Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning

Today we worked on the house. It has been the first Saturday we have taken to really clean in quite a while. Our place wasn't that dirty, but we still had boxes from our move that we had to decide what to do with. We were spoiled in our last place with big closets. Unfortunately, this place isn't so spacious in the closet department. Anyway, we worked on it today & got the final things hung that needed to be hung. Why did we work on it today? Ryan's mom is coming to visit tomorrow. My mom came and we worked on the house some, but not as hard as for Ryan's mom. I kept asking myself all day what the difference is. I think I figured it out. My mom saw my room as a teenager. Nothing really would surprise her after that!! I am happy with our progress! It looks great. Our hard work has definitely paid off. So, that's how I spent my day!

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

P.S. Ryan got to play with an iPhone today...of course, the highlight of his day!! He thought it was very cool, but not worth $600!

Paul McCartney fan

The funniest thing happened a couple of weeks ago. We were in Nashville. Nathan came over to the hotel to get Sydney and I for the day while Ryan worked. While I was getting ready Nathan noticed that everytime a commercial for Paul McCartney's new CD came out, Sydney would stop what she was doing and turn to the TV. She would watch the TV until the commercial was over. We laughed about it and didn't think anymore of it. A week or so later, the same thing happened at home. Then Ryan decided to download the song from ITunes. Everytime my daughter hears Dance Tonight by Paul McCartney it gets her undivided attention. If she is crying, she hushes. If she is playing, she stops. It is the craziest thing--especially since neither Ryan nor I have ever played Paul McCartney to her! Anyway, I figured this was definitely blogworthy. He has a fan...8 months old, but she is definitely a fan!

Not a zoo this time...technically

As you have all noticed I'm sure, we have been frequenting many zoos in the area. It has been so much fun. Although Sydney can't really focus on them & pay attention yet, we have all had wonderful days out. Today we went to the Newport Aquarium in Newport, KY (across the river from Cincinnati). So, technically it is not a zoo although we did see many of the same type things. It was COOL!! I highly recommend this place if you are in and around Cincinnati!! This occassion will definitely not be our only time to go! I can't say enough good things about. It is very well done! Anyway, Sydney also enjoyed the aquarium. She would look at the fish and wave her hands and kick her feet with excitement. It was so cute. We all had a really, really good time. Hope you all are having a great weekend, too!!

The best sound in the world...

Is hearing your baby laugh. As I sit and type this blog, my husband is rhyming to my daughter and making her laugh. The best part about it, he's having more fun than she is. I love you, Ryan. I love the way you love me. I love the way you love her.

We're back!

We left E-town Friday evening for Paducah, where we spent the Father's Day weekend. It was a fairly laid back weekend. We did a few things, but didn't feel the need to pack everything in one day. My dad and Ryan went to KY Dam to see the new bridge that is being built with a guy that is in charge of it. They both said it was really neat. Saturday night we went to Bob's Drive-In (YUM!) and then on to After Dinner downtown. Sunday we had a delicious meal made mostly by Gma. Nathan was in that day, too. :-)


We found out on Friday that Ryan would be working Monday & Tuesday in Nashville. We thought about Sydney and me staying in Paducah while he worked Monday & Tuesday, but once we realized that he would be working in Louisville on Wednesday that idea was ruled out. BUT, when Nathan said he had Monday off plans changed. Although we had only packed enough clothes for the weekend, we decided to wash the clothes at Mom & Dad's and have all three of us go to Nashville Sunday night & stay in a hotel through today. Ryan worked on Monday while Sydney and I got to hang out with Uncle Nathan. It was a lot of fun. We went to Opry Mills since it was raining and most everything else could be rulled out. When the rain gave way in the afternoon we put our newly purchased bathing suits on and went down to his pool! It was so great getting to hang out with Nathan. Although we only live 2 hours away from each other, it feels like we never get to see each other.



So, it is 6 o'clock on Tuesday night and we are just now getting in town. Quite a fun weekend!! Well...for Sydney & me anyway! ;-) Ryan got to have fun, too. He only worked until 2 on Monday & was done by 11 today!

I hope you all had a very happy Father's Day, too!

Happy Father's Day (early)

Since I will be away from the computer this weekend, I decided to post this early.

Happy 1st Father's Day, Ryan!

A year ago we were anticipating the little beauty that would come. You are so precious with her! She loves you so much. It is the highlight of my day to see her reaction to you walking in the door in the afternoon. It is absolutely adorable. Thank you for loving her as you do. You are an amazing father & she is blessed to have you in her life. Thank you for loving me and loving God. To say that we are the luckiest girls in the world is a huge understatement. I love you! I hope this Father's Day is an extra special one for you!!! Remember, I'm on diaper duty that day, so the day can't be all bad, right?! LOVE YOU!

