Stephenson Family

Our Month

2012-02-06T14:40:00.000-08:00

Can't believe my last blog post was about Christmas..... WOW. Well if you are on facebook or around us at all you know that pretty much our past month has been all about this....

Sorry for the disturbing picture. =) And if you didn't know our month was about this - Well the short story is Lee had a reconstruction surgery done on his knee called an "ACI." (You can read more about this procedure and his thoughts on his blog here: http://themilliondollarknee.blogspot.com/

It definitely has not been easy for any of us and we are looking forward to getting these weeks behind us. It is a long healing process and lots of rehab. We have been sooooo blessed by our families and our church family with a lot of help and support - I really can say that we would not make it without so many of you. God is being faithful to sustain and supply ALL of our needs!

So anyway, we won't beat that subject to death anymore. But this month was also stinky because we had to say goodbye to these people.....

I stole this picture off of their facebook as it is the first one I have seen of them in their new continent. My brother, Kyle, and his wife, Sarah, have departed from Arizona to be missionaries in Uganda, Africa. We are so proud of them and this venture they are taking, but we are so sad to be far away and will really miss them. I know the kids already miss them though Aaron doesn't like to always talk about it - When I brought it up one time and was displaying some of my own emotion, he changed the subject to the fact that his middle finger is the longest one on his hand and that that was the case with everyone's..... =)

Anyway, those have been the main points of the month. I hardly have had a moment's peace to take pictures, much less blog about them. But for those of you that just get on here to see the kids, I will comply.....

The day Lee came home from the hospital....

My pretty, happy girl....

With Daddy out of commission, that leaves haircuts up to Mommy. Which means a short buzz cut for Aaron because I don't quite trust myself with anything else....

We haven't gotten out much until this week.... We got to go to church and then last night, to Cold Stone.

Though it is a big ordeal for us to get out, it sure is a special treat. We are looking forward to being more "normal" as the weeks go by..... We have so much to be thankful and appreciative of, and we

have not lost sight of that.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-07T12:31:00.001-08:00

We had a great Christmas (now, almost two weeks ago - Yikes!) so I figured I better document it!

The big present for Aaron this year being a Wii..... Our whole family is enjoying this perk!

Noel loves to model any new fashion pieces she receives.....

A picture at church on Christmas Eve.....

Auntie Serina and Uncle Steve came to town to visit so the kids enjoyed visiting with their cousin, Abigail Grace....

Noel is taking care of all her new babies that she received for presents..... She is very busy with all of their needs, and is so loving.....

Abigail Grace got to enjoy some entertainment from Aaron that he is always happy to perform.

We had fun with all of our family and friends. And one of the best presents Lee and I got was a 2 day "getaway" kid free that our church so graciously sent us on. It was so refreshing and a very meaningful time for us. Thank you to my parents for keeping the kids and spoiling them for our return =) Hope you all had a merry Christmas as well!

Trip to Cali and Walking

2011-12-22T06:38:00.000-08:00

December is such a fun and great month - We have been busy with so much and computer time just hasn't been a priority.... Anyway, to catch up a bit - My 97 year old grandmother passed away this month and though it is sad for us to be left behind, it is wonderful to know she is with God and healthy and happy. Aaron and I were able to take a quick trip to northern California for the funeral and it was so nice to have that time together and to see some of my extended family.

One of the more recent pictures of Grandma Fox. She left quite a legacy and it was nice to reflect upon her life and our memories of her....

It was fun for Aaron to get to meet some of my cousins' kids and play with them.... (Is that second cousins??) He enjoyed especially his cousin Alli and they got along beautifully....

Also this month, especially in the past week or two, Noel has decided to be a walker officially. Here is some video of her in action.....

She loves to try to keep up with big brother. She is changing so much and is really trying to talk. It's funny because she sort of gradually begin to say words all together so it is hard to say what her first word is..... Lee and I agree that besides mama and dada, it is probably "shoes." She is so girl =) She also says fish, baby, and Aaron which sounds more like "Awah."

Speaking of that big brother.... He is all about making her laugh and she is happy to comply....

Thanksgiving and Post-Thanksgiving Traditions

2011-11-30T21:54:00.000-08:00

Barely making it, but wanted to get my Thanksgiving post on the blog before December 1st.... Get ready for picture overload....

Aaron's preschool welcomes the Thanksgiving holiday with a feast for the kids where they get to dress up as Indians and Pilgrims and eat together. It is seriously super cute. Here is Aaron's class below:

Just had to sneak in a little picture of Aaron's special friend that happens to be a girl he is not related to, Grace is her name.... =) They seem to be quite fond of each other.

As you can see, Aaron has to always act in strange ways to try to get her attention. I'll keep you posted if anything serious develops between these two. ...The important thing is that Aaron did tell me that she loves Jesus, which he knows is my main requirement when it comes to little lady friends =)

On to Thanksgiving Day, which is so chaotic with 30 something people invited, but it is a total blast....

Aunt Nancy bought all the kids gingerbread houses to make and they had a good time creating....

The best part is having people come into town for the day that you haven't gotten to see all year. It makes it that much more special to have them there to celebrate with....

All the cousin kidlets..... Not too shabby of a picture considering it was the end of a long day together.

And this is one of the many reasons why we will miss Uncle Kyle and Auntie Sarah in our future Thanksgivings while they live in Uganda....

Noel was obviously nervous just watching this craziness.... =) Love my family!

The day after Thanksgiving seems to already contain some traditions for our young family at this point. We are ready to begin looking toward Christmas so that means getting the decorations out as well as the tree.....

It also means the beginning of Papa Bob's light display at his church, which the kids love to be a part of. Aaron gets to help "flip the switch" for opening night and it is a "vewey impotant job Mama!!!"

Thus, Thanksgiving weekend in a nutshell. We had a lot of fun with our family and friends!

Birthday Bash

2011-11-14T20:00:00.000-08:00

We are fortunate to be surrounded by much extended family, so anytime there is a birthday, we try to celebrate it together. The first birthday of course, is no exception.....

And we got to celebrate a combined bday with Noel's cousin, Lincoln, who is just three days older than Noel....

Noel with Papa Bob and Grammy....

The birthday kids with their beautiful grandmas....

The big boys together.....

Such a fun night! So glad Noel can grow up being loved by so many!

Baby Girl Turns 1

2011-11-08T13:47:00.000-08:00

Can't believe it, but it happened - Noel turned one! And what a lucky girl - she got to turn 1 with a few other friends (incidentally, all boys =) ) so we got to celebrate all of them together this past weekend......

(Boone, Titus, Lincoln, Noel, Elliot, and Ezra)

I have been friends with these boys' moms for several years and it has been fun to share in this experience with them!

In this group is one of Noel's cousins, Lincoln....

And Ezra who is at Harvest with us.....

Noel definitely loved hanging and playing with all these boys!

We are having a family party for her later in the week but I tried to catch a few shots and do some fun things on the actual birthday (Saturday).....

Noel showing you she is 1 as she maintains a very funny facial expression....

