A Bi-Polar Day

Today has been the most manic depressive day I've had in quite a while.

This morning I received some great and unexpected news at work.

Our hearts sang, and praised God for His blessings, and my wife and I celebrated together.

Then, during work, we received this news about our pastor of 5 years, Matt Chandler: 

In the first chapter of Philippians, the Apostle Paul writes that whatever imprisonments, beatings and trials he may have suffered, they all "serve to advance the gospel" of Jesus Christ. We implore you to keep the gospel of Christ as the main focus as we walk with Matt and Lauren through this trial.

On Tuesday, Dr. Barnett informed Matt and Lauren that the findings of the pathology report revealed a malignant brain tumor that was not encapsulated. The surgery to remove the tumor, the doctor said, was an extremely positive first step; however, because of the nature of the tumor, he was not able to remove all of it. (full transcript available here.)


Our hearts are heavy now, and our prayers are with Matt and Lauren Chandler, and their three kids Audrey, Reid, and Nora.  May they live faithfully, and be given wisdom, and excellent care as they endure this trial.  Through all of this, their hope has been to struggle well, and to point continually to the cross as their fulfillment.  Matt and Lauren both, by seeking Jesus, have found joy in even this circumstance.  They do not despair, or delude themselves.  They understand God planned this for them, and they are prepared for any resolution which may come from it.  Their hope is, no matter how this unfolds, people may see it and hear them testify about the grace, redemption, and worthiness of Jesus Christ. 

Please join us in praying for them, and our church.

 

As my friend Josh Sims reminded me; God is just as good, and just as deserving of praise this afternoon, as He was this morning.  No matter how hard that may be to remember.  

A Greek Assurance

Emily and I go to The Village Church.  We've been in the news lately as most of Dallas has heard about the health problems of our pastor Matt Chandler.  What many people don't know is how blessed our church body is to be lead by such a gifted group of pastors.  In Matt's absence we have continued to be cared for, challenged, and instructed with an unwavering hand.

One of those pastors called us to spend time dwelling on the person, and being of Jesus Christ this week.  His sermon, and the conversation the Holy Spirit inspired in our Home Group last Wednesday have rubbed against each other in my heart, and formed a devotional of sorts. 

In Revelations, God refers to himself as the Alpha and Omega three times. Most people know those as the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, symbolizing that God is the beginning and the end.  In recent days I have come to see them as an intimate, holy assurance of hope expressed in 2 Greek characters.  Hopefully I don't fail miserably in my attempt to share that with you. 

In Rev 1 God says:
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Webster defines Almighty as having an absolute power over all.  Absolute meaning there is no restriction, exception, or qualification on God's ability to affect.  It's as mind boggling as infinity, and as quantifiable as Pi.  He can stop a spinning atom with a thought, and all creation is under his authority.

Rev 21
6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

God is the beginning, and the end of all things.  Whatever you see in life, whether good or evil, living or dead, created or born, all things proceed completely from and return completely to God Almighty.  He is the source of Life and the Fire of judgment.  In Exodus this was Expressed in the name I AM.  I AM without boundary or beginning, without limitation or end.  I AM not encompassed or contained.  I AM defies description.

Rev 22
12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

He is coming in power and terror.  A God, so great the mind cannot conceive His origin or the mechanism of his creation.  He will stand judgment over the multitude of humans he has created.  He will mete out Life and Death without restriction, exception, or qualification, and His Spirit will execute His will without failure.  Only God could stand before God to interceded.  Praise Jesus for our salvation.

Wednesday in Home Group we talked about anxieties; where they take root, and how we combat them.  In our conversation a common theme emerged.  Our anxieties often seem to be rooted in a proud place.  From the very beginning, the culture we live in has raised us to believe our value is in what we earn.  There is an assumption that if we "do the right things" everything will go well, and as people we are often judged solely on our results.  The rich are more respected than the poor, a stylish house is more honored than a bare one, and people are who buy designer clothing are more dependable than those who are threadbare.  Often, who we are isn't defined by what we do, but by how what we do turns out for us.  So we worry. 

