2 more...and counting

You all know the struggle.

The baby fat. Those last few, unwavering pounds, that stick...well...like white on rice; closer than a brother; super glue on fingers; baby spit-up on cute outfits. You get the idea...

Well. I've done it. Only two more pounds to go before my pre-pregnancy weight has returned!

Funny how the pre-pregnancy body isn't included as a packaged deal.

That is my next mission. Onwards....

CEREAL TIME!!!

After many sleepless nights, due to a rumbly tummy, mommy and daddy were cleared to start feeding Miss Pris rice cereal! At first she was a little unsure as she looked at the spoon confused "How am I supposed to get THAT in HERE? Mo-om!!!" Then there was a screech, unsure if she was supposed to lap it up like a dog (a scenario tried and failed quite quickly), suck it like her bottle, or simply lean face first and hope it absorbed through osmosis. Eventually, though, we had success! Mia learned to provide a gaping hole with her mouth while mommy ever so gently placed/poured the cereal onto her little tongue...




Yipppee!
Mia's belly is finally full. She grins and kicks with joy, anticipating the next sweet bite that slowly turns her tummy from an empty black hole, to one happy little camper.


Oh sweet slumber. I missed you.

*Here's a cute little video of Mia and her new words and jokes that make her laugh.*

Surprise gift

My lovely friend, Tania, at Little Sweathearts, allowed me to win the surprise gift off of her drawing a few weeks back. Well, it arrived in the mail while I was away! I was so thrilled when I opened it...

A beautiful, handmade bib

And a decoration with the perfect colors for Miss Mia's room!

Thank you so much, Tania! We will treasure these always!

What a friend...

Life changes. New paths.

Chaos? no.

Nerves? yes.

Take comfort.

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and grief’s to bear,
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful?
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden?
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior still our refuge;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee;
Thou wilt find a solace there.

~ Joseph M. Scriven & Charles C. Converse

No matter what. Always there.

Guiding.

Protecting.

We're BACK!

Things we discovered at the Dude Ranch:

1. Mia loves to swim and splash with daddy2. The mountain air is good for your health

3. Time together can never be too much

4. Afternoon naps are a definite must

5. Mia can sleep through the night all week

6. It is possible to get over 400 miles on a tank of gas

7. Babies schedules must be followed in order to not drive one crazy

8. Hiking is a good way to get a tan (swimming doesn't hurt either)9. It's always a blessing meeting new people in God's family

10. Mommy really can kill a spider herself

11. Having meals cooked for you, and the dishes done by someone else will never get old

12. Deer really are cute when only a few feet away

13. Big rocks are not friends with vehicles

14. Being a servant to others always pays off

M&M Day

Mommy is so tired from our excursions, so it is my turn to keep you posted on the latest happenings!

Today's M&M day turned into a history lesson in the life of mommy. For some reason, we had to collect all of her addresses for the last seven years. Though I haven't been around long enough to learn the "ins and outs" of what is socially acceptible, I'm assuming that these many apartments, in that amount of time, is not the social norm. We drove around collecting addresses for what seemed like an eternity. Place like:

and this..

and even this...

And that isn't even the half of it! Twelve different addresses in just seven years. I'd like to tell you that this was an enjoyable time; that I could not wait to see the next cramped in dwelling place, that housed my mommy for but a few months. That, however, would be a lie! After only a few short minutes, I just couldn't hold my eyes open any longer. I feel bad, as I know mommy was trying to show a little bit of herself, but, honestly...can you blame me!?

Later that day, we got to spend time with my friend Hannah and her mommy. That was super fun! We met at the mall, where Hannah and rode around in our own private carriages. Then we went to the play area. Hannah ran all around as I sat on my blanket and giggled at her. It was a blast!

Then mommy and I went home. I got a long afternoon nap in, so I could let mommy get my laundry done (the pile was getting out of control.) It was a lovely day all in all.

I can't wait for the next one! Well, talk to you later.

Love, Mia

Tuesday's Twelve

Twelve things I can't wait for, coming up next week!

1. Colorado, mountain air

2. The smell of dirt walk ways, and horse stables

3. One whole week with my fabulous husband, and beautiful daughter

4. Treating other families to an enjoyable time together

5. Reading a "no-brainer" book in the glorious sunshine

6. Playing with Mia in the pool

7. Watching my husband enjoy not working

8. Letting someone else cook and clean for me

9. A few, invigorating hikes to get my blood flowing

10. A cabin all to ourselves

11. Burning extra calories just because there are no cars

12. Afternoon naps

I'm headed to Deer Valley Dude Ranch for a business trip. Casey and Mia get to join me!

Yee-HAW!

Big Girl Moments

4:32

The clocked glared back at me. 4:32 AM? I blinked. Are you sure? Did I totally sleep through my Mia feeding? Is the monitor on? *breathe in...breathe out...*

SHE DID IT! I was completely shocked...I hadn't felt this rested in a long time. She did it! Little Miss Mia actually slept through the night!