Happy birthday sweet Noel! We love you and are so blessed that God brought you to our family!

Lee's Bday/Halloween

2011-11-03T15:08:00.000-07:00

October 31st is always a busy day for us - We celebrated Lee's 33rd birthday with family with brats before the trick or treating began.....

My sister-in-law, Sarah, is so stinkin' funny.... Here is her artwork and guacamole contribution to the meal that evening:

We are so blessed that Aaron has second cousins to trick or treat with. They had a great time together. Here is our Aaron the Army Guy, Noah the Sherriff, and Caleb the UPS guy.

Yes, sometimes UPS guys need guns, okay?

Noel was a honeybee - and a cute one at that....

She wasn't sure what all the hoopla was about, but she definitely enjoyed her sucker.

October Days

2011-10-29T21:34:00.000-07:00

This poor neglected blog..... Sigh. Life has been so full these past few weeks! Lee left and returned safely on a trip to India and we survived the 8 days without him. The kids were so happy to have Daddy back....

Noel is growing and changing so much. She is not walking yet, and I observe that she really doesn't feel the need to be that adventurous. She loves to walk around the house pushing her shopping cart. I'm looking forward to a future shopping buddy....

It's hard to document all of the things she is doing these days - her understanding has exploded and she knows so much of what we say now. She is so fun and expressive.....

(She also exploded with 4 more teeth this month! That brings the total to 8 with a few more in sight)

Lee and Aaron did a big project and made a big wooden fort in the backyard.....

And Aaron is in love.

I Timothy 4:12

2011-10-13T15:47:00.001-07:00

One day after school, Aaron's teacher commented to me that she had to talk to him a little bit about being a good leader - in other words, he was causing some mischief and rounding his classmates up with him in it. We have noticed this "leadership" before, especially when he is among his younger friends. Of course, our desire would be to help him to use his leadership for good, and to lead others in the right way. It has been a bit hard to explain that to a 4 year old, but we decided that memorizing I Timothy 4:12 would be a good start..... I vividly remember instances in my own childhood in which my parents used Scripture to teach me - the Word of God is powerful and effective! So with a little bribe of a trip to Target to get an airplane if he memorized it, he got it in about a week and a half.

We were so proud! Now if he can make our joy complete and put it into practice =)

"Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young. Be an example for others by what you say and do, also by your love, faith, and purity."

(I Timothy 4:12)

Soccer

2011-09-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

I meant to post this awhile ago, but alas, the days have gotten away from me.... Two Saturdays ago, Aaron began playing soccer on a team. And he had a great time! He gets to play with a few friends, one of which is his friend, Eli.....

Eli's mom and I were childhood friends and grew up together, so it is especially significant to us to watch our boys play together and be friends.

Some action shots.....

And some video.....

Anyway, all these pictures are from the first day. This past Saturday, the second week, didn't go so well, nor was it near as fun..... To keep it simple, Aaron was recovering from sickness and still tired. Let's just say there were a few record-breaking tantrums of frustration thrown so we called it a day and left early. There is a part of me that wished I had it on video and another part of me that wants to forget it completely. Honestly, parenting is truly a crazy adventure. Anyway, we have bribes in place for a fuss-free game this Saturday - here's to hoping for a fun season!

Copy Cat

2011-09-22T15:39:00.000-07:00

Noel is really taking off in the sense of imitating and doing what we are doing....

I don't know where she learned this though because we don't ever use our phones around the kids; usually we are perfectly focused on our family and our Bibles, and not these worldly distractions.

(HA!)

Another example of copying.....

I hope she never feels the need to imitate this behavior....

(Just so you know this went on for about 20 minutes as I had told him I could help him with it AFTER I was done feeding everyone lunch. He chose to cry about it and insist on me helping him with it immediately instead so he was being ignored. It was really a fun time.)

So badly wanting to be out with the boys doing fun stuff.....

I took a very similar picture of Aaron when he was 10 months old also.... Here it is for fun:

More Milestones and Random

2011-09-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

It has been an eventful two weeks since I last posted.... First of all, Harvest celebrated its 2 Year Anniversary and we moved out of the theater and into Skyline High School for some extra room. It was fun to celebrate all that God has done and so far, the school has proved to be a great fit.

We also got to have a little get together while my cousins from California were in and of course, had to attempt an all kids photo. Jenna captured the best one....

We also reached the big milestone of Noel being able to ride in the grocery cart car at Fry's with Aaron. BIG DAY. Noel loved driving with her brother and Aaron was ecstatic to have someone in the seat with him. Not to mention just a little more peace during Mommy's shopping trips....

The hair is getting longer.... And therefore, more unruly.....

Aaron also had his first day back at his preschool this week.

He gets to go two days a week now and he is so happy to be there.

This is Aaron with his two cousins, Caleb and Noah, and his friend Adam from church also.

Cousin Caleb is in class with Aaron and they are loving being together!

For some reason, Aaron is always able to make Noel laugh....

We have also noticed that Noel is beginning to able to understand more and more of what we say. Her favorite things to talk about are clapping, celing fans, "cheesy smiles".....

Greer Getaway

2011-08-30T14:55:00.000-07:00

We took a few days to escape the heat and stayed in Greer (courtesy of Papa Bob and Grammy's groupon purchase). It was so nice to wear a sweatshirt, play outside, and just get away....

Here is the view from the cabin we stayed in.... You can see evidence of this year's fire, but it was still green and beautiful.

Aaron, Papa Bob, and Lee made a "bridge" across the creek one afternoon. Aaron was so proud of his craftsmanship. He loved playing by the water by the bridge and throwing rocks in. He always came back soaked =)

We also spent some time with my grandparents as they stay near there during the summer. The one time I tried to get a picture with them, my kids would not cooperate so it never happened. But we enjoyed visiting with them as well!

Playing Together

2011-08-22T15:08:00.001-07:00

There have been several moments this week where Aaron and Noel have actually played together..... It has brought us so much joy to see this relationship begin to develop.

Here is one of these "moments" - I came around the corner and asked what they were doing and Aaron reported that they were playing "trumpets."

By the way, if you don't know it, those are for the breast pump. =)

A Good Day

2011-08-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

Lee had to stay long at church yesterday, so the kids and I came home to eat lunch and Noel took a nap. As Aaron and I ate, he told me that they had learned about Jonah in his Sunday school class and how Jonah didn't obey God. He then asked me if Jonah had gone to hell because he didn't obey. We have had an ongoing dialogue the past month about heaven and hell (so this question was not totally out of the ordinary) and once again I explained to him that just because we don't obey doesn't mean that we go to hell. I told him everyone disobeys sometime and the reason you go to hell is because you don't love and believe in Jesus. Both Lee and I have wanted to answer his questions in this area very clearly, but try to not manipulate him into making a decision about believing and loving Jesus. On this occasion, Aaron expressed to me very adamantly, "Mommy, I don't want to go to hell. I believe Jesus and love him.... I want to go to heaven." I told him then what he needed to do was to pray to ask Jesus to come into his heart and be in charge of his life if he wanted to go to heaven. At first, he wanted me to pray for him, but I told him that Mommy couldn't pray it for him because he himself needed to ask Jesus. I told him I would help him and he then and there bowed his head and repeated after me asking Jesus to forgive him of his sins, thanking Him for dying on the cross, and asking him to be in charge of his life so that he could go to heaven. It was truly an amazing moment, and oddly enough, sort of simple. I know there is still so much of his salvation that is beyond his little four year old mind's capacity, but I felt strongly that there was a level of understanding and sincerity in his reasoning and what he articulated. So we celebrated and will make it a point to remember this important day....