We worry because part of us knows that even if we do everything right, the results of our actions are outside our control.  How much more is it the case when we only get almost everything right?  How much pressure does that put on every little thing to be perfect?  Regardless, the world still believes it is the results which define us, and the more we give ourselves over to the world, the more we believe the same thing.

So what should our response be? 

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

We who believe, look to Jesus Christ.  We find our worth in the assurance that while we were lost in darkness, with no hope of redemption, and no value in us, Christ demonstrated his love for us through his death, so we might live.  Our value is in the bounty that was paid on our behalf; which is the priceless blood of an Almighty God who became a man.  His blood buys us freedom from the standards of the world.  It leaves us unburdened to focus on conforming our hearts through our actions, and it allows us to trust in God Almighty to justify the work of our hands.  We are no longer defined by our money, our appearance, or even by our sins.  We are defined forever as children of God adopted by Jesus Christ, and God's nature assures we will live up to that pedigree.  His Almighty Will continues day by day to transform us from one degree of glory to the next, continually granting us greater freedom and joy, as He changes our nature into a reflection of Jesus. 

What a sweet heritage of freedom and redemption we have been given. 

Thanksgiving Feast #1

This past Sunday the Lesko family set out on an adventure to the house of the Henkle’s where a feast had been prepared to be enjoyed with the best home group ever. With 2 kids in tow the journey began… Tristan has not had the joy of being around this whole group on a regular basis; while a few faces would be familiar it was mostly uncharted waters for him, he tends to have behavior issues when in a new environment with lots of activity. He rarely if ever makes it through one of these events with out having an outburst or several outbursts. That day was exacerbated even more because he had not had a nap nor was he going to get one on time… so as you can imagine we were unsure of how this afternoon was going to play out.

Hoping to minimize damage and still enjoy the time we decided on a divide and conquer approach. One kid to one parent switch off if necessary. All hands in the middle and “GO LESKOS! on 3”.

Ange and Helmut have a beautiful house all decorated for the occasion with their fine china out, their dogs Samson, a Rottweiler and Poco, a Chihuahua were running about and the backdoor was open with a great view of their pool in the backyard. Tristan immediately found his “safe place” outside near the pool and the two dogs.

About 20 minutes into the trip I realize I made a salad and didn’t bring dressing. Mick graciously offers to go to the store. We adjust our plan I hand Mickaela off and make my way outside to check on Tristan. This is where the dance begins... Tristan realizes Mick is no longer there to keep him from the pool, thinking I am the weaker of the two (let’s face it I am a sucker for that smile), he begins ever so slightly walking toward the pool pointing and saying “water” “water”. I have a feeling he was thinking “maybe she won’t notice if I just put a foot in if I am telling her the whole time that it is water…she loves it when I talk”! I respond “Yes, water. We don’t get in that water.” He gets where this is going and moves back closer to the dogs, where he begins “doggie” “doggie”. I respond, “Yes, Good Job! Doggie, (pointing), big doggie, little doggie we pet the doggies.” I believe that boundaries have been established and all is going well to this point. I begin a conversation, when I catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye…”Tristan, We don’t ride the doggie, we pet the doggie”. Ange comes over; she gives her permission for Tristan to “ride” Samson and calls for her husband to come see. The group begins congregating outside laughing as Tristan climbs up onto Samson’s back and is guided around for a couple of minutes. Isaac luckily grabs his camera and snaps a couple picture of the immense joy on Tristan’s face. I thought for a second Samson was going to buck Tristan right into the pool, but alas Samson is just a big puppy and loved playing with Tristan. That was so much fun Tristan decided he should try the same thing with Poco (the Chihuahua)…Poco was not near as accommodating.

The rest of the afternoon was full of fun, laughter, good people, great food and only a one near meltdown. All in all a successful adventure, it is great to see how Tristan is growing and developing. It was also nice to be able to see what God has done in all of our lives as we were able to give Thanks.

Fall Pictures of the Lesko Gang

Here are a couple of our fall pictures that our sweet friend Paul took...you can see more at www.paulgoimages.com / clients password is Lesko.

