While this weeks photo op smiles were better than last weeks, it still took a lot of cooperation (and patience) on both our parts to get more than 1 usable shot.

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After she found the barrette in her hair there was no way she was letting it make a reappearance, so for some reason I decided to change the fabric as well.

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I love it when I capture her laughing

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Only 2 more weeks until this project is done! An entire year of taking weekly pictures… I’m happy I will be able to see it to completion. I couldn’t even stay at 1 college for that long before switching to somewhere new  ;)   It’s a good thing too, otherwise I never would have met my other half!

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I’m happy to report that I think we lucked out and Sarah has taken after her father in the music department. I may have played piano as a young girl, but that was with the help of lessons from a teacher. Not Stephen. Stephen hears a tune or a song and moves his fingers across the keys finding the notes required to duplicate what he just heard. It’s incredible. It’s something I can’t quite comprehend, and I absolutely love getting to watch his eyes and fingers go from thought to production. When he reads this he will think and probably tell me that he is far from a musician. That he doesn’t have real skills with instruments, but just knows his way around a few notes and songs here and there. Hogwash. My husband is humble, which is one of the many things that I love about him. Sure, he may joke about being awesome and rad and asking you for a high five when hanging out with friends and youth groups, he’s a kid at heart and I’m pretty sure he’ll always have that quality that keeps me laughing. But while he is a kid at heart, and a jokester to the core, he is also a hardworking husband, father, friend, son, youth leader, worship team player, employee, and mentor. That’s a lot of roles for one person to manage, and I’m sure he can get overwhelmed at times with filling those parts each and every day. After being together for over 7 years I think I know how he stays sane. Music. Music is an escape from the world and it’s many responsibilities. It’s a way for him to reconnect and focus all of his responsibilities around the most important role in life.

I know writing this won’t suddenly make his believe that he has a gift with music. No matter what you tell him he still won’t, and that’s not why I’m writing this. Stephen knows great musicians. He knows people that get paid to play music. People with top of the line equipment and almost a lifetime of experience. People that he admires and asks advice from. I’m sure they have helped contribute in his ability to learn new instruments and how to best work with what you have. The first guitar we bought Stephen was at a yard sale for $7. He still owns that guitar and I hope we never get rid of it. I’ve seen and heard him worship using that piece of equipment and it’s been some of the most humbling experiences of my life. To have the honor of listening to my partner worship our God that has given him that exact talent.. The God we have given our lives and marriage to. I hope that is something I never take for granted.

Music is part of Stephen’s soul. He gets joy out of showing others how to play and giving them tips that have helped him along the way. In my eyes, my husband IS the greatest musician I know. Every time he sits at the piano with our daughter in his lap and encourages her to bang on the keys, he is a teacher. When he grabs his guitar and sits on the couch to sing to our daughter, he is a vocalist. When he plays around with different tunes and cords, he is a composer. Even back when he put headphones on my belly when I was pregnant, he was a DJ. Every small thing he does, especially when he dosen’t know someone’s watching, he is using his gift to encourage people. He is using wood, strings, keys, and drums to show, speak, and spread his love for God and all the people who need to hear of that love. He is using something he enjoys for a cause much bigger than himself.

Today I got to watch the start of our next generation using an instrument for joy…

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She’s no Beethoven, but it’s my favorite piece to date.
In case the video’s being goofy, click here

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With her new[est] found independence of walking on those cute little legs, her desire to stay still for some weekly photos was at an all time low this week. Girl just wouldn’t stop turning over, which is why I have a few different pictures for you this round.

With it being the week of Valentines I thought this onesie was all too perfect for the occasion.

we loooove our 49 week’er

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since that was the ONLY photo I got of her on her back, here’s another just for fun

this tops off the cuteness

for a different angle

best part, I didn’t even know that was on there when I bought the outfit!

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I guess I can’t blame the girl for not wanting to lie on her back during the middle of her playtime. She doesn’t even sleep on her back. She’s a tummy sleeper, like her mom. Only we often find her with her toosh in the air, which is even more adorable than it sounds. I don’t think Stephen’s even found me sleeping like that… and if he has he certainly hasn’t told me, which he definitely would!