.... with our favorite new drink right now, Fresca. Doesn't he looked so much more saved now?

And just so Noel is not left out - Here is some video of her. She loves her baby doll so much (a hand me down from our friends) and it is hilarious....

Cause and Effect

2011-08-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

This development.....

.....is leading to some paranoia.

Wisconsin Trip

2011-08-05T09:54:00.000-07:00

Noel and I headed to Wisconsin last week for a quick trip to visit our family that lives there....

She was such a trooper with all the flying and traveling. We had a long delay between flights and french fries seemed to make everything better.

We got to see Auntie Serina and meet Noel's newest cousin, Abigail Grace. She is such a sweetie!

Noel loved seeing baby Abigail and wanted to grab her all the time. Abigail wasn't so sure what to do with her.....

We also got to head over to Wautoma and see Uncle Brad, Auntie Tanya, and Brynn, and Owen.

I felt so torn about not being able to bring Aaron. He would have loved to see his cousins, but the cost of another plane ticket was just too steep.

So nice to see all the farms and this way of life.... Seeing the pivots always reminds me of being a kid on our farm....

We celebrated Brynn's 4th bday and Tanya and her sister made an amazing "Tangled" cake. I was so impressed!

Happy birthday Brynn!

And in case you wondered, Aaron and Daddy had lots of fun while we were gone. Aaron turned 4 and also swam across Grammy and Papa's pool all by himself with no assistance so he earned the prize of a big monster truck....

It was a great time and we are glad to be back together as a family!

Aaron's 4 year old bday party

2011-07-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

Since Mommy and Noel are headed to Wisconsin this week, we had to squeeze in a quick birthday party for Aaron. Nice and simple with just our family, but so much fun! Can't believe he is almost 4!

Aaron with his sweet cousins, Noah and Caleb. So happy these boys are such good friends.

The baby cousins, Noel and Lincoln.... Hopefully they will become fast friends too =)

We did lots of swimming.... This is Aaron's new found love at Grammy and Papa Bob's pool, jumping off the stacked deck boxes....

Finished off the night reading with Papa Bob. Good celebration all around!

Florida 2011

2011-07-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

We are back from a two week vacation in Florida and we had a great time visiting Gi Gi, Papa Tim, Uncle Spencer and Auntie Heidi. Let's get to some pics, shall we?

When we landed in Fort Myers, the pilot let Aaron sit in the captain's chair - something we weren't sure they were allowed to do anymore. He loved it!

We went to Professional Bull Riding rodeo which was quite the experience. It is really something to see in person those cowboys riding those huge crazy bulls. Aaron always says he wants to be a cowboy when he gets big, so when I asked him afterward if he wanted to still be one, he said yes but he wasn't "gonna ride dos mean cows - only wide horsies." Such wisdom. =)

We spent lots and lots of mornings at the beach. Aaron enjoyed swimming, looking for shells and building sand castles....

Noel enjoyed it most of the time so long as Mommy was near.... And ladies, thunder thighs are totally in this year so wear them proudly....

We had a little bday party for Aaron while there....

It was a good trip - Thanks Papa Tim and Gi Gi!

Oh yes - and Noel is soooo close to crawling, but just won't commit fully. But this is a new regular habit of hers now and I'm told that I used to do the exact same thing when I was a baby....

The 4th

2011-07-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

Grammy and Papa Bob kept Noel at their house so we could go out and party a little.... The city puts on a big event so Aaron had lots of fun running around with his friends on the bounce houses and visiting the booths.

Unfortunately a storm rolled in right as we were sitting down to enjoy the fireworks so it was canceled. Aaron handled the disappointment like a champ and said he still had fun. Hard to be upset when you live in the best country in the world, which is what this day is all about! Happy 4th Everyone!

The Singer

2011-07-03T13:38:00.001-07:00

I know I post a lot of video of Aaron singing and playing the guitar.... So what's one more amongst friends. =) This is one of his favorite songs from church. It gets more entertaining in the last half.... He needs a little help with the lyrics...

This kid is always singing... Good thing his sister loves it.

And so Noel won't be left out, some video of her.... And also proof of how funny I am =)

Summer days

2011-06-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

Vacations and swimming are becoming the norm now.... Lee took a group of men to mountain bike in Moab, Utah, and I had some old college softball buddies roll into town to visit me.

Krista brought her 10 month old son, Daniel, also. We had a great time catching up, laughing, and hanging out. I love these friends dearly. Aaron loved Jen to death and could hardly stand to wait for her to wake up each morning. I let him seranade her a few times....

Poor girl will probably not ever want to have kids someday.

We are beginning to swim as much as possible. Aaron would have us do it all day long if we could, which Noel can't handle so sometimes the kiddy pool has to do....

Noel also learned another new trick.....

Okay, buddy, here is your "picture" together....

End of May

2011-06-06T14:40:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to say (or maybe I do but I'm not taking the time to say it =) ) but wanted to get some pictures up....

Uncle Chad, Papa Tim, and Gi Gi were in for a visit so we got to change up the routine of life and enjoy some time with them....

We went to Schnepf Farms to pick the last of the peaches there and enjoy the outdoors before the major AZ heat gets underway...

Memorial Day had beautiful weather and we took a trip to Fountain Hills.....

It was actually too cold outside for Aaron to enjoy the splash pad which is very unusual!

Random and Raspberries

2011-05-25T06:53:00.000-07:00

Just some random shots over the past few weeks since it's been awhile....

This picture below.... It's hard to explain, so I won't try. Obviously, major silliness....

Noel is now just barely able to start having ponytails and clips in her hair. Which is helpful because she is all about pulling her headbands off now....

She learned how to blow raspberries this week and sometimes it's so much fun to do, she can't nap..... I hear her in her bed spitting away....

6 Months

2011-05-10T16:37:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl is 1/2 year already! (Notice Aaron's halfway-up index finger indicating her age =) ) Her 6 months stats: 15lbs. 4 oz (25th percentile) and 27 3/4 inches long (95th percentile).

Easter Entertaining

2011-05-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

I realized I never posted pics from Easter. And that probably was because our Easter was pretty lame - both Aaron and Lee ended up with the throw ups that day so it was a bit of a bummer. (Okay, I know, it's not about us - It's about Jesus rising from the dead, but still.... I don't like cleaning up puke on any day, much less a holiday.) Anyway, it was over with quickly and Noel and I were fine at least to take care of everyone.

Church that morning was AWESOME at least, and we mustered up the energy to hunt some eggs in the backyard....