Dr. Horrible, and Other Random Thoughts

I guess I should have titled this, "Other Random Thoughts, and Dr. Horrible" so it suggested the right order.  It didn't have the same ring to it though.

Other Thought 1:

Babies make you dumber.

It's true.  You know it, I know it, everybody knows it, and it's so accepted it has become normative.  For example, Mickaela is 10 months old now .  Isn't she cute?  

Yes.  Yes she is.  But not always.  Mickaela doesn't like getting into the car to go places, which is pretty typical for a kid.  The car seat must be traumatic or something.  Anyway, since the daily ritual of getting Mickaela into the car usually wound up with her in tears, Millie, being the sweet hearted mother she is, decided to start distracting her when she puts Mika in the car seat.  How you might ask?  Good question.  She... wee di wee di wee's her.  If you don't know what that means, I'm not surprised, but don't worry it isn't obscene.  She just makes her voice really high pitched, and starts squealing wee di wee di wee di wee di wee at Mickaela.  

It isn't a phrase often used in daily conversation, except among monkeys, and perhaps among Tribbles, or when talking to babies.  Make no mistake, it is also only one of many ridiculous sounds both she and I make at, or because of our baby.  

It's almost as though in trying to get Mickaela to learn English the two of us are active regressing.  Future updates are planned as I attempt to chronicle our precipitous return to our Cro-Magnon roots.


Other Thought 2:  

Houses are a lot of work.

Before you buy your first one, you don't really understand just how much work they are.  It's all HGTV, and interior design, and a pathway to financial independence.  Then... you movie in.  We (The Lesko's) have been hanging out in Frisco for just over 2 years, which really isn't a long time in the life of a house.  And yet... the Max, the grass, the laundry, the dishes, the hot water heater, the fence, the dishwasher, the microwave, and the refrigerator all seem to be marshaling their forces on a weekly basis for an assault against my free time.  I envision my enemies as an organized Posse.  

Now you understand why yard work makes me insane... or maybe you understand how being insane makes me want to carry a firearm while doing yard work.  



Dr. Horrible: 

Dr. Horrible and his Sing-Along Blog is Neil Patrick Harris' second foray into the realm of TV doctors, and let me say, this one is considerably more awesome than Doogie Howser.  He has an ambition, a nemesis, an unrequited love, a freeze ray, a Bad Horse, an Evil League of Evil, Wonderflonium, a strange side kick, and many more glorious moments.  It's the story of the true American Dream all wrapped up in harmonic amazing, and glorious hilarity.  I highly recommend it.  If you're interested, just set aside 45 minutes and enjoy.  I've linked to it... as part 1 of my nefarious plot to conquer the world.  Watch and be thrilled. PG-13.


This video expired on Hulu.  Sadly.  I tell you this though.  It was amazing, and you should google it if you can.

This concludes our post for today.

A first for me...

Last weekend Mick, the kids, and I went to a wedding. We are at the stage in our life where we have a lot of friends getting married we average at least 10 a year right now. I know. Well this was a first for us...
Yes that is a baseball field. My first thought was well this girl must be the right girl because somehow John convinced her to get married on a baseball field. My second was...What should I wear?!? The wedding was really cool. Our friend Rachael sang which was probably my favorite part because I have been wanting to hear her sing for some time now. There were many unique things about the wedding. I thought it was great that they made it their own. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Hampton.

A picture of Mr. Tristan being his adorable self trying to patiently wait for cupcakes and running on the baseball field. :)

Mickaela taking a bath...I love it when her hair does that! :)

Mickaela and I after a craft show eating a little lunch outside a couple weeks ago. I just like how her pink stroller makes her eyes stand out. :)

This weekend will be Miss Mickaela's first Halloween so hold your breath I might just get some pictures up here of that. :)

Operation Assimilate Max: Round 2

Yesterday I left Max in his kennel all day because it was raining and cold outside and who wants to be out in that. Feeling like a good dog mom I went to work.

When I got home I let Max outside and gave him some food and was getting ready to go to Mick's brother's house to see his sister who is in the process of moving to Dallas.

