A Trip to the Livestock Show

Thursday Nana and Poppa took us to the Houston Livestock Show. We got there bright and early to watch Uncle Bo show a horse.

Uncle Bo with one of his horses

Allie loved watching the horses

Then the kids walked through the petting zoo.

Can you believe how tall Coleman is?

The boys' favorite thing is still the tractors! Allie looks like a fan also!

I wish they were always this sweet to each other!

This little girl is 9 months old now!

And finally the moment they had waited for all day: the carnival!

Spence was brave to go by himself!

And Coleman only chose this one because I wouldn't let him ride the Gravitron! His middle name is Adventure!

Thanks for a fun day Nana and Poppa!

Breakthrough and Big Explanation

Allie finally has a tooth! I figured I should record it here. One day when I have a chance I might work on her baby book again, and I'll have to search through this blog to remember all her milestones.

I probably wouldn't have even noticed the tooth if I hadn't felt it bite me! Just one sharp edge has broken through her gums, and it's kind of hard to see. But it's a tooth!

I discovered her tooth today, and Coleman discovered how she is "different" than him and Spence when he saw her in the tub tonight. (I actually can't believe this was the first time he's noticed.) He sounded shocked as he talked about what she was missing. But Spence was convinced that it was just hiding.

You just never know what's going to happen around here in a given day!

Grandma Got Me Thinking

When Grandma saw the picture of Allie in the swing yesterday, she commented that it seems like it was just a few months ago that Coleman was that age and swinging. I remembered that I had a picture of Coleman at around 9 months old swinging at a park in Montana. I decided to look through my picture folders and see if I had one of a 9 month old Spence swinging. I found one from when he was 10 months old, so close enough! Grandma, here are all your babies at around the same age having fun in a swing!

Coleman - October 2005

Spence - September 2007

Allie - March 2010

Caption Contest Winner!

I've added my favorite caption to the picture! Scroll down to the original post to see who won. And what did she win? The satisfaction of knowing I thought her comment was clever and funny! And maybe I'll ask her advice in the future if I'm stumped for a caption.

Lovin' This Park Weather!

Allie loves to swing!

Coleman loves to push her!

Spence loves to swing with Daddy...

...and rock those awesome boots!

Caption Contest!

You only wish rolls looked this good on you!

That's the winning caption submitted by Donna!

Check. Out. Those. Rolls. I want to see if one of my readers can come up with the perfect caption for this picture! My idea was, "My baby has more arm rolls than your baby." That's a little harsh though. Give me your ideas!

Waiting

I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

(While I'm Waiting, by John Waller)

About two weeks ago my Bible study was about waiting. Then I got in the car and heard the song "While I'm Waiting" (lyrics above). I realized God was telling me to wait. He cares about us and has a plan, but we have to wait for His perfect timing. As I was listening to the song, I remembered that my friend Jennifer had posted last year how that song spoke to her while she waited to get pregnant. She talked about how it's easy to live month to month waiting for that positive pregnancy test, but that song reminded her to keep living for God and serving Him while she waited for her prayer to be answered. (Click here to visit her blog and see her little answered prayer!) Since that song spoke to me about two weeks ago, I've heard it countless times. God's little reminder to me that this is what He is calling us to do now: wait. Continue to serve and worship Him, but wait.

This week, my Bible study encouraged me to remember my experiences with God and pass them along to my children and also to share with my children what I have been learning about God. As we were leaving the church today, I turned on the car and my song was on. I thanked God for His reminder. Then Coleman said, "What is he singing about?" Here was my opportunity to share with my children what God is doing in our lives. As I tried to explain the song to Coleman and Spence, I could only get a few words out at a time. I had to choke back the tears. I asked Coleman, "What are we waiting for? What is Daddy waiting for?" He answered, "A job." He understands! I told him that while we wait for God to answer our prayer and provide the perfect job for Daddy that God wants us to keep praying and singing songs to Him and living for Him.