The relationship seems to be continuing to develop between the two of these children.... Aaron loves to entertain Noel and get reactions from her. And she of course, finds him entertaining...

Sometimes the entertainment doesn't go over very well and we do not achieve the desired effect....

We are having fun with these kids and they keep us on our toes!

Ah, the first tooth....

2011-04-26T20:21:00.000-07:00

Something to smile about! =)

Mourning and Swimming

2011-04-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

We have all been in mourning a bit this past week as Aaron and Noel's dear cousins, Brynn and Owen, and Uncle Brad and Auntie Tanya moved to Wisconsin....

My brother is pursuing a job as a police officer and was accepted into the academy in Madison. We are happy for them but of course, sad for us. Aaron is still processing that his cousins are no longer a few minutes away.
We know that the times we get to visit with them will be sweet, and we are grateful to have had them close for the past few years. We are also grateful for the family that is still close. Until some of them leave for the mission field in Africa....
Also, on a another note - Aaron has been doing swimming lessons and is doing GREAT. He really does love the water and got to graduate to the next level up last week. Here he is proudly holding his certificate and ribbon:

And Noel wanted to be on the blog too....

April Days

2011-04-06T21:21:00.000-07:00

Oh we have been busy - Life is quite full. I am finally back online like a normal person with a new hard drive. Now for pictures and videos from the past few weeks....

Noel got to meet her second cousin Reagan who is two months younger than her.... So we had to get a picture with all the baby cousins (Lincoln too!)

Gi Gi and Papa Tim were in town for some fun...

We still have a very happy and fun little girl on our hands....

Making Easter eggs....

Aaron and Noel are enjoying each other more and more. It is fun to watch them interact and grow in their love together....

Noel was not so sure about this game....

But Mommy rescued her and all was well.....

March Madness

2011-03-09T20:47:00.000-08:00

A crazy busy month and my computer crashing has meant no blog update for awhile.... But anyway, who cares about that, let's get on with pics of the kids.

Aaron trying Fun Dip for the first time. Don't think this boy has met a candy he doesn't like.

Noel has turned 4 months which means solid food/cereal time....

Noel's 4 months stats were 13 lbs even and 25 3/4 inches long. She is following in her brother's footsteps of being long and skinny. Though she definitely has meatier thighs than him! =)

Here is some video of her and her talking "growl" as we call it....

She loves to give kisses...

Auntie Heidi and Uncle Spencer came in for a visit and got to meet Noel for the first time...

We had lots of fun with them!

Noel has a new shy game she likes to play now.....

February

2011-02-12T11:37:00.000-08:00

Well, another few weeks have gone by.... Nothing major to report. Everyone is busy and growing as fast as ever!

Noel has been discovering more and more about her "world" - One day last week she discovered her lips made noise so she was doing this for about 20 minutes straight....

This past week she also discovered her feet, and she is beginning to grab things....

And that LOUD and interesting brother always provides entertainment....

Taking a bath together is always a highlight - Until Mommy gets the camera out to snap a cute picture....

We went with some of our friends this week to a train park and my friend Emily was a good mom and brought her camera and got a shot of us while we rode the train...

You will notice Aaron's new "spikey hair" do. He is a tad bit obsessed with it being perfect. Like, he gets concerned if it's windy outside and it might make his "hair fall down", or cries when going down for a nap because it will mess it up. We are working through the phobia. =)

Bonding Time

2011-01-31T14:46:00.000-08:00

All our visitors

2011-01-21T09:25:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since I have updated.... We have really jumped back into life full swing now that Noel is getting older and the holidays are over with. It has been so busy!

I was realizing over the past month or so how many people we have gotten to see that happened to be in town for the holidays and got to meet Noel. Cousin Laney and Auntie Kristin were here....

Uncle Chad came in as well....

Aaron always likes having someone extra around to entertain him and demand attention from.

We also got to catch up with some of our old college students that we were very close with in that ministry, David and Megan Buckles. David was on a brief leave from serving in the Army from Afghanistan and it was so great to see them....

Aaron was especially excited to meet the real David Buckles - He had received a helicopter for Christmas and since David flies helicopters for the army, Uncle Kyle had jokingly told him that the plastic character's name was David Buckles.....
It totally stuck so Aaron was quite intrigued that there was a real live David that drives helicopters and shoots bad guys. He expressed some concern that David might shoot him but then decided he was nice. He also expressed that he wants to be a soldier now and not a pastor like Daddy....

We also got to catch up with our old friends the Kings and I SADLY did not get a picture of them all here.... But still wanted to give them a shout out! =)

And for fun....

In the process of downloading pictures, I came across MANY that I realized I had not taken. I guess Aaron likes to take hold of my camera and take some of Noel...

She doesn't look too happy in this next one so I'm wondering what else he was up to besides taking pictures of her - he has been known to poke eyes and smother her overly with his affections....

Also, for your viewing pleasure, a 20 second synopsis of what is generally constant and typical of Aaron's energy....

Not sure why the shirt if off, but just go with it.....

Two Months and Pooping

2011-01-05T14:04:00.000-08:00

Like my title? =) Read further if I've peeked your interest....

Noel's two month stats are 10lbs 12 oz (50th percentile) and 24 inches long (90th percentile), and hair that doesn't like to lay down anymore. She is a very good baby and we are loving getting to know her. Some things about Noel I want to remember:

-She is chubbier and a much better nurser/eater than her brother - this has been SUCH a blessing for me. Many of you know I ended up pumping with Aaron for six months because he only wanted bottles.... It is funny to see a double chin and little rolls on her thighs!

-She loves to smile and be talked to. Even in the middle of the night, bleary eyed and starving, she tries to catch my eye and always gives me a big smile. She really likes to be face-to-face with people and talk.

-She is a pretty good sleeper. Generally, goes at least 4-6 hours at a time. Yet, another wonderful blessing when compared to her brother, who seriously did not sleep through the night regularly until he was 3.

-It's been a process, but she finally likes a pacifier and it is making car rides more tolerable, as she doesn't like her car seat =)

-She finds her loud and active older brother very intriguing, but I don't think she likes it when he wakes her up or pokes her eyes.

Now for my pooping story.... Aaron has been fully potty trained since last February, but has always REFUSED to poop on the potty. I will spare you all the long, drawn-out details of how we tried EVERYTHING - suppositories, bribes, ignoring it, etc. He only pooped at home and would just come and ask for a diaper. I decided to tackle it again and finally, he's been doing it. I bet there has never been so much rejoicing in a house over seeing poop in the toilet....

Here is a picture of him on his reward, a scooter....

I know I'm biased....

2011-01-01T20:40:00.000-08:00

..... but I seriously think these two are so stinkin' cute. We are blessed! Happy New Year!

Week of Christmas

2010-12-30T14:16:00.000-08:00

Making a gingerbread house....

I'm not pointing any fingers but it appeared that as much candy was consumed as what was actually put on the house.

Auntie Serina came in for a visit and got to meet Noel for the first time....

She is expecting her own little girl this coming April =) We are so excited!!!

