It's been awhile

I have not done very well this summer, keeping up our blog. There will be lots of pictures to post from our summer, but here's a bit of what we've been up to since our last post.

Norah loved to be outside (at least at the beginning of summer). We spent a lot of time playing in her pool (especially early on in the summer when we had such beautiful weather). We decided to put her little slide into the pool, so she could slide in and splash. It was lots of fun! She and Lance play outside most days when he gets home from work. Daddy is much more fun outside than Mommy!!

We enjoyed lots of visits from Grandmas and Grandpas, aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends!

Norah enjoyed a few trips to the library for story time. It's such a great program that our library offers. They would read a story, then sing a song, and repeat that a few times. We didn't know anyone there, but Norah had lots of fun anyway! We also made multiple trips to the pool and the park...two of Norah's favorites this summer! Norah had fun at a small petting zoo that Wausau had at the Balloon Rally and Glow. She loves animals, and doesn't have much fear around them.

At the end of July, we found out I am expecting!!! I am almost 12 weeks, and we are thrilled. I am due March 28th. Norah thinks the baby is a boy...time will tell! I had a few weeks of laying low and not doing much, and Norah was a trooper. She did well with just hanging out with Mom and reading LOTS of books. This girl LOVES her books! She often reads to herself if we are busy and not able to read to her!

Lance ran in a 1/2 triathlon again this year. He cut 13 minutes off his time from last year, and felt really good afterwards. He is really enjoying running right now...running a few days a week, and running long runs on the weekends!

I am enjoying the change in weather, and getting into a routine again. Fall is my favorite time of the year...the crisp weather, caramel apples, changing leaves, apple cider, pumpkins, and wearing sweatshirts again! I also am really looking forward to our Women's Bible study starting up again this week. I love that our church has such a great Women's ministry, and I'm so thankful for the teachers/facilitators He has placed in the group!

Norah just started in the Awana program at our church...she is a Puggle. For anyone who doesn't know, Puggles is for 2 year olds. She had a great time last week and has been talking about it constantly. Even at 2, they teach the kids verses. The day after Awana, Norah was saying something to me over and over...I couldn't understand her, so asked her to repeat it. She said, "God made everything, Momma"! :) She remembered her verse from the night before, and that melted this momma's heart! I love that she is learning God's Word at such a young age. (Picture below is her first night of Puggles).

Norah is at such a fun stage right now (also a very challenging stage)! :) She is talking up a storm, and remembers so much. She loves books, Veggie Tales, chapstick, swinging, and most recently puzzles!  She is sometimes snuggly at bedtime...we take advantage of those times!

A couple weeks ago Norah told me she loved me for the first time. It was very sweet and made me tear up. (She was very clever to say this when I was getting frustrated with her for not eating her breakfast)!

I so love being a mom, and I'm very thankful for how God has provided for us to allow me to be home.

Father's Day

 

 

Camping

 

 

Summer

Mother's Day

Summer...

I have started, multiple times, to update our blog...but always got distracted by something else, and just never came back to it! So, here's what we've been up to...

We had lots of celebrating in April. We celebrated Easter with some good friends from church and celebrated both of our birthdays (I was blessed to have a surprise party thrown by a dear friend...Hibachi grill and a movie with my girlfriends. It was a great night). At the end of April, Norah's eye teeth started coming in. We had 3-4 rough weeks, waiting for all of them to pop through. We are very thankful they are all in now!

At the beginning of May we bought a van! And we LOVE it! It has been so wonderful to have the space, convenience, and comfort of a van.

We did our first camping weekend with Norah, at the beginning of June. We went with my parents, my sister and her family, and a cousin and his family. Norah did really well...Lance and I were both pleasantly surprised that she adjusted to the camping schedule, sleeping in a camper, eating outside, etc.

Norah is talking up a storm. She is putting lots of words together, and occasionally even puts 3 or 4 words together to form a sentence.  She will (sometimes) sit and listen to a whole book...for those of you that know Norah, this is progress. She rarely sits still, so it's been fun to have her sit on our laps and just sit there, listening! She loves Veggie Tales and Diego. She is starting to sing songs with us, and loves to dance when there's music on.

Lance and I have been enjoying the start of summer! He has gotten in a few rounds of golf already, and is enjoying being able to run outside. I planted a small garden again this year, and have been enjoying watching the plants pop up. Norah and I get outside many times throughout the day. Today she was playing with my watering can, and I heard her say 'foggie in 'er'. Sure enough...there was a frog in there! Didn't bother her in the least...she wanted to play with it!

I have really been enjoying my job as a stay at home wife and mother these past few weeks! Norah is getting to a point where she is pretty content to play on her own while I'm busy. And she is starting to get more interested in the things I'm doing and 'helping' a little! She is at such a fun stage right now, and it's so helpful now that she can communicate with us!

I will be getting pictures posted sometime soon. Stay tuned....