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On Sarah’s 11 month post I showed you just 1 picture of a fun set. Here are the rest of one of her [many] bathroom hooliganisms.

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this was her face when I found her

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this is her ‘look what I found, mom’ face

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this is where the real smile starts because I laughed at her

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theeen, right before I threw the camera down because she decided TP looks tasty

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I suppose with our baby girl getting closer and closer to becoming a toddler this was bound to happen, I just didn’t know it would approach so quickly! While her looks have gradually changed into what I looked like as a wee one her personality is definitely pure Ringl! The kid loves mischief! I’m glad she’s already getting a good scoop of her dads sense of humor  With how much they both make me laugh I’ll be burning calories off everyday for the rest of my life! Which I’m 1000 percent okay with!

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My parents graciously lent me their pressure washer and I got to work on our back porch. Now before you look at the pictures you should know that I had no idea how disgusting and grimy the thing was until I started spraying it down.

So, you have been forewarned, prepare yourself for some rapid color change!

Here’s a side-by-side. On the left we have the after and the right is the, rather obvious, gritty before.

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I didn’t know bricks could get so dirty until we cleaned half of them. That is a nasty 40 years worth of grime…

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Another side by side

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and for a little fun, name graffiti

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Who would have guessed a pressure washer could work such magic. It was totally worth the hand cramps and unintended arm workout.

Has anyone else used a pressure washer lately? Those things are beastly. I sure wouldn’t want to get in the way of one, that spray is fierce!

I do hope you all had a wonderful valentines day. Wanna know something funny? At first I wrote “hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving”, instead of saying valentines. My brain has been on the fritz the past few days while working through some nasty bug or virus of some sort.

Speaking of Valentines, it’s time to hit up the store to buy some clearance candy… love myself some discounted chocolate

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Less than 3 days later I had completed this series…

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I don’t read very often, and I now remember why. I get so caught up in the alternate reality that fiction provides that once a series is completed I feel lost. I have to remind myself that what I’ve just read was a story. The characters aren’t real and I don’t have a relationship with them. It can be hard sometimes because while in this “other world” I feel like I know them. I’ve learned their habits, their likes and dislikes, everything and more that the author spreads across the pages. I suppose that’s how I know when I’ve read something spectacular. I have to break away from the relationship I have built. My brain has to re-adjust to reality and get back to my own life. I can see why my younger brother and sister read so much growing up. How exciting it must have been to use a childhood imagination to take the stories even further. To watch them like a movie in your mind.

I have a bit of a post-series habit. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people do something similar. My sweet husband sits back and lets me tell him everything that I loved, hated, feared, and was surprised by in what I’ve read. I like to talk myself out of their world and back into mine.

Basically that’s where I’ve been the past 3 days. I’ve been traveling through a different lifetime. It was sweet and short and in a way I’m glad it’s over. It was a wonderful and emotional journey.

I’m not going to tell you to go and get your hands on the books and read them immediately. I myself tend to go the other way when people tell me to do just that. Then again look where that got me, I plowed through them in record time!
I do feel comfortable to suggest that if you have some free time, are searching for a good read, or just have some major insomnia, jump on the bandwagon. Just make sure you come prepared for a non-stop ride!

Disclaimer: no children were neglected or harmed during these late nights and nap-time filled reading sessions ; )

Now here we have weeks 47 & 48 photos. Enjoy

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This face makes me laugh…
I feel like she’s giving me a ‘talk’ or something

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Only 4 more weeks of photos until it’s birthday party time!!! I can’t wait to watch Sarah taste cake for the first time. If she’s anything like her family she’s gonne love it

Oh, and to go off of and add to Mondays “what I’ve learned post”, I learned to never joke that you’re pregnant on your website… Apparently people stop reading at that point and start making phone calls. For the official record, no I am not with child.
But at least I got some fun comments out of it

