A new routine for my {almost} 2 year old

I love so many things about Quinn growing up. I love that he talks. I love that he runs. I love that he has an imagination. But, one thing that has been sad for me is that he's stopped wanting me to rock him at night.

It used to be such a battle...at first I'd completely feed him and rock him to sleep...then, after some time, I would rock him until he was really drowsy and pray that he would stay sleepy when I put him down...then we moved on to rocking, singing, putting him down, and leaving him SCREAMING because he wanted to be rocked some more. I can remember thinking that he would NEVER be the child that would lay in his bed awake and lull himself to sleep! ...

Well, I was wrong. He no longer needs to be rocked. I wrap him up in a blanket, and AS SOON as we sit in the chair he says, "go bed, Mommy...nigh night!" It's so precious but it breaks my heart at the same time. So, about a month ago, we started a new routine. We turn off every light except for the lamp by the rocker and we read a few Bible stories. He lays so calmly in my arms as he plays with his hair and listens to every word and then continues to lay still as I pray for him. It's one of my favorite times with my little man. Now, when we say it's time to go "bye-o-baby" he often runs ahead of me to his room and says "read Bible story!" I love our new routine and hope that it's something we continue for a very long time.

Twenty-Three Months Old

IN A NUTSHELL...trips to the library snuggle "Kank ku, God"

SNOWMAN DAY holding hands & hugs 25's birthday helping at the grocery store

dancing to songs and saying "good song" Slickpaw's birthday Church Directory Pictures pretending to fall DINOSAURS "Happee Birday, Mommy" even after it was over Thomas & ALL of his friends HEART DAY trip to Abilene BAD FEVER (103.6) looking forward to playing with Cruse PLAYGROUP Sweet Baby Christoper & Cici's "play Mommy" Mater & Li-neen Quenn AMERICAN IDOL..."go Go-kee" pirates singing Bible verses & reading our Bible before bedtime

An apple a day...

...hopefully cures the yucky 103.7 fever that my little man had last night!!! He had NO symptoms at all...and when he wanted to cuddle, I realized that his head was ON FIRE! When I took the temp, I couldn't believe my eyes. He's never run a fever that high. So, after a call to the doc, we gave him some Motrin, cuddled a bunch, and put him to bed. Today he has been much better...still running a fever, but not near as high! ... We've watched lots of shows and played around the house all day! When I gave Q a bath, he looked at me and started singing "a joyful heart is good medicine" from his Bible verse CD. It melted my heart at how my sick little man had the perfect attitude! :)

...and the yucky fever definitely didn't keep him from being creative. Look at how he lined up all of his trains and then matched them up with their card...all by himself!...

...and it also hasn't stopped him from being his usual precious self! {Pause the music at the bottom} and listen to him sing his ABC's and Zaccheaus! Of course, the performance isn't as graet as it is when the camera isn't in his face, but it's still cute!...

Be Two-Five Weekend

This past weekend, Two-Five had the awesome opportunity to partner with some others to have its first "Be Two-Five Weekend" in Abilene, Texas. Seven Abilene churches were involved...listening to awesome speakers (if I do say so myself), fellowshiping with their friends, and being two-five (Matthew 25:34-40) by doing lots of community service. It was a great weekend...and I am so proud of my husband for doing something that has such an eternal impact. Have you been "two-five" today!? ...Here's more about the weekend...

400 admission bracelets & Be Two-Five T's were worn...

Awesome speakers were heard...Two-Five shirts were modeled...

And, even more lives were changed by Two-Five Cloth. This guy bought 5 shirts and gave 5 children in Liberia meals for 2 weeks! WOW!

Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Matthew 25:34-40

Copy Cat

I like trying to be artsy, but it's rarely my own original idea. I'm definitely better at copying! :)

Recently, I've done a few things that would tag me as a

"copy cat!"

After seeing a beautiful frame at my friend's house, I decided to come home and make my own. It all cost less than $12.00 and I've seen them in gift shops for almost $60!

I'm in the process of doing something similar to this...

and this in my house! ...
And, when my mom saw this idea in a store, each letter was $8.00 a piece...plus the frame. So, when I was in Abilene this past weekend, Mom and I searched for letters everywhere. Here's what we came up with! And, I like it better than the one's you buy because each letter is something symbolic!

(B is the archway at our church...R is in a scrolly picture frame that we used in the Two-Five booth...O is my parent's door knob...Y is part of tree in our front yard....L is tiles from the balcony at church...E is on my parent's front door...S is part of an old planter in my parent's backyard)

{I'll post pics of everything when I get around to getting them finished!}

Like Daddy!