So...I decided to let Max stay in the house but not in his kennel because it was still raining and I felt bad putting him back in his kennel after being in it all day. Again feeling like such a nice dog mom I left to see the family.

2 hours later this is what I return home to:

Operation Assimilate Max: FAIL!

Mom!

Tristan thrives on routine.  It's really the only thing that brings him, and us, peace.

One of the sweeter byproducts of having so much routine for him, is when things start to happen outside the norm we notice. After so long, it's become his routine that really makes his growth stand out. 

Right now a typical weeknight looks like this:

1. Walk in the door
2. Go to your seat Tristan
3. Eat dinner
4. Sneak half of dinner to Max while mommy and daddy aren't looking
5. Play for a bit
   
6. Bathtime with the sister
7. (and this is the new part) "Mom!...  Mooom!...  MOm!", "Emmy's coming Tristan.", "Mom!  Mooom!  MOm! Mom-mie!"

I can't tell you how welcome his chatter is to my ears, and all the while Mickaela babbles away in the background.

My wife is a blessing to our kids, and all of them make our house a happy home... it's musical.

The Twitter Conundrum

There's a pizzeria near our house named Durkin's Pizza.  It's the kind of place that makes you want to support it.  Privately owned and operated, and run by one of the more interesting people you'll find anywhere, you can count on 3 things every time you go there:

• A great atmosphere intentionally constructed to encourage conversation
• Outstanding food at a good price
  
• A warm welcome
  

The place is run by Michael Durkin, and the guy must spend 100+ hours a week working because he's been there every time I've been there, day or night.

My buddy Dave and I went to Durkin's last night for a late dinner around 9, and as usual Durkin was the lone employee on duty.  The happening restaurant was mostly empty, and the lull in business allowed for a great conversation between Durkin, Dave and Myself.

With U2 coming to town, the conversation eventually turned to the concert and how Bono is one of the only showmen who is worth $200.  Durkin's position... experiences are what make life valuable, and of all the things you can spend $200 on, an experience you will have for a lifetime ranks near the top.

So, what does this have to do with Twitter?

I completely agree with him.  One of my favorite things in the world is losing myself in a moment.  Allowing everything else to fade away and being consumed by the simple blessing of whatever I find myself doing.  In fact, that's my favorite thing about our newest social media phenomenon.  The small everyday experiences that make life enjoyable for us can now have a shadow of themselves conveyed through a blurb, and a photo.  We can share the breakfast with our kids, or the drinks with our friends, and let people into the joy God allows us to find in those moments.

So why is it a conundrum?

While I enjoy being let into other people's lives, for me, tweeting means I'm stepping out of the moment God has given me and reducing it to a glimpse to be consumed by a nameless group.  The gift of knowing that I'm currently living in a uniquely joyful experience is a slippery awareness for me.  As soon as I start thinking about sharing the moment, or as soon as I remove my thoughts from the experience so I can take a picture or type a tweet... the moment leaves me.  It's like the event loses it's uniqueness.  It's my own ADD version of a catch 22. 

All that to say, I think I've become a twitter voyeur.  I enjoy seeing how good God can be in the lives of my friends, and I enjoy living in the moment when I realize how good God is in my life. 

You may see me tweet interesting tid bits, or joke with my friends, or share an interesting quote, but for the most part... twitter feels like reduction of real life.  You'll have to talk to me in person for the good stuff, or if Em convinces me to write one, you might be able to read the blog post.

The Worst Question of All Time at 4 AM

Hi everyone,

Last night was, by turns, the most disgusting and hysterical night yet in the Lesko household. (For all you guys trying to swat that one out of the park, you can suck it.) To set the stage a little bit, I need to share with you the plight of Max our dog.

Max is 10 months old, and the boy thrives on the time he spends with the family. Unfortunately, he also spends a lot of time alone. During our time at work he's in the back yard, during the night he's locked in his kennel. So for most of his day he rocks it old school solo. Now we can see him get depressed each time we put him outside or in his kennel, and damnit if he isn't such a good dog that it just breaks our heart, so we decided we were going to try to do something about all of his alone time.