Ok, Erin. Calm down. You still have 28 precious minutes to enjoy sweet slumber before you have to face the day. Go back to sleep and don't spoil this moment!

Oh, how excited I was. My heart was pounding. I just couldn't be more proud of this moment - nor more thankful for a great night sleep.

How should we celebrate, I wonder...hmmmm... GO TO SLEEP, Erin! Now you only have 20 minutes.

Oh...beautiful sleep!

5:00

*Beep Beep Beep* Rise and shine, the alarm says, in it's own very annoying morning way.

Casey! Casey! Mia just slept through the night!

We both jumped out of bed. Tiptoed to her room. Ever so gently opened the squeakiest door in the neighborhood. There she was. Peaceful. Still breathing. Snuggly in her own little bed.

We smiled. Mouthed how cute she was. We are proud parents!

*Hugs to Mia Bella* Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

WOW Hits 1

I don't know how many of you listen to the WOW CD's...it's a combination of all the popular Christian artists today, full of music that helps you connect in worship. Click on the picture below to check out all the wonderful artists featured on this new CD!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Anniversary

June 1st marked Casey and my one year anniversary, and what a year it has been! Not only have we waded through the normal first year struggles, we have welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world, moved one time, sold an old car and bought a new one, worked through two new jobs, and many other little life lessons and experiences that make each day so wonderfully interesting. It's been a crazy, wonderful year!

To celebrate our little milestone, Casey planned a wonderful weekend away for the both of us, without me knowing any of the details - everything was a complete surprise. Mia was planned to stay with grandparents all weekend while mommy and daddy escaped life. This is our weekend story...

Saturday morning, we headed out on our adventure, stopping briefly for some lunch in order to make it to our destination. We headed south-west, enjoying the gorgeous backdrop of the Rocky Mountains for our drive. Coming into Fairplay, CO, I noticed a sign saying "Breckenridge - right- 42 miles." Casey drove right on pass this sign, thoroughly confusing me, slowly getting me to the point of frustration because, DANG IT, I wanted to figure this trip out!

"I hope I wasn't supposed to turn there. I don't think I was," says Casey, pondering intently.

"Well," I said, "If you wanted to go to Breckenridge, you did need to turn there, or so says the sign."

"Dang it!" (insert quick U-Turn here)

Well, there it was. I had figured out our little adventure, and boy was I excited! A weekend away in Breckenridge!? This was going to be so relaxing! I could hardly wait to pull into that cute little town. Casey and I had been there last summer when I first found out I was pregnant (another story for another time) and it was so lovely. So...we drove on, enjoying each others company, talking about everything imaginable, and staring at the beautiful creation of the Lord.

After stopping for homemade Buffalo and Venison jerky on the side of the road, we pulled into Breckenridge, CO shortly after 2:00 PM.

"Well, we can't check in until about 4:00 PM. What would you like to do?" Casey questioned.

"Um, I think I'd like ice-cream." I said, very matter-of-fact.

We got some ice cream...it was so delicious - just melted right in your mouth.

"Would you like to drive up the road to Vail and do a little shopping? I haven't been there, but that's where the rich people go...might be fun to mingle with them for a little while!" Casey said.

"SURE! I am ALWAYS up for shopping."

So, we hit I-70, enjoying the ride, talking about where we would like to eat for dinner in Breckenridge, planning out our next moves. We joked together, and had a wonderful ride. Pulling into Vail, we could see all the grand, million dollar homes. We quickly tried to find the right exit to take to hit all the fun, unique shops that Vail Village had to offer. We pulled of the interstate and took the frontage road back to where we were sure the shopping would be. I wasn't quite sure we were going the right way, but Casey thought that the road followed the entire length of the interstate, so I kept my mouth shut sure we would find it soon.

Then we saw it...the most beautiful resort we had ever seen. It was huge, and luxurious, sitting right up against the mountain next to a rushing river. How lovely. Casey pulled in.

"Welcome to your weekend resort!" Casey said with a huge grin across his face.

"WHAT? Are you SERIOUS?!" I stammered, "But, how?"

I was completely shocked! I TOTALLY thought we were staying in Breckenridge. This was such a treat and I couldn't wait to check in and settle down into a few days of relaxation.

We checked into the Vail Cascade Resort & Spa and went up to our room. It was so lovely, overlooking the rushing river below. No cars in sight. No noise but that of the mountains behind us. Our own little haven for a few days.

We enjoyed many little excursions including shopping in Vail village, sitting by the river enjoying the sounds that it brought rushing by, relaxing by the pool for hours at time, working out in their impressive Club & Spa area, and of course eating way too much food.

Sunday was our actual anniversary. We participated in many of the activities listed above, and then enjoyed a lovely Surf & Turf dinner at The George Pub and Grill. It was super delicious.

It was a lovely weekend with so many stories that I'll have to spread out over some time here. Below are some more pictures of our weekend. The captions will let you in on some more of our adventures.

The hotel delivered chocolate strawberries and champagne since we were celebrating our anniversary.

Some of the really FREAKY manikins that were in Vail

A 27 million dollar home located on Vail Avenue