First Snow-The mp3 Shuffle

My friend Caroline has this on her blog and I thought it was so cool, so I thought I'd try it.

How it works:
Put your iPod or mp3 on shuffle mode and whatever song comes up is the answer to the questions. Feel free to pass on this idea!

Disclaimer: I did not plan on all the A.Krauss, C.Call, and D. Wilcox. I just have all of their albums on my ipod.

1. What would describe your personality? : Like I Love You (J. Timberlake)

2. What do you like in a guy/girl? : If I Had Eyes (Jack Johnson)

3. How do you feel, today?: Someone Else's Life (Joshua Radin)

4. What’s your life’s purpose?: Rock With You (Michael Jackson)

5. What is your motto? : Warrior (Caedmon's Call)

6. What do your friends think of you?: The Nightshift Watchman (David Wilcox)

7. What do you think of your parents?: Simple Love (Alison Krauss)

8. What do you think about very often?: Miracle (David Wilcox)

9. What do you think of your best friend? : Away Down the River (Alison Krauss)

10. What do you think of the person you like?: Piper (Phish)

11. What is your life story?: Common as the Rain (David Wilcox)

12. What do you want to be when you grow up?: Jar of Clay (Caedmon's Call) TRUE THAT!!!

13. What do you think when you see the person you like?: Faith My Eyes (Caedmon's Call) WIERD. . .

14. What do your parents think of you? : Groove is in the Heart (Deee-Lite) yea, right. They don't even know what "groove" is

15. What will be played at your funeral? : Girl Can't Help It (Journey)

16.What is your hobby/interest?: Lawn Boy (Phish) Scott does like to do yard work and I like to watch him--rany-yer
17. What is your biggest secret? : How Did You Find Me Here (David Wilcox)

18. What do you think of your friends?: All the Roots Grow Deeper (David Wilcox)

19. What should you post this as? :First Snow (Tim O'Brien)

Long time, no see

Sorry all you blogger fans out there. Our computer is on the fritz right now and we haven't gotten it fixed yet. We are, for now, bound to my laptop which only works where there's a wireless signal and we can't get one at home. SO, that makes posting very difficult.

We have had lots of "stay-cation" fun this summer. I am just so glad to be home with Abbie. It makes me feel even less like going back to school. boo. Anyway, I'm not going to think about that. "LA<>LA I can't hear you"

Abbie has done some fun things like go to the pool for the first time (pics of that later), helped Aunt Paige move to Durham, gone to Target in the middle of the day (as opposed to after work), visited with friends, graduated from swaddle blanket to sleep sack, learned how to pick up cheerios and eat them, pull up to sitting (almost), and can even say a few words (cat, hey, quack). So fun.

This was when we realized we needed to graduate from the swaddle blanket. What a nap!

At Target in the middle of the day! What's the deal???

In the sink at Aunt Paige's new house. What fun!!!

Oh my gosh, this is the best one yet!

Abbie's new tricks are so much fun! This video captures them perfectly. We try to get her to do them as often as possible.

Eight years--Wow

We got married eight years ago today. I can't even believe that it's been that long. As I look back on the past eight years, Scott and I have grown and changed so much. But what I think about the most with those changes is that we've changed together. Scott has supported me, and I him, without the slightest second thought. We have been through some very tough times and rough changes. We've shared the happiest moments and the saddest moments. We have loved each other with a love that is beyond ourselves. I have been blessed with Scott's love beyond my wildest imagination.

So, happy anniversary to my love and my forever friend. I love you so much.

We were so young!!! Check out my eyebrows and Scott's hair! What were we thinking???

This is one of my favorite wedding pictures. The photographer caught us at a great moment. Scott makes me laugh so much. And he still makes me laugh more than anyone else EVERY DAY.

I put this one in because of it's "traditional" factor, but more so: LOOK AT MY WAIST!!! I may never see that again.

A video to make you smile

This is the noise that makes us smile the most. Enjoy.

In the garden

Scott's favorite past time lately is planting flowers in our backyard. He's done a really good job of taking a blank area and making it pretty. Abbie likes to help out sometimes.
More pictures of the garden to come!!!

Angels Among Us walk--April 26, 2008

On March 30th, my sweet friend and college roommate, Becky Chapman, lost her dad to brain cancer. She organized a team to walk in Duke's Angels Among Us brain cancer walk. The theme at Duke is "at Duke. . . there is HOPE," so Becky named her team "Helton's HOPE. " She put it this way, "Not only do we think of the HOPE we have in Christ, but we think of the ministry program Dad created – H.O.P.E. - Hanging Out Personal Evangelism. This was based on his many years of just “hangin’ out” with people to get to know them personally, so that he may then be able to share the gospel."