The first step in operation Assimilate Max was to get him a portable doggy bed. The plan was to put the bed in his kennel for a while, then move it bit by bit to where we wanted him to spend the night, but ultimately allowing him the freedom to walk the house. The first step in moving the bed is to keep the door to the kennel closed, but unlocked, to see how Max will do with his new boundaries. Well last night around 1 am I woke up to hear Max roaming around the bedroom, and as I'm sure most of you understand my commitment to operation Assimilate Max waned strongly after being woken up in the middle of the night. I went and put him back in his kennel and locked the door. As I went back to bed, I thought I smelled something awful, so I checked the floor as best I could in the dark, and eventually brushed it off to Max having gas.

Fast Forward

4 AM

Mickaela is crying in her bedroom, and Emily and I are participating in our nightly standoff to see who loves our child more than sleep. Since I had already gotten up once with Max I steeled myself to out wait mom, and eventually, just according to my plan, Emily leaves the bed to see to Mickaela. About halfway down the hall I hear Em cry out, and being half asleep I sat bolt upright and asked if she was ok. Her response, "Mickey come here!" Thinking I'm walking into some kind of catastrophic hallway injury I dash from my bed to Emily in the hallway, and find her framed by the bathroom light. As I survey the scene I begin to notice things in slow motion, first Emily is standing as expected on one leg, holding her other leg as if injured. Next, there is something on the floor which she clearly stepped on. Third, that thing on the floor is a pile of poop. Fourth, Emily is not injured. As the two of us stood there in the middle of the night starting at each other over a pile of poop the following exchange took place.

Emily in a whiney voice: Mickey, what is that?

Me very matter of factly: It's poop.

Emily in an even more whiney voice: Who's poop is it?!?!

At that moment I caught a clear glimpse into the world Emily lives in. Living with a dog, and two Lesko boys, when she comes across a pile of poop on the floor she just isn't sure who it belongs to. "Who's poop is it?" is clearly the worst question that can possibly be asked at 4 AM. There is no scenario where that question starts or ends well.

Only God can possibly redeem such a warped reality. Please pray for her.

To my darling wife, I know I've done many things but to this day I have not, nor do I ever plan to, poop on the floor of our house. If the time ever comes where I do poop on the floor, I promise to tell you where before you step in it. I could have written this into our wedding vows but in my wildest dreams I couldn't imagine the scenario where such a thing would need to be clarified.

I love you, I'm sorry you stepped in dog poop barefoot. Have a good day at work.

Busy times.

We have been navigating some rocky roads lately, and I believe have made it to the other side. I realized how much of a creature of habit I am and how I miss my routine right now.

It all started Monday two weeks ago. I got a call from daycare that Mickaela had a fever and was not feeling well. I left work a little early to pick her up and spent the remainder of the day working from home. (Luckily I have a great job that has been so flexible for me) So Tuesday, Mickaela still had a fever which means no day school for her.

I got a phone call late Monday evening saying that my Nana picture below had been admitted to the hospital. She had been fighting a reaccurence of breast cancer for a little more than a year. Mickaela and I were able to leave on Wed. to go see her we stayed until Sunday so I could go back to work Monday.
Sunday night Mickaela woke up in the middle of the night with a fever again. So no daycare again ergh. I was able to work from home and get her to the dr. they said she had another cold.

Monday during the night I got a phone call from my sister that Nana had gone to be with the Lord.
Tuesday was another fever day working from home and another trip back to the dr. because Mickaela was pretty inconsolable all day. No ear infection. Tuesday night Mickaela started throwing up. We became the dr.'s favorite patient and called the triage nurse. :/ Pedialyte started and packing began.

Wednesday Mick, Mickaela and I packed up the car and dropped Max off at Alex and Laura's house and headed back to Midland. We were able to spend some time with family and finish helping with planning for the visitation and funeral. It was all a bit surreal. Nana was a sweet, caring, loving woman who taught me a great deal. Although we knew the day was coming...it seemed too soon. I pray that I can carry on even just a few of the characteristics that God blessed Nana with. She is missed.

