Running SO super late for school! Wanted to post these pictures from last night. Had a great time and Jake's professional golfer costume was a HIT! He loved the hat...only Jake! Looking forward to our Halloween party tonight. Stay tuned!
We went to an event called Candyland tonight at FBC and Jake has discovered CANDY. He would not let go of his four pieces...you can see his had clutched very tightly! We then went to eat with some new friends, Trey and Tara Smith and their 2 girls and had a good time. It was nice to eat with another couple with children and talk about life and what is going on. I miss that with our friends in Bossier. And we will continue to make new friends...patience:). I know I am a dork! Tomorrow we are going to attend Temple Baptist's Fall Fest and the babies will make their debut in their fabulous costumes!
This weekend we have Tech homecoming and my good friend Mary Catherine and her husband Clay will be coming in. They are doing the San Antonio half marathon and that will be fun to visit with them down there. I recently found out that the marathon is sold out at 30,000! What fun. Even though I am ready for it to be over with, I know that I'll miss having a goal once the marathon is done. Guess I will just have to pick another race.
Now I am going to quit blogging so that I can work on a school project....BLAH!
So I have tried for HOURS to upload this video from YouTube and I can't figure it out! So the link is below. I wanted to give you a visual but whatever....you will have to forgive me and click on the link!
But before you do that, I want to preface the video by telling you that the hardest thing about moving to Ruston has been finding a church family. We were very blessed in Bossier by our friends and Sunday school class and yes, took all of that for granted. When we moved here we started out by visiting a Baptist church and then my hometown Methodist church. I know it doesn't matter the religion, but Matt grew up Baptist and I "converted" 6 years ago. I don't feel pressure from my parents to attend my home church. They want us to go where we feel led. And we are still looking.
Matt and I were both brought up in Christian homes and (we know we are not perfect) the most important thing to me right now is to make sure my children know the Lord. Sure we have made MANY mistakes and I am not proud of some things in my past but we all have those issues. When children come along, EVERYTHING changes and you realize what is truly important in life. Thank goodness we have a gracious and forgiving Lord.
So not to make this a really long story, my dear friend Caroline sent this video to me this summer called cardboard testimonies and I watched (with Jake!...he sat there the whole time) while I laughed and cried and then cried some more. It is SO worth the 8 minutes. This morning I went to Trinity(the church I grew up in) and was so touched by their version of the cardboard testimonies. It was just as powerful!
Praise God for his undying love. Please enjoy this video and TAKE THE TIME to watch it:)!
http://www.youtube.com/confirm_email?cid=7EB535E95D458918&nid=nsWldmt6BkfQUI4LjCxPhMd3tQHej8Y7Ft8nrn95SCc=&next=/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ
Well, we survived the weekend! Matt went with some friends to the LSU game and had great seats in the stadium club...must be nice! Oh but LSU lost so I suppose that was a bummer-I am one of the few in LA who really doesn't care for the team-sorry. Both babies were in Bossier on Friday and I took full advantage as I turned out the light at 8pm and went to sleep. Sarah and I started our long run at 6 am and finished 20 miles in 2:48. We were pumped about our finish time and we felt pretty good the whole way. Hope we feel this good on November 16!
I felt OK after the run, so mom and I went to Bossier and shopped at the Boardwalk. Then we picked up the babies at my in-laws and went to a Halloween party for the kids in Haughton. Had a great time and got home last night. By 9pm my legs were SCREAMING at me to retire and I did. Wish I could go more into detail, but I am going to just relax and get ready for the week. We have too many events to go to with Halloween events but we plan to make it to all of them. I'll keep you posted.
Before church this morning...they cooperated for a second!
At the Halloween party last night with my friend Katye(who is due with Bennett Ross Hamby in March!!!)
Jake really got fired up with all the pumpkins:)
How many 22 month-olds do you know still drink out of bottles? And he insisted on taking his sister's at the party.
Hanging out in the stroller!For those of you who might anxiously await for my Saturday(;)) post will have to wait until tomorrow. My legs are throbbing and the babies are sound asleep. So I am headed off to dream land with them and will get back to you tomorrow!