Got to watch some Christmas movies....

And of course, the presents....

All the cousins....

Baby Lincoln and Noel....

(Thanks Aunt Julie for this shot)

And I can't leave out (though I have no pictures) that Harvest held its first Christmas Eve service. It was awesome! We had a great week!

December Days

2010-12-16T14:31:00.000-08:00

Just some pics of the happs over the past week.... Aaron got to go with Daddy to a Phoenix Suns game and he had a blast. Someone had given us a hand-me-down Steve Nash jersey so he got to match Daddy....

Our friends had a bday party for Jesus that we got to go to....

Here is Aaron showing off his green cupcake mustache....

I took the kids out for a run for the first time. Kids did well and Mommy has a LOT of work to do.

Took the time to get some pictures of Noel smiling. And I couldn't just pick one picture so you get several shots.... =)

And just like her shirt says, she really loves to smile for Daddy....

Visitors

2010-12-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

We managed to get our Christmas decorating done after Thanksgiving. I'm always glad to get it up quickly so I can enjoy it longer!

Aaron is still doing a great job as a big brother. Noel is beginning to take a little more notice of her surroundings and I know that she will soon find Aaron fascinating to watch....
She has started smiling now, which is always special. It seems that most of them are for Daddy though we have all managed to get a few.... I haven't been able to capture one yet on camera....

I think it's so cool of God that one of the first developments for a baby is smiling!

Gi Gi S and Papa Tim came in from Florida this past weekend to meet Noel and visit.

We had lots of fun with them and stayed very busy. When Aaron was a brand new baby, we all took a trip to Build-A-Bear and Gi Gi and Papa got him his first teddy. They decided Noel needed one also....

Aaron brought his along also and got a guitar for him.

The finished product:

They had the outside area all set up for Christmas and fake snow falling - Aaron thought that was awesome!

We had Harvest's first Women's Christmas dinner and it was a really nice and fun evening out.

Noel came too and was very well behaved....

One bummer of the past few weeks is that we have been battling a terrible fungus known as thrush. Noel and I seemed to have kicked ours, but unfortunately, Lee got it very badly and is still dealing with it. It has been super painful, expensive, and frustrating to fight off. Amongst this, we've also had to fight off some colds, deal with my back, and an injury to Lee's knee - we are definitely ready to have our health back.

And for fun - a picture from one of our playdates with Brynn and Owen.....

Oh dear =)

Family Pictures

2010-11-30T07:33:00.000-08:00

Our dear friend Rilie took some pictures a few weeks ago of our family. Here is a link to her blog post if you would like to check them out. She has wonderful talent!

http://riliedeephotography.blogspot.com/2010/11/meet-baby-noel.html

Our first week

2010-11-16T05:11:00.000-08:00

Lots of sleeping, pooping, and eating for Noel.....

Aaron has seemed very proud to be a big brother....

There have been of course, occasional moments of naughtiness.... Lee began incorporating "putting your nose in the corner" and I don't know why, but I have a quiet laugh attack every time.....

But maybe the most traumatic event of the week.... (the next two sequence of videos)

Like both of his parents, He hates to lose! =)

Birth and Homecoming of Noel Joy

2010-11-08T12:40:00.000-08:00

Our sweet Noel Joy arrived November 5th at 3:04 P.M. weighing in at 7 lbs, 7 oz. For anyone who is interested, I will tell the delivery story at the bottom of this post.....

Aaron meeting Noel for the first time with Papa Bob. He couldn't wait to hold her BY HIMSELF.

Family of 4!

My cousin Julie had her baby boy Lincoln on November 2nd.....

So fun to have these babies together and introduce them to each other!

Okay, the delivery story.... On Thurs. night, I had contractions on and off all night - nothing hard core or consistent. I was awake and lying in bed Friday morning still having a few, and around 6:30 am, I felt a little pop and a trickle. I popped out of bed pretty sure my water had broken and ran to the bathroom so it wouldn't get everywhere. I woke Lee up and we packed up and left for the hospital, while my mom came and got Aaron. At the hospital, they confirmed that my water had indeed broken, so they admitted me. But I wasn't really dialating very much or quickly so they decided to put me on potocin to keep things moving. As the potocin did its job and the contractions intensified and got more painful, I went for my epidural, which was great. At about 2:30, I was complete so they called the doctor and after about 5 pushes, she was out! I couldn't believe how easy it was! Compared to my labor with Aaron and all the pushing I had to do, I looked at Lee and said, "that was it?" =) My body has recovered quickly and easily, which has been a real blessing....

We are loving our family of 4 and easing into new routines. Aaron seems to really love his baby sister - I asked him one night when putting him to bed if he was sad at all to have Noel at home and he replied, "No mama, I'm happy! I love Baby Noel!"

Halloween and the rooms

2010-11-03T16:23:00.000-07:00

Aaron insisted upon being Spiderman this year. He has never watched it, but just thinks he's cool....

Spiderman and Dr. Brynn....

Also, I thought it would be fun to post some pics of the kids' rooms. They have both been works in progress over the months as the baby stuff came out of Aaron's room and the guest bedroom was cleaned out for Noel....

Here are some of Aaron's room:

Grandma Nussbaum (Lee's Grandma) cross-stitched some cute sports pillowcases for Aaron and since he only needs one pillow, I framed the other one.... I love it.

Here are some pics of Noel's room:

A wonderful woman in our church came over for a morning and painted a few accents on her walls to match the bedding....

This shelf is by me. =) I'm not very creative but I enjoy little projects like this....

My friend Tirsa made these letters...

A close up of her bedding (from my sister in law Tanya)

What I really love the most about my kids' rooms is seeing all the wonderful things people have given us, either as hands-me-downs or as gifts. Seriously, most of the stuff in both of their rooms were from people blessing us and being generous - everything from furniture, clothes, decor, etc. It is both humbling and fun to be mindful of everyone's kindness as I look around. I cannot tell you how blessed we feel seeing the end results of their bedrooms.

And NOW, we are ready =) COME ON NOEL!!!!

2010-10-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

I have heard many friends express the "change" they feel in their relationships with their first-borns after a second child joins the family. Though not all bad changes, it is a change nevertheless, and I find myself wanting to make these last few weeks special and not take them for granted with Aaron.

Though there is lots to do and lots on our plate this month and I'm feeling the tiredness and moodiness set in, Lee was out of town for a few days this past week so we got to play lots...

It is special treat for Aaron to head to Dunkin' Donuts. I always have coupons so for about a buck or so, we can both enjoy a treat - donut for him, coffee for me.

And of course, bday parties at Chuck E Cheese are always a highlight....

Zoo and playdates with friends....

Aaron is also learning how to hit a pitched ball. And since we have baseball on the TV often enough right now with playoffs happening, he has to wear a helmet just like the "baseball guys." Problem is, we don't have a baseball helmet, so we have to go with our football one.... =)

He is also observing to be picky about the pitches....

Okay, here is an actual hit:

Finally Fall....

2010-10-08T22:45:00.000-07:00

Finally, we have had a break in the heat this week with some big storms and cooler temps! We are just giddy about it....