I am so amazed at the love God has for me. That He would care enough to keep playing this song for me. That He would have sermons and Bible studies and songs on the radio all speak to me about what He is doing behind the scenes in my life. And to top it all off, that He would stir a curiosity in my child about this song that means so much to me, so that I can share with Him what God is doing for us now, while we wait.

Things You Must Do On a Beautiful Day

Run down a hill

Sit in the sun

Stare at a windmill

Talk to your brother...

...through a cement culvert

Catch a ride...

...on your sister's stroller

Take a new picture for your Mommy's blog!

What's Wrong with This Picture?

This week Allie learned how to pull herself up. The first time I saw her do it, she had pulled herself up and was leaning on a tub of spackle. We've got several house projects going on, so that's really not as strange as it sounds.

Here she is showing off her new skill! Her concentration level is right up there with top athletes.

Making the reach for a bucket of G.I. Joe toys

One day I'll get the girl toy with my own Happy Meal. One day.

G.I. Joe? Space stations? Bat Caves? Don't these people have any dolls?

Check out the chubby thighs and ankles (or lack of ankles)! Apparently no girl likes to be called chubby.

And there are multiple things wrong with this picture. Let me just say that this is what one might look like after being dragged to the potty every 20 minutes and wetting his pants and one sock. Yes, just one sock. There is no picture of Mommy because after a day of potty training, the trainer looks worse than the trainee!

As for potty training (evil, evil words), Spence has gone poop 7 days in a row with no accidents. He even told his teacher and went at school! He is completely opposite than Coleman. It took forever for me to get Coleman to go poop in the potty. I had to resort to embarrassing the mess out of him (literally). I would refuse to change him when we were out in public and he would get upset that other kids could smell him. Spence, I'm afraid, has no shame. Poop could be smeared across his face and he'd still be running around roaring at other kids. Oh well. Today the timer is set for 25 minutes. Baby steps.

I've been meaning to write about some of the funny things the boys have said this week. I'm not sure why I haven't gotten to it. Oh yeah, I've been in the bathroom every 20 minutes!

Driving to the park the other day, we passed some guys mowing. The air was on recirculate, so the smell of fresh-cut grass filled the car.

Mommy: I like the smell of fresh-mowed grass!
Coleman: Ewww, I don't! I like gassy smells that come from trucks!
Spence: I like turkey smells!

Spence: I wish we had a helicopter.
Mommy: Where would we park a helicopter?
Spence: We should get a landing pad.
Of course! He's thought of everything! Well, almost everything. There's the lack of funds, space issues, and the fact that none of us knows how to fly a helicopter. Minor details.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Kid Pictures

Allie enjoying her first time at the mall play area

Spence looking all relaxed

Just being silly!

From Sea to Shining Sea

Brian has made searching for work his full-time job. We've been playing the waiting game. God has been working in our lives and drawing us closer to Him. Now things are starting to happen! It's exciting and a little scary!

Last Thursday, Brian had a phone interview with HR from a company in New Jersey. My first thought was mobsters and stink. Probably like someone from New Jersey interviewing for a job in Texas might think cowboys and oil wells. I don't know. Back to the story. So that interview went really well and Brian was advanced to the next level of phone interviews. She said she would get back to him in the next day or two to set something up, but she called back 10 minutes later to tell him that he would be talking with the direct supervisor for the position the next day! That phone interview went really well also! We had to wait over the weekend (torture) and finally got an email Tuesday saying that they wanted one more phone interview with someone higher up. It is scheduled for Friday. While waiting to hear when this interview was going to be scheduled for, Brian received a call from a company in the San Fransisco Bay area. They talked for about 20 minutes, then decided to fly Brian out for an interview! He'll be going in about 2 weeks! So I was in shock! I thought Brian was talking to the man from New Jersey when he announced that he'll be flying to California to interview. Talk about having to change gears! He also has a phone interview today with a company in San Diego. Isn't this amazing?!?

