Corvettes, picnics, grandkids...oh my!

Making music together
Notice Ryan's shirt: "Good looks run in the family." Nuff said!
I did similar hair styles for the girls. They look so sweet holding hands!
On the playground at the picnic
Swimming with Lukey!
Daniel helping the first Corvette winners
Cheesy picture of us on our weekend get-away. Awww...
Ryan standing on his feet

Another wonderful weekend! Early Thursday morning, Luke showed up at my mother's house with Sophia. We knew we were going to see Sophia, but Sophia plus Luke equals even better times! She is sooooooooo cute! Natalie was very excited to see her cousin again, even though she had just seen her a few days earlier. They immediately sat down and began playing together. Luke looks good. He's lost some weight, but is healthy and still a good lookin' dude. =) He is such a good dad. He is very hands on and all about that little girl. I am so impressed watching him. And Sophia loves her daddy, calling for him often. She responds very well to him. For those who aren't aware, he is also Natalie's Godfather. When Natalie saw him she jumped into his arms, squealing his name "Uncle Lukey!" The girls are usually together and Luke handles them both so well. What is cute to see is Sophia's temper. People usually give Natalie a hard time about her temper...but Sophia has one as well! Natalie has a pop-out alphabet sheet that is foam letters. Sophia was chewing on one of the letters so we took it away from her. She began screaming and pounding the table, demanding that we give it back. The terrible twos have begun! She will even throw herself on the floor and cry. I can say that Natalie wasn't one to throw herself on the floor. Natalie even tattled for the first time...on Sophia. She came to my dad and said, "Papa, Sophie is playing with your stereo." Natalie knows that the stereo is off limits, so she wanted to inform Papa it was being messed with. Ah, the joys of children! Oh, and Ryan decided it was time to pull himself up. He grabbed the seat of Natalie's little chair in our living room and pulled himself up onto his knees. He is growing way too fast for us! But then again, Natalie started pulling herself up onto her feet by this time (7.5 months of age).

This weekend was a relaxing one for Daniel and me. A couple of months ago, Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis, MS, purchased three 2008 corvettes from Daniel (red, white, and black). They are having a Corvette Summer Four-Car Give-Away (they also have a 1961 vette). This past weekend they gave away two of the vettes. Because Daniel was the salesman, he was asked to be present during the drawings so afterward he could be there to explain all the legal boring stuff (the winners have to finish their deals with Daniel at his dealership). We were given a room for the weekend...plus food! We never had a honeymoon so this was a wonderful opportunity to spend some quality time together. Mom, dad, and Luke had all the young grandkids for the weekend. This was our first time away from both Ryan and Natalie. Driving to the casino, we looked at each other in the car and wondered, will we even like each other? The answer turned out to be...YES! We laughed and laughed and soaked up all the quiet and stress-free air. On Friday night, I accompanied Daniel to the first drawing. Five names were drawn and they all stood on stage next to models by podiums. On the podiums were cards with license plate pictures that said cute things like "ND4SPD". On the count of three, the models opened their cards and one would have the words Corvette Winner inside. It was so exciting to see someone win the first corvette. Being the first winner, he was able to choose which car he wanted. He, of course, chose the red corvette. Daniel was there to answer any questions and to give all the details about the car. On Saturday, we were able to sleep in (woohoo!) and then enjoy the Corvette Show in the parking lot. Tons of vettes from the 50s all the way up to 2008 were represented. That night we went back to watch another lucky individual win the white corvette. So happy! The casino invited the winner and us to dinner afterward. The restaurant inside the casino is called Tuscany and it is so nice. We were a little intimidated at first because the entrees were, well, pricey. But we enjoyed a great meal (that's the first time we had duck and it was pretty good) and then lounged in the room. We drove back today before Luke and Sophia had to leave. (For those who are wondering about Ryan, I pumped before we left and during our stay at the hotel. Don't worry, he is still breastfed!) We are truly blessed that my parents were more than willing to watch the kids.

On Saturday, mom, dad, and Luke packed everybody up and took them to my father's company picnic. I was told all was fun! The girls played and played and were a big hit in their matching outfits. We were told they attempted miniature golf and a race, attempted being the key word. =) My parents said all three kids were wonderful. Luke and Dad enjoyed ping pong and horse shoes while the girls played on the playground. I think it's awesome that my parents actually wanted to take the kids with them...even before they knew Luke would be there to help. They are so involved and it warms my heart they make such an effort to show their love. They are very proud grandparents! Enjoy the pictures!