I also got to enjoy my birthday this week with a morning of breakfast and shopping with my mom, sister-in-law and the kiddos.

My sister in law (Tanya) made me this beautiful wreath for my bday.... PERFECT for the fall =)

Finished celebrating with a date with Lee....

Aaron got to enjoy an evening with Uncle Kyle and Auntie Sarah, which is always a treat for him.

Yay for fall!

Bye September

2010-10-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

Well, almost a month has gone by since our last post.... We have been busy with lots of things at church, school, Bible study, garage sales, and getting ready for Baby Noel.

I have been so grateful for my little "helper" these days. His latest is that he loves to wash the dishes. In fact, sometimes we have to use that as a bribe to get him to finish a meal.... Weird child. Anyway, he actually does a pretty good job. Though sometimes it makes more of a mess, I'm so thankful for his servant's heart and desire to help. It is such a great quality....

Aaron continues to love music. He can recognize many artists on the radio even if he hasn't heard their song before. His favorite right now seems to be David Crowder.... Here is a simplified version of "Oh How He Loves us"....

Oh yes, and with our garage sale and birthday money, we decided to make the purchase of a Lazyboy rocker recliner.

I'm hoping that I will get a chance to sit in it sometimes when the baby comes =)

1st day of Preschool

2010-09-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

Aaron had his first day of 1 day a week preschool yesterday. He did great and seemed to have a good time!

He is very lucky to have Cousin Brynn with him in his class.... They were pretty much always at each others' sides.

Grammy teaches just down the hall so we visited her too....

I helped in the class that morning and was very pleased with Aaron's teacher, Mrs. Sloane. She is good with the kids and very practical. I think it will be a good year for him!

And just for fun.....

Then of course, we had to tape Mommy's muscles....

More like a huge belly.

Preparations

2010-08-31T08:20:00.000-07:00

Since we are a bit late to find out what we were having, I have felt a sense of urgency in getting ready for this little girl to be born into our family. Even though I am only 29 weeks, and I technically have lots of time, I still want to get things done while I can! I am steering clear of buying much right now, but had to give in to this clearance item at Gymboree.....

This "little girl shopping" is a whole new world for us, and quite fun. Many people ask me if I wanted a girl or wanted another boy, and when I was first pregnant, I would have said I wanted another boy. But as time has worn on and my intuition kept saying it was a girl, I have found my heart really changing and getting excited about a girl. By the morning of the ultra sound, I realized that I might actually be disappointed if it was not a girl, something I never expected to feel!

At any rate, it is also nice to begin prepping Aaron more specifically for the coming change. I know he is still in for somewhat of a rude awakening, but I think he has some genuine excitement for a coming sister. So we are beginning to empty out our extra room and pull out some of the baby stuff.... Aaron decided his monkey needed to try out the baby swing.
Also, we seem to have settled on a name....

One other thing we are preparing for is school. Aaron will be attending the same preschool where my mom has taught at for 20+ years, Trinity Preschool. He got to meet his teacher last week and so far, so good! =) Here he is proudly displaying his t-shirt....

It will only be one morning a week and is mostly for social purposes, but another big step for my big boy!

Celebration

2010-08-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

We crossed a huge milestone this week and celebrated the one year anniversary of Harvest's Grand Opening. It has been a rewarding and challenging first year, but it was soooo fun today to "party" and reflect on all that God has done! Happy 1 year bday Harvest!

In the late afternoon, we closed off the celebration day with a baptism and pool party....

The pastors of movie church =) (At some point, I will post their historical rap performance from this morning)

It was especially exciting and encouraging for Lee and I to watch a couple that we have recently become close friends with that are newer to Harvest be baptized.....

It is in these moments that our purpose and focus becomes clear, and that I find myself humbled and blessed to be witness to such exciting miracles and life change. For me personally, the life of a pastor's wife even in this past year has presented strong emotions and challenges, and sometimes even the question of "is it worth it"? I know that without a doubt that it is, and we are so grateful for our Harvest Community and the work that God has done. To Him be the glory!!!

It's a........

2010-08-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

And we are excited! =)

Theologian

2010-08-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

Aaron loves his Sunday morning class at church, and I do too.... They take such good and patient care of him and teach him things like THIS (click to see).

Also, speaking of God, Aaron and I had an interesting conversation at lunch the other that went a little like this....

Aaron: "Mom, can I have some coke?"

This is generally a question that is asked several times a day. Always working me for it. I replied with a "No, not now."

A few minutes later....

Aaron: "Mama, Jesus is nice?"

Me: "Yes, Jesus is very nice. He loves you."

Aaron: "Mama, Jesus like coke?"

It caught me off guard and I laughed and said, "Well, he probably does like coke," since "coke" to Aaron refers to any carbonated beverage.

Aaron: "Mama, Jesus is nice and gives coke to people? To kids too?"

I'm no dummy. I think he was insinuating that if I was nice like Jesus, I would give him some coke..... =)

3 year old

2010-07-31T21:18:00.001-07:00

Aaron turned three this past Thursday and we pretty much partied all week....

Cousin Brynn was headed out of town so we went out to Peter Piper to celebrate Aaron's and her birthday which is a week after Aaron's.

Aaron got some very exciting toys and fun things - here are just a few....

We had a little party with family and just a couple of Aaron's little buddies. Aaron wanted to invite everyone he knew from his Sunday school teachers to our band at church, but we knew it would be best to keep it small and not overwhelm him too badly.... Or overwhelm Mommy =)

My dear cousin, Julie and I are in pregnancy "bliss" together and our due dates are only a week apart. It is fun and a blessing to share in this with her.....

Do you think our outfits are a prediction of gender? =) Neither one of us know yet - Julie by choice not wanting to find out and us, not so much by choice but because of a modest baby.... Stayed tuned!

All the kids got to do lots of swimming.

Papa Bob's fountain was very entertaining as well:

They even did some swim races - click HERE to see them in action.

Aaron had a great time and loved all the attention. We are beyond blessed to parent this little boy over the past 3 years, and are so grateful that the Lord gave him to us!!! Happy birthday Aaron!

Florida Trip 2010

2010-07-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

We were off to Fort Myers, Florida, this past week to spend some time with Lee's parents and sister and husband. Prepare for picture overload - we had lots of fun....

Making cupcakes with Gi Gi for a little early bday celebration - Aaron will be 3 in a few short weeks!

Taking off for a fun ride in Papa's corvette - "It's a wreawey fast caw, Mama!"

Uncle Spencer and Aunt Heidi:

And Jill the dog:

Aaron bonded with Jill and told me later he wanted a dog. I reminded him that they make Daddy sick and he said, "Daddy could go bye bye and Mommy and Aaron have a dog?" I laughed so hard - Lee was a little indignant at the comment =)

The guys always hang out lots in the garage making acrylic and wooden pens when we come. Aaron insisted this trip that he wanted his own green pen.... So Papa "helped" him....

He was sooooo proud of it and wants to use it all the time!