SO, Abbie and I decided to join her team. Becky and her family are very special to me and I wanted to do as much as I could to support them. Plus, it raises money for brain cancer research at Duke Hospital. It was a beautiful day and we had such a good time. Abbie worked really hard at riding in the stroller and sleeping through most of the walk, while I sweated my butt off. (wait. . . that might actually be a good thing)

Thanks, Becky, for letting us join your group!!!

Hanging out before the walk.

Post diaper change and pre-nap. Note Abbie's super cool onesie: "Lick Cancer."
Me, Becky, and her husband Rob after the walk.

Video of tricks

Here's a video of a lot of the noises Abbie makes. She's in her "bouncer-saucer." She loves to jump in it and it makes noises when she does. So at one point in the video, she stops to look at the lights. Listen carefully to all her noises! hee hee.

Mr. Fish

This weekend, Scott's parents brought Abbie this clown fish puppet. It looks a lot like a muppet and she LOVES it. Whenever she sees it, even across the room, she gets so excited. She will stare, make her arms really straight, suck in her breath, and shake a little bit. It's weird, but hilarious. She mostly just wants to eat his eyes. I really think she thinks it's real.

Abbie hearing a story from Mr. Fish.

Mr. Fish trying to teach Abbie how to say "cheese" for the camera.
She's obviously playing coy with Mr. Fish. OH, BOY! Kisses from Mr. Fish.

Baptism--April 20, 2008

Abbie was baptised on Sunday during church. We were not allowed to take pictures during the service, but she was very good and quite vocal.

We see infant baptism in the same light as the Jews from the Old Testament saw circumcision. When a baby was born, the male child was circumcised as a symbol that his parents were under the leadership of God and therefore the child was brought under that leadership until he was able to make that commitment himself. So, in the New Testament, with the inclusion of non-Jews in the faith, we see baptism in the same way. By being baptised, Abbie is being brought under our faith in Christ as our Savior until she is able to make a commitment or decision of her own. Congratulations, our sweet covenant baby!

Fun times with Daddy

Whenever Scott has the day off, he takes care of Abbie. They usually go to the park and play around the house. Usually, there's a photo shoot involved. Scott takes a lot of really good photos of Abbie. Here are a few of the latest.

"You're fussy, fussy"

After an especially fussy day, Scott decided to put this bib on Abbie. (It says, "More like Mommy everyday.") How sweet.

Then on another fussy day, we didn't know what to do, so we just layed her down. She finally gave in and fell asleep. This was the one and only time she's fallen asleep without being swaddled or in her carseat.

Abbie rolls over

After weeks of coaxing her along, this morning Abbie rolled over on her own. Check out the video below.

Photo shoot at GramaKat's

Whenever Abbie spends some time at my Mom's, she gets out the camera to capture those precious moments. Here is a smattering of some of the best poses.

Happy Easter

We had a relaxing Easter. Scott was working for the morning, but joined us later for some time with friends. We wish it could have been a little bit more traditional, but next year we'll attempt an egg hunt!

Yummm. . .rice cereal

We tried some cereal this week. She seemed to get the hang of it pretty well. It wasn't nearly as messy as I thought it would be, but I'm sure that fun is yet to come. She did keep trying to grab the spoon to see what the heck we were putting in her mouth. So fun! She hasn't liked it so much since this one feeding, though.

"I have no idea what's going on here, but it seems like fun!"

"Hmm, what's this?"

"THAT is NOT milk!"

"It's really wierd, guys!"

"But, I'll try it again."

"Let me help you."

It's a sunshiny day. I think I'll go for a walk outside, yeah!

Okay. . . for those Brady Bunch fans out there, you'll get the title of the blog. And "you're welcome" for getting the song stuck in your head.

ANYWAY, we did go for a walk the other day (yeah), and it was beautiful. Abbie was so good and she LOVED it. Afterward, I was talking to her and Scott captured these moments. She gets more beautiful everyday!!

Bath Time!

The latest and greatest

What a chunk! At the doctor she weighed 15 pounds and 7 ounces!

Abbie always puts her hand on her head like that when she's tired. She likes to rub her hair. (smile)

You better give me that bottle!