, legos, cars and listening to stories like: Nate the Great, The Meanest Doll in the World, Junie B. Jones, The Magic Tree House, Treasure Island, Theater Shoes, Geronimo Stilton. We are running errands tomorrow, taking a break from paint, and I am hoping to go to the library and check out some new stories. Maybe the Ballet Shoes will be a good story...we must change the listening line-up-one can only hear lines from Nate the Great for only so long :) She has decided that dragon stories are fun, but it is very hard to find dragon stories that aren't too scary for a little one. We'll keep looking, maybe we'll find some others.

We are very proud of how Sydnie is handling the changes overall. She has her emotional times, but she is trying very hard to understand and deal with everything. If stories help occupy her as we finish the work, stories it is!! The end is in sight, that the Lord above. Soon we'll be able to have a little more variety in our day. Preschool is starting Monday, which she is certainly looking forward to. I'll let you know how it goes.

It's Been A While

2008-08-25T06:58:00.002-05:00

As you can I have been absent for a while. It seems God has much planned for our family and we are trying to catch up. I will be filling in back dates, so you may want to go in reverse in your reading for a bit.

Yeah...We Have Carpet!

2008-08-03T07:21:00.000-05:00

Finally, we have carpet. Empire came out and installed the carpet in the office and bedroom. I won't go into that whole experience, but am glad it is finished and won't be needing anymore carpet :) We are not changing the wood floors, and they were outrageous on the estimate to install tile, so we will be doing that job ourselves. The carpet is a very light brown, a natural color, very neutral color. Now...the tile.

Decisions, Decisions!

2008-08-02T07:14:00.000-05:00

Well, now that we have made the decision to move, we must get our house ready to put on the market, which is fine, however, we must have it ready by the end of August to put on the market in September. Why so quickly? We are supposed to be in Dallas in September/October. Not much time for relaxing. Sydnie and I have filled our days comparing prices and products on tile, carpet, vinyl, to begin the process. Carpet World, Floor Depot, Home Depot, Floor Mart, Lowe's...we are visiting them all. Sydnie is ready to be finished; the daily question is: "Mom, is today a stay at home day or do we have to go look at floors again?" I can't blame her, I am about finished looking as well.

The Decision

2008-07-29T07:06:00.000-05:00

After much prayer, consideration of pros and cons,and an uneffective job search, we have made the difficult decision to move to Dallas. We hope and pray it is the correct decision. We have no idea what to expect nor do we know the reason for the move, but we are trusting that God will show his plan in this move. We don't want to move and have considered every option to allow us to stay here but God is stronger and we know he will take care of us in the move and transition.

Surprise!!

2008-07-02T07:02:00.001-05:00

What a surprise Tim and I received today....probably a better word would be SHOCK! Tim received word this afternoon that the AT&T headquarters would be moving to Dallas. We must decide now if we are moving to Dallas or staying here in San Antonio and search out new job(s). What to do?????

June 20, 2008

2008-06-20T09:06:00.003-05:00

I am trying to do some training for the Half-Marathon in November again. I ran it last year and had so much fun, so I decided I wanted to run it again this year, but with a faster time...actually running to complete it and not running it for the experience. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me, oh well. Now that we are out of school, I am running with Sydnie in the stroller; she asks to get out and run a little and asks like a broken record if the run is finished. Tim fixed the MP3 player for her so she would have something to do and keep her mind busy. It does seem to help, but let's face it-she is getting heavy. I can come up with many excuses not to run with her: it's harder with her, I don't get any quiet time, she complains, etc. The fact is, I just need to change my perspective and be thankful for the time we have to share and the ability to take her with me. My Dad sent me a link to a YouTube/GodTube video clip this morning. Man, did it slap me in the face and make me cry!! Not only should I change my perspective of thankfulness, I should relish the opportunities and blessings God has given me, even when they are embedded in situations that may hide them, or I just don't see them as clearly. Thanks, Mom and Dad for that reminder that good things come from above and worth the effort!!

What an inspiration for me, hopefully it will inspire you as well.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513

June 16, 2008

2008-06-16T14:45:00.003-05:00

Today Sydnie had a friend over to play. Mia came and spent the day while her dad had surgery on his ankle. They had sooo much fun! They were both so excited that for naps, they went in to the room, only to ask when they could wake up, many many times :) Here are a few pictures from the day.

Art Time - Sequins and Alphabet stickers

FUN!

Sydnie and Mia each chose a baby to have join us outside for our picnic.

We couldn't be the only ones to eat. Sim has to eat, too.