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1. You know that child you hear at the store that is laughing and talking really loud and high pitched? That would be my child. I try giving her something to distract her but she has found her voice and she loooooves to use it.
2. Sarah learned to clap and we LOVE it!
3. She has also learned how to turn on her piano all by herself.
4. One day, while sitting on the couch with Stephen, Sarah slid off the couch and onto the floor. I don’t think she knew how/what she did, but she did it successfully and without falling or hurting herself & now she’s a pro at it.
5. Our daughter is an escape artist. I feel like this may be the start of payback for Stephen’s mischievous childhood his mom has spoken of. If she continues to be more and more like her dad we are gonna have to wrap our girl in bubble wrap to keep her safe…
6. Sarah bit me for the 1st (and so far only) time. Thankfully it happened real quick and I was so shocked I think my surprise masked the pain (thank heavens!)
7. Stephen and I took our first overnight trip by ourselves. We were gone 2 nights and Sarah did great staying at her grandparents.
8. During our 2 nights away Sarah finally took a bottle again! She hasn’t done that since she was 4 months old!
9. With a mouth of 4 chompers (two middle bottom & two middle top), Sarah has started GRINDING her teeth together. The sound is killing me so I’ve been giving her a pacifier just so I don’t have to hear it…
10. We gave Sarah egg yolks for the first time and she’s a fan. Our girl has a hearty and well rounded appetite! She’s also a fan of deviled eggs filling. The girl is just like her father.
11. I’m waiting for Sarah to start running any day now.
12. Speaking of running, while Sarah stands all the time she took her first solo steps this month. I can tell she is working on building up her confidence so she can learn to outrun me (which shouldn’t be too hard).
13. While on a road trip Sarah started playing peek-a-boo where she was the hider. She holds the blanket over her head and when I ask ‘Sarah where are you?’ she then pulls it down and laughs like crazy. Yes, it’s even more adorable than it sounds!
14. Our girl is all about giving some high-fives. It’s awesome.
15. When entering and leaving a room Sarah turns the lights on and off.
16. One of Sarah’s favorite activities is emptying drawers, baskets, bins, or anything that is organized. She will stand there and just pull/throw everything out and onto the floor until it’s empty. I fear for her future bedroom.
17. One of our favorite things right now is when we put Sarah down to sleep and she will grab her minnie mouse doll and cuddle with it. It doesn’t get much cuter than that.
18. Oh, and did I mention that Sarah is going to be a BIG sister? Psych!
19. Seriously people? I’m still catching up on sleep from those first few months…
20. Something that is true, I have started planning Sarah’s 1st birthday party… when did our baby grow up?!?

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We love her so much!

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We had lunch at Acapulco Mexican Restauraunt, which was across the street from the water and next to the fort Castillo De San Marcos. We had a great time visiting and walking around. It was really nice to get out for a while and enjoy the beautiful weather. Sarah loves going on walks, so she just chilled in the stroller the entire time. Next time we are able to go visit I think I’d like to go inside the fort and look around and read all the facts about it’s history. Speaking of forts… now I wanna go visit Fort Pickens. I haven’t been there since middle school.

Here are a few pictures we got throughout the trip.

A stroll around Old St. Augustine
(we got to avoid traffic and park at Helenas brothers house because he lives downtown)

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The 2 that started it all

(without them we 4 kids wouldn’t be here, so our spouses would have married someone else (or be CRAZY lonely), and our current and future children would never have come to exist… Yikes, I’m sure glad that didn’t happen. Thanks Mom & Dad!)

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Matt, Helena, & Graycie

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Gotta love photo hoppers

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Sarah was busy watching the boats

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We got to walk around the Lightner Museum

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We left Wednesday and didn’t get home until Sunday so Stephen was really happy to have Sarah and I back home. It was actually the perfect week for us to take a trip because the youth had their Disciple Now so Stephen was hardly home except to sleep Wed night until Sunday afternoon.

It was a wonderful trip getting to love on my brothers family. It’s crazy how much Graycie has grown since they were here for Christmas. She & Sarah were very entertaining (and exhausting), but when are babies not!?

We also celebrated Helena’s birthday while we were there. Saturday night my dad taught Matt how to make the family grilled chicken recipe that my Papa taught my dad, and for dessert we all chowed down on oreo ice cream cake. Thanks for the reason to celebrate in style Helena, it was a delicious 29th bash

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