A few days worth (Part Three)

Sarah's trying to cut another tooth (#6), and so she's got another horrible diaper rash. I figured that bathing with her brother would both be fun and a distraction from a burning bottom.

My little bathing cuties...

Nope, it's MY duck!

A few days worth (Part Two)

After much time, effort, stress and money, we (no, I) completed Gabe's Pinewood Derby car in the nick of time to turn it in on Thursday night, so that it could be weighed and measured.

For a little over a month now, we've been planning on just how we were going to accomplish building a winning car without Phillip's expertise in wood cutting etc.

When you first get the kit, all you have is a block of wood, 4 wheels and axles, and some guidelines that have to be met. As for the wood cutting, I purchased a hacksaw from Walmart and with Sarah watching me on a very cold day, I put a layer of towels on my kitchen table and hacked away for about an hour and a half to get our car looking like SOMETHING worth racing.

At a few of our Boy Scout meetings, we were able to get together with others to work on our cars; the parents did most of the work, while our young Tiger Cubs played games of chase and "raptor". I'm thankful for the tips and advice that some of the father's handed down to me, and Gabe's soccer coach from last year is a Saint for putting those darn wheels on for me. (after we got the wheels on, we glued coins to the bottom of the car for extra weight needed for speed...I forgot my weight strips at home and I WAS NOT going back for them!)

working away on a Saturday...

Mike, an Eagle Scout

Our car, before...

and during.

I have to admit that after all of the worry (I didn't want to fail Gabe on making a car not worth being proud of) and stress, I did learn something. Number One, hacksaws are cool! Number Two, I have lots of tricks up my sleeve for next year! Number Three, I accomplished something that I didn't think I would!

It turns out that our car was not really a winner, but it did cross the finish line and for me, that's all that counts. Gabe was an awesome little sport in being happy for his friends that did cross to win 1st Place.

Thanks to cousin Adrian, we have lots of tools and goodies to work with for next year's car!

Best friends, Gabe and Tyler

Handing his car over...

his is the score all the way to the right.

Another race (we raced 3 times, once on each slot of the track)

The track (which I hear is worth thousand's!)

A few days worth (Part One)

It seems that sometimes, time can just drag on and on, but last week was a busy and fast paced one for us.

On Thursday, Gabe and his friends at school had to dress up like their favorite book character. If you've never heard of Skippyjon Jones, I think you should check him out. We really enjoy reading books about him. He's a little Siamese kitten who thinks he's a chihuahua, and little Skippyjon is always getting himself into some sort of trouble or imaginative adventure. He's one Friskito Bandito, Dude! Below, you'll see our little Skippyjon.


That night, after I gave Sarah a bath, I noticed that her hair was especially curly (maybe it was the weather?). I do hope that she inherits the trait from just about everyone in her family. My Mom has lots of body to her hair, and so do I. Phillip's side of the family practically have ringlets. I want her hair to grow quickly so we can have fun with it!



On Friday morning, I was in the process of waking Gabe when the phone rang at about 6:20. Phil's Mom was calling to tell me that they had left their house and were on their way to Texas. On Friday night, we finally had the Pinewood Derby that we had been preparing for, and it just so happened that the trip that Manuel and Zella had previously planned included a chance to see it.

How do you like my $60 comforter from the recently out of business Linen's and Things? Together with the double sheet set, my whole bed cost a whopping $100!

Now WHO could be calling at this hour?!

As I mentioned in my post title, I'll have a series of things for you to check out this week. Come by again soon to see pics of the PW Derby.

And I do hope that everyone has a great week!

J~

Found...

A new place to explore that is only 22 miles away from our house! I just may have to put the kids in the car this afternoon to satisfy my curiosity!

Here is the link to The Vineyards at Florence: Vineyards

Oh, and check back in a day or two for another post on some exploring that we did this past Monday.

Hope all is well on your end,
Janet

What do I title this post?

Every morning, on my way home from dropping Gabe off at school, I see the same young man waiting for the buss, by himself, away from the crowd of other middle-schoolers. He's either reading a book or day-dreaming; never talking to anyone.

I wish I knew why he's such a loner.

I hope that life at home is a happier place for him than the bus stop seems to be.

I worry about him.

And I say a quick prayer for him every morning.

Some of Sarah's very first steps...

We're working on Gabe's Pinewood Derby car for Boy Scouts. This afternoon, we're going to a hobby shop nearby to get some paint, decals and maybe a few more ideas on how to decorate it. Gabe wants a dragon theme. I'm thinking that Yoda driving a Star Wars themed car would be perfect for my Little Star Wars Lover. I promise that I'll post some news, details and pictures on whatever we decide on soon!

It seems that I've been posting a whole lot about Sarah lately; I guess that it's because life doesn't really change much these days for the older people. But for the babies...

I was able to get this video the night of our swimsuit fashion show. Enjoy!

Sarah's 1 Year pictures...and new swimsuit!

We went to Kiddie Kandids again this past Saturday to get Sarah's 1 Year Portraits taken.

While shopping, I also found a swim suit that I just could not pass up, even as Gabe warned me that Phillip would not be happy about my buying it for Sarah without his approval! I told him that maybe we need to have this discussion when she turns sixteen (or hits puberty). But just in case Dad feels that we would be showing too much skin (or chub), I got the matching cover-up. Ohhh! Daddies and their little girls...

I'm a BIG GIRL now!!!

Our little Sarah Belle turned a whole year old on Monday!

This past weekend, we met Phil's mom in Mount Pleasant, Texas; Phil's dad had to stay home in Louisiana for another obligation, and Phil's sister and her husband were at a convention in Galveston. Below, you'll see the rocker that every grandchild gets for his/her first birthday from Manuel and Zella...

Our niece, Elise, made an awesome chocolate cake for the party...

LOVE those "juicy" little thighs!


At home, on Monday, Gabe and I threw our own small shindig for Sarah. Gabe had fun opening her presents for her...
the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls are Gabe's gift to her; he chose them all by himself.

Sarah is starting to stand on her own with a little help from pulling up on something. She's also gettting really brave and takes about 5 or 6 steps before she realizes that crawling is much faster!


And this is the end of the day...
She didn't nap very much that day; we were really busy with this and that.

I took her for her 1 Year well-baby appointment yesterday. She is a whole 28 inches tall and a whopping 21 pounds heavy. Her pediatrician told me that it's entirely okay to take her off of formula and to put her on whole cow's milk. I've been slowly transitioning her with it. She's not too keen on cold drinks, but after a year of washing bottles and mixing formula, this morning, we went cold turkey! No more bottles!!!!! I figure (and I have the doc's support) that if she's thirsty enough, she'll drink milk at whatever temperature...eventually. Her pediatrician also assured me that even though it may not seem like it, with the small range of big-people foods she's eating now, she's still getting the vitamins and nutrients that she needs. And as for the nasty business of sometimes fighting her sleep, I'm gonna have to get tough and teach her to put herself to sleep without the aid of me patting her little leg until she finally gives in. For the past two days, she's played in her crib for her afternoon nap until she zonks out. I guess now, I can put away her baby swing as well (because she's getting too big for it anyway).

That first year is really tough when it comes to babies. Things are definetly getting easier.

I called Phil's mom this morning just to tell her that from now on, I don't have to pack formula and bottles etc. for excursions out of the house. I was giddy, I tell ya!

Hope all is well on your end...