June 6, 2008

2008-06-06T16:02:00.001-05:00

We have discovered make-up! Yes, Sydnie is only 3-years-old, but she has discovered that putting on mommy's make-up is lots of fun! How did we make this discovery? It all started as I was cleaning out the cabinet in the bathroom, one of my plans during the summer to clean out as much as I can. Sydnie decided she wanted to help me. Well, knowing it would take much longer I just resigned my self to cleaning out one cabinet instead of both, and pursued the goal. As I was taking things out, she asked about each thing. That was fun in itself, a story for another day... Anyway, as I was consolidating packages and travel size items and doing an inventory of all we would need to replenish for our trip in July she found the travel/sample make-up packs. She was very excited trying them on her face, playing with the brushes, looking in the mirror. I don't wear a lot of make-up and I when I do wear it I wear pretty light colors. Right now, I am very glad, or else I would have a little girl so painted up nobody would recognize her! She sees me go through my routine many mornings, but I am expecting to have a little more interest now when it comes to the make-up time....we'll see.

May 19, 2008

2008-05-19T16:03:00.002-05:00

Well, it has been a while since I have posted. Much has happened. Sydnie learned how to swing by herself (March 20); she has learned how to pedal and steer her tricycle; she is just growing up. Today was her preschool program at Northside Preschool. She hasn't quite internalized that this is the last week of school; she will be very sad when she does. She LOVES preschool!! The teachers are all wonderful and have made it a super expereince for her first year.

The program today was very nice, and of course, I had tears flowing. Sydnie was such a big girl and sang and performed and took every opportunity to wave between songs. Thank you Miss 'Berta, Miss Theresa, and Miss Kellie and Miss Tammy for their care and love in teaching the little ones this year. We will certainly be looking forward to another great year next year.

The Celebratory Refreshment

March 13, 2008

2008-03-13T15:43:00.002-05:00

Happy Easter...A little early. Today was Sydnie's Easter party and egg hunt at school. She was certainly very excited about it! She collected eggs, eggs, and more eggs. In the end, she had her dozen.

After the egg hunt they colored pencil decorations and egg holders and decorated cookies.

Of course, when we got home she was anxious to see what was in her eggs, not to mention taste everything...no, I didn't let her taste everything. She was not too happy about that part, but I guess that is life. Anyway, I was able to redirect her with a huge bag of clothes a friend, a very generous friend loaned to us. "Oh, my goodness!" or "WOW" was a comment with almost every shirt, shorts, dress or yes, even the socks that came out of the bag. Who says Christmas only comes once a year??

March 7, 2008

2008-03-07T15:15:00.000-06:00

Last night, unbeknownst to me or Tim, Sydnie had quite an adventure. When all the world was sleeping, ok, so when all of our household was supposed to be sleeping, a little girl stirred.

I knew she was having some extra play time before falling asleep. She cat napped for about 30-40 minutes late in the afternoon, just long enough to be out of sorts at bedtime. I heard her singing, playing and throwing the animals off the side of her bed, getting out of bed to get something. So I was not surprised when I went into her room to wake her this morning, and all of her animals were in a pile off the side of her bed. I was a little surprised at the darkness. Yet, there were other surprises coming. Not only had she turned off her lantern that usually stays on to get rid of the scarry monsters and turned on the little reading light at her bed, she had taken off her clothes. She said she was hot. Oh, I forgot to mention she wasnted to sleep in her sleeping bag in bed, so she was probably quite warm. The sleeping bag was in the floor also. Her clothes, I had to look for but I found them at the other end of the bed. Thinking she had wet the bed, I began gathering what I thought would be wet blankets. No, she was dry, at least the bed was. That is when she informed me she was hot last night and took off her pants.

So, that would be a busy evening for any 3-year-old, however, she didn't stop there. As she began filling in the details of the night, she actually didn't sleep in her bed at all (I was hot remember, Mom?) at least, not until she wet the couch. It was then that she grabbed her blanket and went to sleep in bed. And at some point, she colored her fingernails with a crayon! I am sure there are probably things she did she doesn't even remember. She was very quiet once she stopped singing, so I couldn't even guess what else she did.

Right now, I think she is napping. After last night, she was a very tired little girl; however, as I am reminded daily, one is never quite sure what she is up to; there always seems to a plan unfolding.

February 24, 2008

2008-02-25T06:41:00.000-06:00

Sydnie has been complaining of a stomach ache off and on the last week. Usually after breakfast her tummy is better, but she is such the drama queen that all plans must stop immediately. Sometimes we can minimize the drama by going through the plan of the day and making a big deal of something she really wants to do. This morning was one of those mornings: she complained of a stomach ache and said she wanted to stay home with Daddy, so we talked about the showers today and going to church and what she would miss. When we mentioned the shower for Miss. Tamra she said, "That's ok if I don't go. I'll send her a box of tomatoes and sausage." Now where did that come from you ask? I don't have any idea. She picked out a cookbook and spring oreo cookies for her shower gift, but with this little one, we never know what she might say, so we expect anything!