Here's a shot of all the pens Lee made for some friends:

Aaron got to go miniature golfing for the first time.....

And of course, we got to have lots and lots of beach and ocean time. It was so fun to see Aaron really enjoy playing in the water and digging in the sand. He really loved it!

This particular activity was one he did over and over again....

Papa and Gi Gi took us all out to Bahama Breeze, an amazing seafood restaurant, on our last night and the weather was pleasant enough (though I still say humid!) for us to sit outside and listen to the live music. As you know by now, Aaron is in heaven whenever there is music to watch and listen to. Click HERE for some some video of his dancing talent.

Afterward, we did one last trip to the beach and it was so gorgeous to see the sunset over the water. The water is so amazingly warm on the Gulf.....

The tide was out and we were amazed to discover hundreds of hermit crabs scrambling to get back out into the deeper waters. We had to catch some for fun (Don't worry we let them go afterward) and it was so fun. I don't know who enjoyed it more, me or Aaron. =) It was fascinating!!!!

Probably our last trip for awhile since our newest addition is arriving this fall. Thank you for a great week Papa and Gi Gi!

4th of July

2010-07-05T14:11:00.000-07:00

We had the awesome privilege of attending a local fire work show in Apache Junction (for you non-locals, a city of "interesting culture" that borders Mesa particularly close to our church). Before the show, they had a huge carnival-like time with games and blows up for kids, live band, and different booths to visit that advertised different companies. Our church got to do a booth and it was awesome to connect with the community.....

Throughout the evening, we handed out 2000 Otter Pops free to anyone who walked up! Okay, 1998 because Aaron ate two. Okay, I had one too - 1997....

I stole this pic of Aaron and his friend Charlotte from my friend Rilie as they entertained her baby, Ivy. I just thought it was cool and unique =)

We stayed up late afterward to watch the fireworks - Aaron loved the show and having his glow sticks to throw around....

One hilarious moment I have to share.... But let me precede it with the fact that Aaron has been noticing different skin tones in people, especially Hispanics as there are many here in AZ! As we were watching the show, Aaron asked who was making the fireworks. I told him it was some guys that were beyond the trees and we couldn't see them. He then followed up with "They Mexicans, Mama?" I have NO IDEA where this came from, seriously.

Movies and Life

2010-06-27T13:46:00.000-07:00

Aaron got to go to his first ever movie in a theater this past Saturday - Toy Story 3 in 3D. Cousin Brynn came too!

Funny enough, it was in the same theater where we do church, so it was hilarious that Aaron was expecting church instead of a normal movie. But he did great and seemed to enjoy the experience, though he got a little wiggly at the end =)

Also, we found this wig in Daddy's closet and it has been quite comical ever since:

He thinks it is so hilarious to put it on and tell me that he needs a haircut. =)

Something also we have been working through with this little guy for about 6 weeks or so has been quite a challenge..... In short, Aaron was requesting to go to the bathroom ALL THE TIME (sometimes every five minutes) during the day. After a trip to the doctor's office with no physical explanation as to why (i.e. no UTI, no diabetes, etc.) it was brought up to us that it could be a case of pollakiuria, which is basically a fear induced/anxiety driven syndrome in which kids have extreme frequent daytime urinating. In short, it was very challenging, at times aggravating and embarrassing, to not only be taking Aaron to the bathroom every few minutes (especially while out of the house), but to not know exactly why his anxiety would be so high, or how to help him overcome it. I tried refusing to take him, rewarding him when he waited, taking him without discussion every time he asked, etc. We were encouraged by the doctor to give it a few weeks and do our best to reassure him and trust that it would eventually work itself out.... Lee and I felt very helpless and were left to simply pray hard and often for him, and that the Lord would give us wisdom with how to handle it - I wish I could say that I'm mature enough in my faith that that was a comfortable and peaceful place to be in, but I cannot remotely say that.... I found myself worrying about Aaron's worry - then having to laugh at what I obviously passed on genetically to him! =) At any rate, about as quickly as it came on, it finally seems to have faded these past few days much to this mama's relief, though I'm still a bit cautious to get too excited!

So once again, I'm having to learn the lesson of Phillippians 4:6 to "Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God...." And to let His PEACE rule my heart and not my worry. Wish I didn't have to keep learning it =) Thanks to those of you that prayed along with us and felt our burden, even if it seemed trivial....

Yosemite 2010

2010-06-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

As I see an end in sight to the laundry and unpacking, I am finally sitting down to download pictures. I always wish I could take more and better pictures when I'm in Yosemite, as they just don't seem to truly capture the awesomeness and beauty of it.....

First visit I didn't hike this bad boy Half Dome.... Kinda sad but there's no way I could do it in my prego state. I think Lee hiked enough miles to make up for my inabilities =)

Aaron had such a great time and cried when we left saying he didn't want to go home and wanted to live at "Semitee." We were blessed to cross over our visit with some of my extended family, and Aaron had a blast with his cousins Noah and Caleb. I think these boys were throwing rocks and sticks any and every time they saw a little flowing water....

Hmmm, in my mind, this shirt was baggier when I put it on...

Aaron showing me his caterpillar - always a treat catching those:

It was so nice to be outside most of the week - hiking and biking took much of our time. Aaron loved getting dirty and having so many people to play with.

On our way out, we broke up the trip and crashed one night at my Uncle Bill's farm. And much to Aaron's delight, tractors were everywhere....

My 96 year old grandmother also lives there, and it is always nice to get to visit and see her....
So that's what I have - never quite enough to capture the whole trip. But it was a great time!

Imagination and Old Friends

2010-06-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

Something that has been hilarious to watch in Aaron is the development of his imagination and make believe world.... I think this has been encouraged and demonstrated by some of his older buddies from church that he often hangs with. Caught this a few days ago:

I'm sure Papa Bob will find that very flattering =)

We also got a visit from some of old friends of mine from Biola. It was so great to see and catch up with them - can't believe it's been 9 years!

Their little boy, Wallace, is a week older than Aaron and it was fun to introduce them to each other. They bonded over popsicles,

and performed a live concert....

Fun to connect with them - So glad for our friends, old and new!

Peach Picking

2010-06-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

After seeing many blog and facebook posts from my friends about Schnepf Farms, we decided we better head out there and get some fresh peaches and see for ourselves what a cool little place it was....

I think it is so funny how Aaron will find sticks anywhere and be in absolute heaven....

We tagged along with some friends from church who had been before. Even though their boys are quite a bit older than Aaron, they are so sweet and kind to him - he loves his friends, Dylan and Evan.

There are lots of rides and things to do there besides pick the peaches, and Aaron was in heaven to ride the choo choo train!

The sentimental farm girl in me always has a soft heart for anything John Deere - I always have good memories of our farm in my early years =)

And boy oh boy did we enjoy our peaches!!!!

We opted instead of making peach pie with our gatherings to make Gi Gi's blueberry and peach trifle. A mixture of vanilla pudding, condensed milk, cool whip and pound cake, it is AMAZING and once the peaches are cut up, quite easy.

And um, we had to make two batches. =) Fun day and we will do it again when the weather cools up - which seems very very very far away....