Unexpected days

I love days that take an unexpected turn...for the better of course. I woke up today to a sick girl. She is not running a fever, but can only keep Pedialite down. I'm thankful that she can at least keep that down, and for the most part is in a very good mood. While I was feeling sorry for myself & giving updates of how many times I've had to change clothes to Ryan, I found out some good news in the lives of a few close people around me. Suddenly, my day was a lot brighter and cheery. I then laughed at the 4th time I had been thrown up on & went on with my day. (Luckily, she hadn't had any food in several hours so it was only formula--not so bad.) It is so funny how you can completely change your day by the mood your in! My mom has always told me, and you've probably heard me say it, that you choose your mood. She's right. And when you choose your mood, you choose the kind of day you are going to have! Hope you all are choosing to have a good day! ;-)

My weekend

This past weekend took an unexpected turn. It wasn't a bad turn, but went quite a bit differently than I had expected the Monday before. On Thursday, Ryan found out that he would be with the Navy Reserves for the weekend. Since his parents were planning a visit that weekend, it put a kink in the plans to say the least. They decided to postpone their visit until they could spend the day with all of us. So, that meant Sydney and I were on our own for the weekend. I had decided just us girls would go to the zoo. Then I found out that Ryan would be working on school work the few short hours he was here Saturday night & working midnight Sunday night with his civilian job. He suggested we head to Paducah for the weekend instead of sitting in E-town trying to figure out something to do. When I called my dad Friday night to see what their plans were for the rest of the weekend, he said they were in Nashville & wouldn't be home until Saturday night. Instead of saying, "forget it, I'll stay here". I got up Saturday morning & didn't rush in.

I spent Saturday afternoon with my grandmother. It was so nice to just sit with her and talk. When I was growing up, my grandparents lived three doors down from us. There were many, many days that I would walk down to her house & just hang out. It is one of my fondest memories of Greenfield Drive. So, it was nice to have the afternoon to just be together.

Saturday night, my mom & I went to Wal-Mart while my dad kept Sydney. There I ran into a friend from high school. It was so nice seeing her and her little family! Her daughter is the cutest! Well...next to mine anyway. ;-) I don't think I've seen her since one of our other friend's wedding. It had really been a long time & was nice to chat for a while & catch-up.

Sunday was the day I got my "fix"! I was able to go to my home church. It is so hard living in a city & not having a home church yet. You feel so disconnected from the world. So, I was able to reconnect Sunday. They make fun of us for being in Paducah so much, but little do they know, right now they're my salvation...in more than one way! ha! I'm just thankful that I get to see them all so much & get to worship God with people who love him.

Sunday afternoon & was able to see Ryan's parents for a little while. It was nice for Sydney to get to see her Pops and Gran. I know she really misses them. After visiting them, we headed back to E-town. Normally Sydney is a WONDERFUL traveler, but last night...not so much! She slept the first 1/2 of the trip, played for the next 30 minutes, and then S-C-R-E-A-M-E-D for the next hour!!! I have heard parents talk about their kids not being good travelers! I don't know that I would go anywhere with her acting like she did last night!! I never could figure out what was wrong with her. I think she just wanted out of the car seat & to be held & was letting it be known! Oh well, most of my weekend was a good weekend!! Hope yours was good, too!

She waved!

Ok, so this is a blog that probably only I will enjoy, but I have to post it. Today Sydney and I went shopping. There were a few specific places that I had to go & hoped that I could get through them before she needed to eat or nap again. The first of my stops was TJ Maxx. I was in that store for quite a while shopping for every member of our little family. She was so good & didn't fuss at all. Actually, I think she is quite the shopper herself. She likes to sit in the cart & feel all the clothes as we go by. Anyway, back to my story. As I was checking out, the cashier was making over Sydney. As normal, she was smiling from ear to ear (I really do have a good child!). Then we started to leave the store & the cashier waved good-bye to Sydney. Sydney smiled, raised her arm, and moved her fingers. SHE WAVED! I was so excited!! (And thankful that the cashier has little children herself--so I don't look so foolish). I turned to the cashier and said, "She waved!! She hasn't done that before!" I think looked at Sydney and said, "You waved!! Good girl!" Sydney was looking at the cashier & me like, "Ok...I did something good. What was it?" I was shocked & surprised since we haven't really been working with her on waving. We definitely will be now!

I feel so silly about how I act when she accomplishes little things. I have never been a person that just screams with joy. But, when she does even the smallest thing, I begin to just act silly. I have always heard that having a child changes everything. It really does, and I love it!

My weekend

This weekend was a good weekend, but WAY too short! My mom came up Friday to hang out since my dad was heading with a church group to canoe on Saturday. We went to Red Lobster (yum!) then hung out and watched TV Friday night. It was nice and lazy! Saturday my mom, Sydney, and I went to the Louisville Zoo! We got to have fun while Ryan had to stay behind and work on a paper for school. :-( Although it was hot & humid then turned cool & stormy, we had a great time strolling through the zoo seeing the sights we wanted to see & bypassing the sights we didn't care much about. Luckily, the zoo was much less crowded than it was on Memorial Day. Saturday night, my mom headed home. Ryan, Sydney, and I watched a couple of movies on TV. Sunday we did the normal Sunday morning routine then headed to Lowe's to get some flowers for the balcony. Ryan has been wanting to get some flower boxes to put out. I have to say, now that the job is done, it looks really good! After we potted the flowers, we headed out to get Ryan's early Father's Day gift. I told him that I was planning on surprising him with a small table and chairs for the balcony, but couldn't figure out how I would get it all on my own. Plus, I wanted him to be able to pick out what he wanted. After a trip to Bed Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Home Depot, we finally found the table & chairs we wanted. We ended the evening by sitting out on our newly decorated & furnished balcony. All in all, it was a GREAT weekend!