Quinn's latest thing is to be "like Daddy!" If Daddy does it, eats it, wears it, plays it or says it, it's COOL...and totally the thing that must be done! The cutest thing he does is want to "donk" his basketball. He has seen Matt dunk the ball in the youth warehouse a hundred times and thinks it's the greatest thing in the world. So, after one evening at the church, he came home and needed his basketball goal higher so that he could "donk it like Daddy!" He may not make it as often as he did when it was on the ground...but that's not the point! The point is to be just like Daddy! ...How much more precious could you get, little man!?... And, oh how wanting to be just like Daddy melts his heart! Never change, o.k.!?

Liza Kate: Coming Soon!

Last Sunday, we had a Life Group baby shower to celebrate the coming arrival of Baby Liza! (and to celebrate her mommy, daddy and big sister too!) It was so much fun decorating a shower for a sweet baby girl and laughing and hanging out with friends that have become like family to us!

Jessie, Dusty, Lily and Baby Liza {Coming Soon!}

For some great laughs, we got with our spouses and "made a baby" out of play-doh. When we were finished, we anonymously displayed them for Jess and Dusty to judge. (a few are pictured below) And, guess who won?!!?...

WE DID! Here's baby Liza Kate in her room...{Matt's idea, I must admit!}

Lily trying out her big sister spot in the new stroller...

Sweet Liza Kate, We love you already and can't wait to meet you soon!

you heard me "write."

i love to write.

always have.

not necessarily stories.

just actually writing words. handwriting.

i can remember loving the handwriting pages when i was in elementary school.

i can remember using my grandpa's outdated checks to practice my signature.

i can remember writing thousands of notes in middle school.

i can recall too many journals that have tons of writing about boyfriends and friends.

i love pens. new, roller ball pens with micro tips.

i loved taking notes during class or church...not necessarily for the content, but just to write.

i loved addressing our wedding invitations.

i loved writing on the white board as a teacher.

i love addressing Christmas cards.

i love to write in my planner.

i love to write!

and, i found out that lots of people don't love to write...

In the United States, starting in the late 19th C, there were cries that handwriting was being neglected due to the typewriter. By the 21st C, blame was being attached to the use of computers. Linked to this decline in penmanship, has been a decrease from two hours per day in penmanship instruction during the 19th C, to less than an hour per semester, in 2007.

...or maybe they're too lazy. maybe i'm too lazy sometimes, too!

so, when i found out, through annalee, that my handwriting could become a font, i jumped at the opportunity.

not so that i could stop writing. but so that i could have my handwriting when i don't have the time to actually write it.

so, here it is. my very own font.

they didn't choose the ones that i hoped. they chose my sloppy handwriting.

but, none the less, i'm so excited.

Lookin' So Crazy in LOVE

Last year, I fell in LOVE with Valentine's Day...and this year was no different. I don't think I've ever really appreciated the greatness of this Hallmark holiday until I had Quinn. (I think because my birthday is so close!?) Now, I love celebrating with him, and I love having another day to celebrate with my husband! So...onto the celebrating!...

We woke up to gifts...Quinn was so excited to get his Mac from CARS...and just oohed and ahhed when he saw it in the bag. It was cute! He also got a Cars book, some socks and some cool dinosaur things since he's very in to dinosaurs right now!

Matt did a great job spoiling me this year! ... I got LOTS of yummy candy (even a box of chocolates that lights up!!!), 2 AMAZING cards (my favorite part) and a mug that I've been talking about for some time! I LOVE IT!

I got Matt a cool Spider-Man shirt (see below), a "work shirt" (button up) and a tea pot! His new found love for hot tea makes me laugh! ...

We had a fun day...shopping and eating lunch together. Quinn was quite the cutie in his Valentine's shirt!

I love my Valentines!!!

After a restful afternoon, Matt and I got ready for our night out. Sweet Jamie came over to be Quinn's Valentine date for the eventing, and Matt and I went to our church's Valentine's Banquet. It's always fun to get dressed up!

We had such a great time with some friends from "The HITS" (our Life Group...more on the name later), and laughed until our faces hurt!

{Carrie & Eric, J.R. & Margie, Brad & Remy, James & Amy...}

...And, me with my crazy Valentine...

We took our annual Valentine's Banquet foot picture...

{P.S. Could my foot be any more white!? Is it too early to start tanning!?}

And posed with the girls!

This picture cracks me up!...We were getting ready to take a whole group picture, and I'm sure Matt Poe was doing something nutty! See how every one is smiling at him...BUT ME! SO FUNNY!...

But, the group pic was a success...and oh so fun!...

The guys...We laughed so hard at how much leg Matt chose to show! ... He's such a mess...

Our Two-Five Fam...

And, my sweet friend, Carrie...

Minus the hard-to-dance-to Jazz band, we had such a great time with our friends! ...And, I can't wait to get that "tummy ache laugh" again next year!