We are Family!

Natalie and Sebastian
Sophia and Ryan playing together
pretending to fight (I love this pic!)
dancing to the music from the singing fish

What a wonderful weekend! As most of you know, Daniel's family lives in Texas...from the panhandle to the southeast. His sister and her two boys made the trip to southeast Texas to see their dad and the fam. Daniel and I also made a trip, a quick but much needed trip, to be with the sister he had not seen in a year and a half. We drove down Saturday evening after he came home from work, spent Sunday with his family, and then drove back home late that night. It was wonderful! Natalie played and played with her cousin, Sebastian. They are only two months apart and share similar traits such as red hair and blue eyes and good looks. I swear they could be brother and sister rather than cousins. =) His family makes me feel so welcome and wanted. And they love the kids! Ryan was a big hit with the ladies (Grandma and all the aunts and cousins). Sophia is as cute as ever. Her hair gets longer and longer with ringlets all around her pretty face. She speaks very well for her age. She is supposed to visit us this weekend and we can hardly wait! Overall it was a nice visit and we look forward to going back. I wish we were able to spend more time with his sister, but those precious hours were better that not seeing her at all. She is so pretty and her boys are sweet and well behaved. Natalie and Ryan thoroughly enjoyed themselves and we are so glad the fam was able to see them.

While we were in Texas, Ryan decided he was going to push up onto all fours. He will get up on his hands and knees, rock back and forth a few times, then lay back onto his stomach to do his soldier crawl. He's growing faster than we anticipated! He is a little piggy who will nurse me dry and then drink a bottle of formula. Sheesh! We've started giving him three meals a day with breast milk in between (and formula if I don't have enough breast milk). I stopped beating myself up about the formula I've had to give him. I wanted to exclusively breastfeed, but he is such a hungry boy. He is breastfed everyday and given fresh food, so we should be proud that we are able to do that while working so much.

Natalie amazes me. She is just so darn cute! There is so much we want to do for her, so many things we want to involve her in because of her energy. She is happy and loving and so very funny. If Ryan starts fussing, she will tell him "Shhhhhh! It's okay, Fat Boy." She will plant her face into his tummy and make noises, causing him to giggle with glee! It's precious. She likes to help with housework and I'm going to take advantage of that for I know that one day she will not be willing to help her mommy. At my mother's house last week, she was sweeping the floor. She stopped, grabbed the dust pan, swept up the dirt, held the broom between her face and shoulder as best she could, and emptied the dust pan into the trash can. Wow. Natalie has decided that her favorite color is purple. She is learning to write her letters. She is the best!

Christianity

by Maya Angelou

When I say... 'I am a Christian'
I'm not shouting 'I'm clean livin'
I'm whispering 'I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian'
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian'
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and need His strength to carry on.

When I say.. 'I am a Christian'
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and need God to clean my mess.

When I say...'I am a Christian'
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible but,
God believes I am worth it.

When I say... 'I am a Christian'
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches,
so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian'
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!

So blessed

So much to report but my mind is tired. I tell myself I need to write notes during the week to transpose into my blog but life happens so the notes never happen. Ugh! But all is well. Still stressful, but blessed. Daniel continues to work long hours, sometimes all week. Business is slow but not bad. He is still the best salesman they have! I appreciate him so much. I work late nights so he is left to ready the kids for bed in the evenings. When I come home they are fed, bathed, and ready for sleepy time...unless Natalie falls asleep on the way home, then he just puts her on the couch for me to take care of when I get home. Silly daddy! I am enjoying my promotion. I still work in the evenings so my mornings are spent in the office coordinating, and I usually can slip in a work out. Fitness is becoming more important to me. I recently was enlightened about weight training, that it increases the density of your bones. I'm not just talking about body building, but a work out regime that includes weights. By starting now, I can protect myself when I'm older from brittle bones and osteoporosis. Cool!