This is truly turning into a great adventure. Our realtor came out earlier this week to give us some pointers on getting the house ready to go on the market and tell us what she thought we could get for it. My mom is here painting. My parents. We love living close to them. It has been great to be able to see them so often and have the support of family close by. And we may get to stay here, but it doesn't look likely. They understand that we have to go where Brian can find work, they are trusting God just as we are, and they are excited with all the prospects Brian has. That has made this so much easier.

So where will we end up? We have no idea! Soon we might be trying to decide which offer to choose, or starting over completely. We could be packing up everything we own and moving it to the East Coast or heading to the West Coast. We don't have any answers yet, but we are excited! Here's a quote for today from a prayer by Lysa TerKeurst:

I praise You for new beginnings even when I can't see them yet!

Look What I Can Do!

Pick up the tiny toys! Gate the stairs! Keep your eyes open for a baby on the move!



She's been rolling around and scooting backward for awhile, but today was the first day for an actual crawl. My baby is getting so big!

Eight Months Old

One cheerio for each month!

A Fun New Toy

Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement on my last post. I love my readers!

A few nights ago Spence got this toy for going poop in the potty!

Mom got this for him last time we were perusing the clearance section at Wal-Mart, so we decided to hold onto it for a "special occasion." What's more special than not pooping your pants?!? I remember when I was a kid these were made with metal sticks. I wonder how many kids poked their eyes out? Everyone in the family is enjoying playing with it. Well, everyone except Allie.


It scares her! Poor baby. (And as you can see, she still has no teeth.)

Here a few little funnies to get your week off to a good start:

Coleman: This pajama top is impossible to get off! What does impossible mean?
Mommy: It means something can't be done. Like you can't fly over to Matt's house. That's impossible. Sometimes we say things are impossible, but they really aren't. You got the pajamas off, so it wasn't impossible.
Coleman: Well, it was half impossible.

Coleman: Spence, you're too little to be in my class at school, and I'm too big to be in your class.
Spence: Maybe you can grow down!

Coleman: Mommy, that Scooby Doo movie (a scratched DVD) worked last time we watched it! Maybe it just needed to rest from that scratch.

And my potty training lesson of the week: Wal-Mart bags make great car seat liners to put between the soaked kid and the seat. Just in case you ever need that little bit of information!

How Would We Know?

I've been promising an update on life with the Piks. I'll admit, at times I haven't wanted to say anything because it's easier to just pretend things are swell and we're "doing fine." Other times it's too depressing or too much of a chore to sit down and write out our circumstances. But I've realized something. I must take my eyes off our circumstances and place them on the God who I serve. The circumstances of my life may be good or bad - it doesn't matter. What matters is how I respond to those circumstances. I can wallow in them or choose to honor God in them. I didn't just come up with this epiphany on my own. God led me to the most wonderful Bible study that could not be more fitting for this phase of my life. It's called "What Happens When Women Walk in Faith" (written by Lysa TerKeurst) and it has been amazing. The situations Lysa writes about in her book are completely different from my family's current situation, but the verses she references and the advice she gives could not be more relevant. And I know they are not ultimately from her, but from God Himself.

Before I go any further, I want to say that I know there are others in more dire situations than us. (Click here if you don't know about our current situation.) There are those who have been out of work for many more months or even years. There are those facing sickness or loss of loved ones. Our circumstances seem small compared to these. But God cares about each of us and our problems - big or small, significant or seemingly insignificant.

Last night Brian and I talked about our situation. We realize we could easily become bitter, frustrated, and depressed. But we don't want that. Satan wants that for us, but our God has a plan for us. A plan to prosper us. We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. We know that God will bring us through any and all trials. And when He brings us out, we will have a testimony to share. A testimony of His love and faithfulness. Brian and I decided we will make choices to honor God in these circumstances. We may not see any good come our way today, tomorrow, or even months from now. We are not promised a trouble-free life. But God promises to always be with us. Here is a verse He has showed me over and over in the last few months. I think He's hitting me over the head with it, and I like it!