Thursday was Tristan's 4th birthday! What a big boy...he went to the dr. and was 39 lbs. and 42 inches tall. So BIG! We were able to get back to Dallas on Friday night in time to pick him up and he and I took a trip to the grocery store to pick out the very important birthday cake for his family get together tonight. Tristan is learning to make choices right now so it was so fun letting him choose his cake and icing. He chose the confetti cake and chocolate icing with sprinkles. Yummy! He got lots of great presents and will have lots of fun for many days to come.

He probably liked the packaging as much as the toys...gotta love those peanuts!

So hopefully...back to the routine on Monday!

Thank you for all of my sweet friends who have been praying and caring for me over the last few weeks. I realize over and over how blessed I am. God is good...all the time.

Our Trip to Midland...

Mick, Mickaela and I loaded up the car late Saturday night after a wedding Mick was in and headed to Midland for some important introductions! Mickaela did great for the most part...Dad and Mom are a little tired but it was a great trip! Thank you Julie and Steve for letting us crash your place for the weekend! Love you all! Mickaela meeting Aunt Julie, Uncle Steve, Ross and Mason

Mickaela with Nana :)

Mickaela in THE red rocking chair...all of the Montgomery grandchildren and great grand children have had their picture taken in this chair. I have one too, that Nana gave me while I was there...If I ever get it scanned in I will post it. :0)

Mickaela with PawPaw

Mickaela hanging with Uncle Dennis...I think that banana pudding looks good...can I have some? :)

Ross feeding Mickaela :) What a picture...

Mason and his new friend Mickaela...They were so cute playing together!

Crawling around the kitchen where we were staying :) I think she had a great time!!

What a weekend...Warning this is long...

So this weekend was packed full of stuff and Mick and I moving in different directions.

Friday night I stayed home with the kiddos while Mick had a fantasy football draft event. So fun...I can't wait to watch Mickey's team win!! I love football season! If I knew more about football maybe I would join a league...I think I will wait until next year and get Mickey to teach me a thing or two this year. :)

So Saturday...
Mickey has been working a running plan and has made it to day 60! What an accomplishment I think...I am excited for him. Saturday morning he went to run a 5K in downtown Dallas. Which he did in 29 minutes. Way better than I have ever run a 5K!

So while he was at the run I took both of the kiddos to Tristan's Occupational Therapy appointment. Tristan did "the best he has ever done" (I was thrilled to hear that when they came out because from the sound of things sitting in the waiting room I was not sure!). He had at least 2 big fits. The therapist informed me he was "working for bear" so he had to do the activity before he could get bear back. Which no one messes with BEAR! So that is what his fits were about. But...she said it worked! He made choices 40% of the time which is HUGE for our little guy! We are working our way to 100%! So Mickaela and I sat in the waiting room ate breakfast and once he finished headed home.

I had a skype conference call for work at home for an hour and a half which was pretty fun...in the middle of my call Mick walked into the bedroom (where I was locked in) and mouthed "Tristan threw up what should I clean it with". I thought he said something about tile in there so I said "clorox wipes". When my call finished I realized I was sorely mistaken! It was Mickaela's (carpeted) room where Tristan had lost his breakfast (which inclueded CHOCOLATE MILK). So Mick left to borrow a steam cleaner from his parents (THANK YOU!) and I went to trying to soak up the stuff with cloths. By this time it was time for lunch for both kiddos and mom and dad. So I left the stuff covered with old rags and made lunch. Dad made it back with the steam cleaner just in time for nap time! :) So both kids went down and I cleaned the carpets...It worked pretty well!

Then we got to try out Freddy's Frozen Custard for afternoon Ice Cream with some of our sweet friends Courtney (we call girl Courtney at our house) and Matt. It was so good to see them!

From there we headed to Sams Club so Mick could sneak away without a big melt down from our little guy. He had a bachleor party to get to and we had some birthday shopping to do. So we get to Sams (where I realize my sams membership is all messed up and I have already tried twice to get it fixed and dont want to hassle with the same converstation again to just get no where sooooo....we left with nothing.).