Natalie has been a tough one lately. There are days we are so frustrated. She says "no" for everything and is quite demanding. She knows to say "please" and "thank you" but chooses otherwise. We just don't respond until she uses manners. Some days it seems she wakes up ready to be difficult and it's a struggle all day long. She is a precious little girl who brings so much joy to our lives, but we are preparing ourselves to deal with many years of this strong-will! We are signing her up for T-ball starting next month. I'm curious to see how she responds to a coach. I really want her in dance classes, but it's not feasible at this time. =(

Ryan is growing like a weed. He has started "crawling", and by that we mean the soldier scoot like he's in the trenches. It's so cute to watch! He's across the floor in no time, whether it's by rolling or crawling. We have to be more careful now because he grabs everything and puts it in his mouth. He seems to be fond of our shoes. He's doing well with his foods. I love my little food processor! He's been able to eat fresh veggies and fruits and is now eating bananas, which he didn't care for from the jar. Now we just puree an entire banana and he gobbles it up. The same with peaches, carrots, etc. He still has just the two bottom teeth, though he chews and drools so much we are wondering where all of the other teeth are! He and Natalie play well together, though I think sometimes she just wants to drown him in his tub. Ah, sibling rivalry. Guess we should prepare for that, too.

Please continue to keep Luke, and our friends Gretchen and Marian in your prayers!

family fun in the pool

She loves to color, and her favorite color at present is Purple
strike a pose...vogue!
his toothy smile
Sitting up like a big boy in his little boat
sibling love...

the Kids

Hello again. Things are stressful here but still good. The kids grow more everyday. Natalie is feisty this week. I was checking on Ryan the other day while he was napping, and she came up behind me and said, "Don't mess with him while he is sleeping." Wow. She has also announced that she wants to be a ballerina, which makes perfect sense since she dances and sings everywhere she goes. Ryan has started saying "dadada" and once even managed to say "da-dee". So cute! He is a happy baby who is all smiles and giggles.

Progress

Greetings everyone! I hope this finds everyone in good health and even better spirits. Things in the world of Neie are the same. The kids are good, we are good, all is good. To help with the rising costs of, well, everything, our family is now participating in the Angel Food Ministries program. It is wonderful! You get a ton of food for an amazing price. It really helps financially. My parents, God bless them, have been helping us with food as well as child care. I don't know where we would be without them. They are always ready to give of themselves to help someone in need. I am reminded of the quote "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give." I have returned to cleaning their house once a week as a way of saying 'thanks.' Check out Angel Food Ministries online and find a church near you!

I failed to mention that Daniel was salesman of the month for June. Woohoo! The new dealership opens next month. They have had to postpone the opening for a few months now. At one point, the wrong size for the tile arrived. Oops! Things are slow right now business-wise, but Daniel is optimistic about this new store. It's very attractive and his superiors have worked very hard to make it a successful store.

After two months at the YMCA, I have been promoted. I now have two positions at work...Member Services Representative and Kids Korner Coordinator. I am now a boss and have employees. It's weird and yet so cool at the same time. I am in charge of the baby sitting areas where you leave your kids while you exercise. I am so excited about this! The former coordinator wasn't very interested in her job, so I have some cleaning up to do. And when necessary, I can bring my kids to work. God bless the employers who allow parents to bring their children to work!

Natalie...what a fun child! She is precious, precocious, bossy, vibrant, demanding, independent, and sweet. That's right, all of the above mentioned characteristics rolled into one bouncy little body. She is awesome. She finished her swim lessons last week and we are pleased with the results. She will put her face in the water and blow bubbles. She will jump in. She will correct you on your technique. Apparently, there is a certain way you are supposed to hold your hands when you swim. We have been discussing her next endeavor: dance, T-ball, soccer. It's hard to choose! She will also start pre-school next month. I bet that I will cry on her first day.

Ryan is, as his sister likes to say, our "fat boy." He is 16lbs. and 9oz. He has grown 2.5 inches in two months to reach 27.25 inches. His weight gain is slowing down with his discovery of movement. He is all over the floor! He thoroughly enjoys tummy time and loves jumping in his jumper. He is crazy about pool/bath time. He is our water baby for sure! We started him on fruits and he didn't care for bananas but favors the applesauce. Next up is peaches. We are pleased to announce that he said his first sound: "babababa!" It is precious to hear, especially when Natalie says it back to him. He's our good-natured child, content and all smiles...unless hungry or tired.

That's about it. If I think of anything else, I'll post later. God bless ya'll!

fun pics

Ryan loves to splash in the pool
Natalie the Intellectual
pool fun with the kids
kisses for Ryan...awwww
Natalie dressed daddy in all of her protective gear and told him to "drive my car"