If the Lord delights in a man's way,
He makes his steps firm:
though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with His hand.
...I have never seen the righteous
forsaken or their children begging bread.

Psalm 37:23-25

Brian and I are choosing to honor God. We're choosing to wait on Him and His timing. We want Him to delight in our way and then be upheld by His hand.

So my question today is, '"How would we know God's faithfulness if we never went through hard times?" The answer is that we could see it in others' situations, but we wouldn't know it personally. And while it's no fun to go through the storms of life, it is well worth it to experience God and His goodness. I've shared all this because we want to bring glory to God and share the hope we have in Him. I would love for you to leave a comment, whether to share a testimony of God's faithfulness in your life or just to say hi. So don't be shy! And maybe you are in a similar situation (or a completely different situation that is far worse than ours) that is calling for you to honor God in a hard time. We can pray for each other. Thank you for reading to the end. I hope this wasn't a rambling mess of words, but something that brought encouragement. Have a blessed day!

Underwear, Cookies, and a Hammer Tale

Potty training (known to all as my least favorite aspect of motherhood) is in full force. Monday, Spence went through all three pairs of his underwear in the first half of the day. Tuesday I bought a pack of 10. I have to set the timer for 20 minutes and have plenty of M&Ms on hand. I feel like all I do is wind up a timer and pull down pants all day long! For now the underwear is only an at-home experiment. It's been getting better.

Spence in his Toy Story underwear. Isn't he sweet?

Our Valentine cookies were sweet too!

Grandma and Grandpa sent us a Valentine package that included some red, pink and white M&Ms. Instead of using them all as potty treats, I decided to make one of the recipes from the back of the bag. Didn't our Valentine cookies turn out pretty? But really, who cares what a cookie looks like as long as it tastes good. And they did!

Nana helped decorate

Spence helped lick the utensils

One night this week Spence hit Coleman with his plastic toy hammer. Brian sent him to time out then was talking with him.

Brian: Spence, do you hit your friends at school with a hammer?
Spence: No.
Brian: You shouldn't hit your brother either.
Spence: (after thinking for a minute) I don't hit my friends with a hammer because they don't have one at school.

She's Not Where I Left Her

Seems these days Allie is never where I last left her! She's not crawling yet, but I don't think it will be long. She likes to roll around or scoot herself backwards. She also does some crazy push up where she ends up on her hands and toes with her bottom sticking up in the air. (If I did 100 of these per day I might be in better shape!) And most recently she's learned to pull her knee up under her from the previously mentioned position. I've got to start gathering tiny cars, super heroes, and legos! We're about to have a crawler! Check out her moves:

I start on my tummy...

Then I raise myself up...

Bet you didn't think I could get this high!

I pull my knees up under me...

Then flop over and roll to my desired location!

That's how it's done... for now!

The boys had pajama day at school this week. I remember having pajama day when I worked at a summer day camp. I never liked pajama day. Why would I want to go in public wearing my pajamas looking like I just rolled out of bed? I was always very uncomfortable with pajama days. But the boys liked it, so that's what matters! It was really cold that day, so Spence wanted to wear his fuzzy jammies, and Coleman had to wear a shirt under his. Check out the boots!


And I've been meaning to post a picture of my awesome new bag! I had never found a diaper bag I liked to carry for Allie, so I decided to start looking for a big purse-like bag. While in Montana I found one I really liked at Dillards. On New Year's Day it was on major clearance and Rita bought it for me! Then the old bag tag just didn't work with it, so I found a lady on Etsy to customize one for Allie. Take a look!

Love my cool bag!

And isn't her tag adorable?

Here is a link to her Etsy shop. She custom made the tag for me for $5.00! Gotta love good deals.

I'll probably have an update on life coming soon. I just need to get my thoughts together. And we all know that can take awhile!