February 16, 2008

2008-02-16T10:49:00.000-06:00

This morning we were anticipating a visit from Aunt 'Nette. Sydnie wants to have a tea party with her so we got it out and made sure it was ready. The tea set is a mini size and Aunt 'Nette gave it to Syd. After we tried it out, with a very concerned voice looking over her set, Syd asked "Where is Minnie (Mouse)?" It took me a couple of seconds to figure out what she was talking about. We had a "mini" lesson to explain the difference, but I have to admit that Syd still looked a little disappointed that Minnie wasn't joining us...but who can blame her...who wouldn't want a famous mouse to join your tea party.

Have a great day! I hope you enjoyed our mini story :)

February 14, 2008

2008-02-14T19:28:00.001-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!! Today Sydnie had a Valentine Party at her preschool. (I'm sorry I don't have pictures-I was helping make the cookies and didn't have an opportunity to take pictures.) They made Love Bug cookies by decorating a sugar cookie and adding chocolate heart for the head and M&M's for the spots, listened to a Valentine story and the craft was making pictures out of hearts. While she loved participating in all the activities, she was soooo excited about receiving valentines from her friends. Friends are becoming more and more important to Sydnie and she definitely has her "best friends", even though they may change on any given day.

At home, our celebration was much quieter. We exchanged valentines after dinner so everyone could be at home. She was very proud of her valentine heart for Daddy...M&M's, of course! She was also quite surprised and happy when she realized we would be giving her a valentine gift: sequined sandals, notebooks and a fancy pen. She put her shoes on right away and began writing out more valentines for Mommy and Daddy. She delivered mail to us for quite some time.

She is now in bed. When I left her she was looking at her sandals sparkle in the light of her lantern. What a way to fall asleep....by the glitter of sequins. Before she went to bed she told Tim, "You're the best Daddy I ever had! I love you". Now that is the way to fall asleep...hearing loving words from your 3-year-old daughter.

Sydnie is becoming more of a "Daddy's girl" all the time. I have to admit, I love seeing it. There is nothing sweeter than Daddy and daughter together. Yesterday she was complaining of an earache and cried for Daddy off and on all afternoon. When he got home from work, they crawled on the couch and read books for the longest time...memories in the making. I know everyday is a memory maker, but there are those days or events that stand out. For those, I am most thankful; they tend to help re-focus perspectives and re-align priorities. May I wish you all a year of loving relationships, a perspective to see the joy in the little things, and a truly God-centered priority list. It will make the next 10 months the best 10 months of the year.

January 15, 2008

2008-01-15T09:56:00.001-06:00

Today is a nice quiet day at home. It's rainy and cool so we are taking advantage of the opportunity to be home, since it only happens occasionally. We will be going to the Little Aussie Bakery later to pick up some bread, pretzels and flour that are dairy/wheat/soy free for Sydnie. Yes, we have added soy. We found out last week that she is allergic to soy, so the list of 'can't eat' is getting longer :( She is not so excited about that, but she is a trooper and as long as she gets something tasty to eat, she is coping just fine. She won't starve...haha. We'll build up her immunity and cut out all allergans that we can for the next 30 days, and possibly re-test to see if anything has changed. She is probably more adverse to the immunity building: the aloe and elderberry and echinacea. She's not so crazy about those things, but what she doesn't need to know what is in her juice and water anyway....there are always ways...

January 9, 2008

2008-01-15T09:10:00.002-06:00

God gives us some very special times on earth to share and build relationships with others. I am very grateful, yet, I am also ashamed I don't make opportunities enough to strenghten those relationships in the 'busy'ness
of the day. I can only hope my friends and family know they are special by the way I treat the opportunies
we are blessed to have...like today. What a day!! Today I had the privilege of going with a friend, Kayren, for her sonogram for her 4th child. What a blessing and a miracle to see that tiny baby growing and developing. God is amazing! It was a special event for multiple reasons: I was able to share this with a special friend, who shared the the birth of Syd with us; I was able to see the little girl, yes this time it's a girl, to laugh and cry with a friend; I had a chance to reflect on the experience when we found out that Sydnie was a girl.

It's hard to believe she is 3 years-old now. She is growing and developing so quickly I hope we can keep up :) Her opinions are definitely being voiced, not always in the most gracious manner; she has definite styles of clothing she prefers (watch-out for the teenage years!); she is asking some difficult questions, keeping us on our toes; she has a sweet nature (when she allows it to come through) and her preschool teachers say she is very encouraging to her friends at school. We have been blessed and must not forget to thank the Lord often for His many blessings!!

