Yummy Cookie Dough

The other night I was out running errands, and I came home to Alex and Gentry making cookie dough!! YUM....Alex got these great pics!

Girls Night Out

A bunch of us girls went out for a night on the town a couple weeks ago. Among the 7 of us, there are 11 kids and 3 more on the way! Needless to say, we don't get to go out as group very often. We went to this amazing "pasta" restaurant, called Rasta Pasta. I won't call it Italian because it's pasta with a Caribbean flare. So much garlic you are dehydrated for like three days! They bring out huge piping hot plates of pasta! Yum...
Then we went to a coffee shop and just talked for awhile. It was raining and really cold that night, so warm coffee was what everyone needed! Yeah, for good times with good friends!

20 Weeks...Half Way!!!

I will go ahead and say what you all are thinking...Yes, I am already sporting quite the belly! That's what you get the second time around especially when you don't have much room for things to spread out anyway. But whatever, I am excited to have a baby bump again!
And of course, we have had the 20 week ultrasound, and Gentry is proud to announce that....

It's a.... "Istoo" OK, that would be sister in her words. Yes, Gentry will be a big sister to a little sister! Baby Girl number 2 will be born sometime around Christmas 2008. We are really excited to add to our family, and can't wait for the two girls to be great friends.

How my days go....And why I LOVE them!

I have always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, and have been so blessed to be able to do so. I used to think there was not much going on of "great depth" on a day to day basis, considering I was hanging out all day with my toddler, whose mental capacity consists of those images and words she has learned from baby einstein! Videos are not a consistent thing in our home, but you get the point! But over the past couple months I have learned to look for and find the great depth and joy that is most certainly there. Staying at home with Gentry and being able to watch her grow and learn, and being able to teach her Biblical perspectives such as love, patience and thankfulness has proven that true depth and joy can come from my 17-month old. And truly, I could not ask the Lord for a greater responsibility.
I have documented below a typical day in our home, and yes it is pretty much the same EVERY day! But also, I have documented what I have GAINED from this everyday monotony and I hope to apply these very "child-like" perspectives to my own life!

8am: I am woken by Gentry pounding on her door to be let loose for the day.

11am: By now, Gentry has been to moon and back with activities and is starving! I find something that is of some nutritional value and call it lunch. MOST of the time she says "thank you" but ALWAYS with sincerity. Oh, how I have learned to be thankful for all things.

1pm: Gentry can't wait to be laid in bed with her "passy and bun-bun", and is sometimes asking to go to bed by saying "ni-ni". During these next 3 hours, Gentry is regaining her strength to once again conquer the world until bed time. During these next 3 hours, I am trying to conquer the things that at any other time of the day would take too much attention away from the "center of the world" i.e. Gentry. But oh much better I feel when I am productive and do not just tend to myself during this time.

4pm: We fill the time until daddy gets home. We are BOTH anxious for his arrival and can't wait to hear his scooter pull into the driveway!

6pm: The squeals and screeches begin! Gentry is an absolute daddy's girl, and it melts my heart! Daddy coming home, is the most exciting part of her day. They usually run around for a few minutes, play with Effie, and then Gentry follows daddy around like a little puppy for the rest of the night. Oh, how I admire her anxiousness and excitement for what she knows is to come.

8pm: Gentry has successfully conquered her world for the day, and is ready for bed! I, myself, can not wait to crash. Oh, but I yearn for that pounding that will surely wake me tomorrow morning.

New Shoes...A "worldly" view, I know!!

Ahhhh.... I always love getting a new pair of shoes! I used to be a FREAK about shoes, like I owned over 100 pairs at one time! I have since changed my ways, but still enjoy a good new pair of shoes. Gentry and I both got new shoes this week! Gentry's are a hand me down from her "fashionista" cousin, in great condition. And mine were on major clearance at Target! But new shoes, are new shoes!! Walk On...

This is how Gentry spends a lot of her mornings, walking around in any shoe of mine she can find! Love it...