So here is the picture of our family minus Jake (who was in Bossier) taken before the Tech game Saturday. Landry did great and I was positive she would NOT wake up before 7 on Sunday due to the fact she didn't go to bed until 9:30(she did great at the game and we stayed longer)BUT noooooo, my precious baby girl decided to awake at 6am! Luckily she stayed in bed and sucked her fingers until 6:50 when she finally decided she wanted some food and started to cry. Oh well.
And I took the plunge today when my hairdresser, Amy, made me think my hair would look good short. Still thinking about it!
Well, we made it through Papa Simpson's this morning and the major meltdown that could have been avoided did not happen until we were leaving(I should have left a little earlier as my sweet laid back Landry was hungry and not laid back anymore). I posted way too many pictures, but got some sweet ones and wanted to post more than usual. The tours at the farm are only once a month, so there there were 3 church groups along with the many families. It really wasn't that crowded because they split the groups up. Matt's mom met us over there and Jake loved looking at the animals, but wasn't interested in getting close to them. I did get a few pictures where he did though. He was particularly interested in the cows due to the fact he has 2 of his own(thanks Aunt Lou) and Matt's family has Brangus cows. I put an explanation below the pictures.
This was yesterday before heading to Mrs. Dorothy's...notice the necklace AND truck in Jake's hand....yes 2 very opposite toys but he was happy!
Before we headed to Arcadia this morning Jake was into my jewelry as usual........I wouldn't worry about it so much, but all the little pieces that he drops are what Landry picks up to put in her mouth.
Gigi and her favorite grandson(she only has 1 grandson)!
Jake mesmerized by the baby chicks.
Jake would not pet the chick, but his younger and daredevil sister would.
They loved looking at the baby chicks! I had to get Landry off the chicken wire before she tore it up.
Jake thought the baby pigs were pretty neat. We worked on naming all the animals and he named all of them.
Landry loved looking at the calves. She wasn't scared at all.
Jake actually did feed the calf some milk.
Jake showing off his pumpkin he got in the pumpkin patch.
He wanted to show it to his sister, but she was out. This nap didn't last too long and meltdown happened when we went to eat. I had the babies pictures taken on Monday at Sherry Owen's home. I thought they turned out OK. We are doing some more family pictures in November. Go the this website:
http://sherryowensphotography.com/
Click on View your proofs, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page until you see Tyler children-fall, enter your e-mail(she won't send you anything and I won't know if you check it or not), the password is pumpkin. Poor Landry cracks me up with her "ugly" smile and Jake is just too big for that outfit and I promised I brushed his hair 3 times before and during the photos! He has WAY too much:) of it. Enjoy!!!!
I hit only 1 low point when we moved into our house. That was when I had to tin foil the bedroom windows until our blinds came in(the previous owner took his blinds when he left....never heard of taking the blinds but whatever). So they were delivered on Monday and Matt put them up tonight. How exciting:). I had to document their arrival..the children weren't too fond of sitting next to each other, but they did give me a chance to take their picture.
Landry has started to get an opinion when Jake takes something from her now...can you tell from the face below? And Jake just rejoices in her anger. Oh the joys of siblings!
Now she is satisfied he is no longer on her rock.
And when they are happy and playing together.....
On to other issues....Landry is currently cutting her 4 top teeth. Mrs. Dorothy caught her yesterday and today bitting another child. I have fortunately never dealt with this issue with Jake as he has never(so far) been a biter. Not sure how I will go about disciplining her because you can't at this age. She just wants some relief from the discomfort bless her heart:(.
I took both babies to the dr. yesterday for a check-up due to the fact they have had coughs and runny noses for a month. She wants me to document from now on their sick days and well days on a calendar so that they will be treated with the proper antibiotics the next time they come in. I'll do my best, can't make a promise that I'll remember to keep up with the days.....but she did finally weigh 17 pounds(and 1 ounce).
And I sure hope we have better weather this weekend. Matt is going on a men's retreat with a local church and I am planning on taking the babies to Papa Simpson's farm in Arcadia. Looking forward to that. They only do tours once a month and Saturday is the day. This month they will get to pick a pumpkin from the pumkin patch(hope I read that correctly on the website!) Jake will have a blast seeing all the animals.
I'm tired...have a good night!