Sorry about the crazy pictures. I haven't figured out editing the pics yet :(

December 29, 2007

2008-01-15T08:53:00.000-06:00

Sydnie and I went to the McKenna's Children Museum. It was Sydnie's first trip to a museum and she loved it! When we first arrived she played at the train table and kitchen and seemed pretty content, however, when she realized there was a whole new world waiting to be explored, I could hardly keep up. She went kayaking,

caught fish, rode the ambulance many times (she was the patient not the driver),

took care of the babies and rode the space shuttle. Only after the dinosaurs were quiet would she venture into their area-they were very realistic! When she went grocery shopping the first area she hit was the bakery-bread, doughnuts, pastries and cookies....hmmmm...I wonder if she is missing breads from her diet?? Since we have gone wheat/gluten free and dairy free, the first question she asks before any meal or snack is, "Does it have wheat? Does it have gluten? Does it have dairy?" If the answer is no, then a resounding "YIPPEEEEE, I can eat it!" is heard.

Poor thing, it takes a while to get used to, but if the menu is changing for Syd, it will probably change for the family. 'Oh joy', I am sure would be the sentiment from Daddy. But, you do what you must!

December 25, 2007

2007-12-25T15:39:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas!! We have had a very blessed Christmas and hope you have as well. Sydnie awoke at her regular time - 6:40 - and the first thing she asked, "Did Daddy go to work today"? As excited as she was about Santa visiting, she didn't even think about it until Tim brought it up. At that point she was very sad because she didn't hear the jingle bells and knew Santa hadn't come. Her demeanor changed when she saw the plate of cookies almost empty! It took some coaxing to get her away from the cookies...she was greatly desiring to eat one first thing, but when she did walk away, she was very excited to see all the presents around the tree!! (Of course, there were too many to fit under the tree.)

As she opened, she often said with so much excitement, "I've been wanting this all my life"!! Thanks to grandparents, Nannie, aunts, uncles, and of course, Santa, she was very blessed with all she received, as were Tim and I. We were all overwhelmed by the number of gifts waiting to be opened. But before opening of the presents, Tim said a prayer to thank God for all we have received, not only today but all through the year. While the presents are wonderful fun, we really do want Syd to keep in mind the importance of giving, family, and other values that often go by the wayside in the hustle and bustle. She may not get it this year, but eventually she will, we hope.

Playing with Thomas!

"This package is hard to open. Santa sure did tape them up well!"

Here Annabelle, it's time to eat.

Aaah...let's take a nap, it's been a full morning.

We are sorry we can't see you in person, but know that we are thinking of you. May you have a wonderful holiday and enjoy your time together.

Christmas blessings,

The Covingtons

December 23, 2007

2007-12-24T16:02:00.000-06:00

Today after church we stopped for Rudy's Bar-B-Que-the indians were restless and wouldn't wait for lunch to cook. "I'm Starving!" was the chorus on the way home. So we arrive home, just a short distance that seemed much longer, and one little girl starts opening the bag ready to serve herself! I must give her credit, she is resourceful and quite independent-she won't starve. We sit down to eat and the conversation went a little like this:

Sydnie : I want some of that sauce. Is that the sauce that is hot? I want some of that sauce that makes my mouth hot.
Mom: Yes, Syd that is the sauce that comes with the turkey. I'll put a little on your plate and you can dip your turkey in it.
Syd: Good. That's the sauce that makes my mouth hot? I want that sauce.
Mom: Yes, Syd that is the sauce. Try a little first.
Syd takes a bite and breathes in a deep breath cooling off her mouth: That's delicious!
She continues to takes many quick bites, trying to cool off her mouth with air and water after each bite.
Dad: Syd if that sauce is too hot, take a break and just eat the turkey.
Syd: OK, Dad. (takes another bite and her eyes begin to water)

She finished eating her turkey with ketcup mixed in her sauce to give her mouth a chance to cool down. :)

Out of the mouths of babes, literally!!

December 20, 2007

2007-12-20T15:55:00.001-06:00

The Christmas Season...full of songs, crowds, baking, parties, and we can't forget the noise, noise, noise, noise, which according to the Grinch, which we have seen many, many times, is the worst part of Christmas. Yet, the right kind of noise is what Christmas is all about...children's laughter, singing, bells, fires (some where), musical Christmas toys, the oven timer when the last batch of cookies is finished.

Today was Sydnie's Christmas Party at Preschool and the children were bustling around so full of excitement some of them could burst - especially when they saw Santa! Sydnie was excited, but only gave a little smirk when she sat on Santa's lap. I guess one too many pictures of her with Santa. However, when we got home, she quickly emptied all of her goodie bags in front of her so she could see everything...and there was quite a bit of stuff. Her bucket was over-flowing, as was her excitement.

December 2, 2007

2007-12-02T09:39:00.000-06:00

Today is a special day for my sister-her birthday! Happy Birthday, Steph from all of us in Texas

December 1, 2007

2007-12-01T17:03:00.000-06:00

Today is the test. Can I post successfully and keep friends and family better up-dated with what's happening here in Texas?? We'll see......