Off to Allen outlet mall with both kiddos in tow hoping we can make it there get the one thing we need all before Mickaela needs to eat dinner! Of course we get there and I go to store #1 for birthday present for Mick...Sorry mam all we have is kids...well that's not going to work! So I am headed to store number two, we will just walk its not to hot and Tristan is being VERY GOOD. As we are walking I pass The Children's Place outlet prices starting at 2.99! I have to go look...yes I am insane. I go in and find two shirts for Tristan and a onesie for Mickaela...success! We make it out without any major meltdowns. Tristan is doing so well listening! We head over to store #2 and find exactly what I was looking for, make the purchase and head back to the car. Both kiddos are doing great I think to myself...I can just make one more stop at a Mommy store (Ann Taylor Outlet) :) I walk in and make it back to the sale rack find something I think is super cute and all of a sudden our limit is reached. Mickaela looses her patience with being stuck in the stroller and Tristan finds a friend that he "must" play with! So I grab Mickaela out of the stroller (that seems to soothe her) and Tristan realizes there is an open seat! Tristan plops down in the stroller and buckles up :)! So here I am crazy bag lady carrying the baby and pushing the near 4 year old trying to make it through doors and to the car...I am sure there were a few laughs or stares from passers by. OH Well!

Finally I made it home! All in all a successful shopping trip. I really need to clean the house but honestly I can't even think about it!

Get dinner for both kiddos...baths...then BED! I contimplate cleaning again...and decide NAH! I'll do it tomorrow. I sit on the couch and fall asleep, then get moved to bed when Mick gets home. Then at 3am I hear Mickaela wailing in her room. Mick gets up to get her and realizes he does not have what she needs. So I get up with her and she decides that playing at 3am is a good idea! NO NO my dear. We eat we go back to sleep...don't you remember this routine! Finally around 4 or so I get her in the swing and back to sleep (I love that swing). I go crawl back in bed and sleep until 7 when Mickaela decides it's time to do it all again!

What fun!!! I can't even finish the post with Sunday because no one will read it...So I will strategically place some pictures here so at least people have to scroll through it :).

Mickaela is a super stander now! :)

Tristan has a new hat! Mickaela has a great sleeping pose :)

Little Miss...

Mickaela is now able to hold her bottle by herself...check this out!! Here I believe she is modeling her new outfit pants and all that I made for her... I just think she is so cute...She is working non stop on crawling...she will be zooming around before we know it.

More updates...

So I have been informed that some people do check my blog even though I haven't been great at updating...so here's some more of what we've been up to...

I made Mickaela a new shirt with the help of my friend Jenny It was fun to sew with Jenny...I made the pants later...



Our friends Allie and Issac got married :)...here are all the home group ladies (minus a couple)
Tristan is getting bigger and cuter :)

Mickey's sister Kathleen, brother in law Rob and their two girls Isabelle and Elena came into town to hunt for a house and meet Mickaela...I think they like her :)

Maddie (our other niece) loving on her newest cousin.
Mickaela rockin her favorite hair do...Thanks dad! (I know that's what she was thinking) I gotta say its one of my favorite photos...I think she is just so cute :)

June / July 2009 Some Pictures

OK...Here are some pics from the last couple weeks.

She is getting ready to crawl any day now :)

Getting ready for summer!
Stylin in Mommy's sunglasses .
And sitting up like a big girl!!!


Mick sweetly hung the curtains that my friend Jenny and I worked on over a month ago in our bedroom don't they look great :) Thanks Jenny!!

Ok, I will try to be a little more consistent here... There's been lots going on. More to come.

Averaging once a month

Not a good average...I will try to post more soon.

Today we go to the dr. to see how big our littlest sweetie is. She is officially 6 mos old!! Oh my! More to come...Including pictures I am sure. :)

More updates from our recent adventures...

Mickaela took her first plane ride to Miami to see her Aunt Bug and Uncle Freddie. She did great!
Mickaela has been getting some sun...


Mickaela went to have a play date with her friend Meli Brewer...they had a great time. My friend Sharon says Mickaela learned that face from me...hehe...I don't know what she's talking about ;)


Mickaela's first rice cereal! She is doing great with eating cereal...we will soon start veggies (can't wait :)).