We went to the Fall Festival at my home church tonight(we still haven't decided on which church in town we are going to attend...have been visiting 2) and Jake had a ball. It was a little warm, but other than that it was successful!
Mom and I went to Monroe today and I found Landry's Halloween costume at Gymboree ON SALE. Not supposed to tell you the sale part but I was so excited about finding it! I have been looking all over the internet and was just about to order her a ladybug costume but this was SO cute. I've got to get it monogrammed and find her some ballerina shoes:). Too cute!
Thought I would update you before heading to bed! Things have settled down since my last post:). I do not have to write a 12-15 page research paper, although I do have a lot of projects to tackle before the end of the quarter. Projects I can handle, research papers I cannot.
The babies are doing well at the new house. Landry better than Jake. We have recently gone to an 8 pm bedtime and Jake hasn't gotten up before 6 so far(knock on wood). He has, however, been crying a lot when he gets up and says over and over "bye bye" and "LuLu"(his sister) as he is ready to go as soon as he awakes and wants Landry to get up! She has been sleeping past 7 and it takes everything in us to try and keep him somewhat quiet. We didn't have to worry about this with one child!!!! But other than that we are doing well. Jake is just so in tune with his surroundings and he has been through a lot of change lately!
We went to the Choudrant Elementary carnival tonight and the whole "village"(yes this town is termed village) was out in droves. The kids did well all things considered as Matt and I split duties at the cake walk. Jake was ALL OVER THE PLACE and Landry just sat back in her stroller and took it all in. It was fun!
Tomorrow Sarah and I are running 18 miles. Matt got me an Ipod nano but I don't know how to use it nor do I have any songs uploaded to it. So much for listening to it on the run. I never have gotten too much into walkmans anyway I suppose. Our conversation during the run is enough to get us through. I sure am happy to have a running partner! Sarah is about 3 years younger than me and went to the private school in town. Her mom and I work together and gave me her number when we first moved to Ruston. I love how running connects you with people that you probably never would have met had it not been for running. She's a great person and I definitely would not be doing a marathon without an accountability partner!
And we should be getting our TV hooked up tomorrow. Who would have thought it would take this long but direct TV was backed up. Sad to say we are hooked to our tube, but aren't we all(admit it)? Have a great weekend. We are off from school on Monday. HOORAY! I am having the kids pictures taken with pumpkins! That should be fun:)
Enjoy the pics:
Jake at breakfast on Thursday morning: he wore my sunglasses until he got to Dorothy's house. Hmmm....cool daddy or what???
Landry Grace minding her own business and looking mighty cute doing it!!!
Later that day she was through with her mashed potatoes and decided to have some fun with them.
Carving pumkins with Big Mama....Mama doesn't want to cut hers yet...we'll have many years of that ahead of us!
Before heading to the carnival tonight. His GiGi got these outfits for them last Christmas and they looked so cute on both of them.
And below:Landry again taking it all in. She just stared at everyone the whole night.
Jake and Daddy at the cake walk.
Whew! We are SO busy. I just haven't had time to post. We are moved in....with no hot water still:). That has been fun having to go to my parent's house to bathe the babies. We just take the cold showers and they not pleasant...even AFTER a run! We missed the gas man yesterday and had to reschedule for today. Matt was out late with a dr. on Monday and will be home again late tonight. We also don't have cable yet. Trying to entertain until 8 pm is absolutely exhausing. Had a mid-term yesterday and totally didn't study for it Monday night after the kids went to bed..too tired. Now I just found out I have to have a 12-15 page research paper for the other class I am taking. And why oh why have I decided to do a marathon NOW:). Oh no though! I am not quitting now...worked too hard. Will write more later. Almost there...I can smell Friday.
So we are moving in this weekend. Sarah and I had a shorter long run this weekend(12 miles but only did 11 due to the time factor) and did it this morning before work. Weather was GREAT... 51 degrees. My in-laws are keeping the kids tonight and I was looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow until I got to work. Someone was reading the paper and talking about garage sales. There are like 30 of them in the morning. So there goes my morning to sleep in:(. I have to go look for Landry a set of drawers.Then if I cannot find some we will buy something. I'll post pictures of our move when we are settled in!