Memorial Weekend

2010-06-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were packed with graduation and birthday parties, the throw up flu, church, and bbqs..... Besides the flu, we had a great time with friends and family!

Aaron and Brynn are becoming quite little fish again this summer....

I have noticed the past few weeks how much Aaron really loves to play with other kids. I am so thankful that he is surrounded by so many cousins that he enjoys!

Oh yes, and somewhere in the weekend, Lee and I celebrated 7 married years together! We got to have a quiet evening out Sunday night as Aaron spent the night at Papa and Grammy's. It was so refreshing to have that time together and reflect upon how God has blessed us and brought us through so much. It's been a great journey so far!

2010-05-22T12:49:00.000-07:00

Pardon the blogging delay.... No great excuses! We have been busy with lots of things these days - enjoying the last few days of nice temps before the heat kicks in, birthday parties of Aaron's friends, weddings, more morning sickness (but I think the end is in sight!), and church. So not much of great worth to say but here are a few random pictures....

Aaron likes to pretend to be a "mean guy" and chase me with his toy screwdriver tip. I'm completely unsure of how he came up with this game.

Enjoying the sparkling cider at a wedding - When I gave him a sip and told him it would taste sort of like apple juice, he decided to dub it "Apple Coke."

Getting almost warm enough to be comfortable swimming - Aaron's friend Kailey was over this week and we just had to get out the toy pool....

Aaron has been enjoying his bike so much these days, so we are trying to get a lot of bike rides in. We have a little mile loop we try to do several times a week and we pass an elementary school. He always has to stop and watch the big kids, and he always asks me when he can go to school!
So we are doing well! A lot of people ask me if Aaron wants a brother or sister - he pretty much says every time we ask that he wants a "girl baby." We will see what he gets - end of June we should know for sure! We can't wait!

Oh what they pick up on....

2010-05-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

April Days....

2010-04-22T14:55:00.000-07:00

Lee's parents were in from Florida this past weekend, just for fun.....

He would tell Papa Tim to be a gangster and then they would turn their hats sideways....

We all had a great time, and Aaron loved having someone to always play with him constantly and stealing sips from Gi Gi's diet cokes. Lee's mom also helped me with adding some new decor to Aaron's big boy room. When I get things more situated and all done, I will post some pics, but it is looking great!

Random pic - a neighborhood cat often wanders to our house to find Aaron and get some extra love. Aaron loves the kitty.... But he always says, "Aaron no have a kitty. Makes dada sick." At least he is prepared for a no-pet future! =)

Lee also began this past week the first phase of a year long process of getting his front two teeth replaced with implants after an old injury. UGH. It is a long and EXPENSIVE process - wear mouth guards, people!!!! They had to extract the first tooth and leave it blank for two days, which would horrify me, but Lee didn't really care - He had a great sense of humor about it. The guys in our Lifegroup didn't want him to feel silly so they came over with matching teeth....

So great! =)

I thought Aaron was going to end up looking like daddy too this week - He took a nasty fall hitting his face on the tile floor Monday night and as blood poured out of his mouth, I thought for sure a tooth was out. Fortunately he merely bit a huge chunk out of his lip. Very painful and swollen - I felt very sorry for him, but he has been a trooper!

He told me that he couldn't kiss me anymore because of his owie..... =) I still get them anyway!

Moving on Up

2010-04-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

This past week, my little boy started a new phase in a big boy bed.

Some dear friends had a twin they were not using, and gave it to us. Aaron has loved it and it honestly has been a fairly uneventful change, in a good way. The only thing that seems to cause him stress is when his covers are messed up in the night, as he is quite anal. I hear a call "Mama! Can't fix it! Help you!" Most people probably think he is quite old at over two and a half to be just now getting out of his crib, but most of the advice that I got was to not move him out until necessary.....

Which brings me to my to next point - For all you non-facebookers, come November 8th, we are due for another Stephenson in the family! So in a few months, the crib will be back in use. I am feeling pretty poorly these past few weeks - but since it is always difficult for us to not only get pregnant, but also to keep a pregnancy, we are grateful for the growing and so far, thriving little miracle that God has blessed us with. At least, STAY THANKFUL is what I tell myself as I hang over the toilet. =)

Easter 2010

2010-04-05T16:57:00.000-07:00

This was his reaction everytime he opened an egg:

So exciting!!!

And of course, the real reason for Easter:

Some things about our week.....

2010-04-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

Brynn and Owen came and played all day last Saturday so we had a lot of activity and fun together....

I just thought that picture was so sweet of them leaning on each other.

Impossible to get the 3 of them to actually look at the camera at the same time....

Aaron has suddenly found it very exciting to comb my hair in the evenings. Lee doesn't appreciate my jokes about him being a possible future hair stylist....

He also finds it interesting to read to us lately. It's hilarious - if he knows the book, he will sort of remember certain things about different pages to say, but if he doesn't, he just makes things up or just does gibberish. Here's one where he doesn't know what it says.... (Plus it's not very exciting as he's looking at the table of contents.)

Jesus Loves Me

2010-03-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

Nothing super exciting to blog or talk about - But for the sake of posting something, we have yet another video of Aaron performing on the guitar. This one is his best-selling single "Jesus Loves Me" with a little variance from the classic version.

And in his underwear nontheless.

San Diego

2010-03-07T12:17:00.000-08:00

We spent the past week in the San Diego area - Lee needed to get some major quality writing done for church and some friends of ours generously offered for us to stay at the camp they run in Pine Valley. So while Lee wrote and studied during the day, Aaron and I went on some adventures of our own. Mostly he was perfectly content to throw rocks in the creek and walk down the road to see the horses and play at the park.

One afternoon after Lee finished, we ventured off to Coronado beach. Aaron cried on the way to the "woah bo" because we didn't bring his swimsuit. I kept telling him it was too cold to swim in the ocean anyway....

He didn't care that it was cold and ended up being wet head to toe anyway, and LOVED it.

I was glad that I anticipated that and had brought extra clothes.

I also got to meet up with one of my old roommates from Biola, Katie, who lives in the area. It was so nice to meet her husband and daughter Sophia for the first time. We also stayed with them one night and it was so good to catch up!

Our last day in San Diego we decided to splurge and go to Sea World. Aaron had been looking forward to going to the "big zoo with fishies" all week.

In the shark aquarium....

And we unexpectedly got to meet Elmo and Zoey, which was a HUGE highlight to say the least. =) Aaron is generally scared of dressed up things, but surprised us this time and was ecstatic to meet them and give them hugs and knuckles.

Everyone nearby was laughing when I took the following picture:

Aaron walked right under the ropes to look at the dolphins more closely and wanted me to take his picture with them. It was hilarious because this dolphin just sort of stopped and floated for several minutes as if he was posing with him.

We had a great time and are so glad we took the time and money to do this part of the trip. Aaron was such a trooper considering that he was a bit sick and didn't sleep well most of the week. It was a blast and we had a great time together as a family.

A few more additional pictures in case you are interested....

Went on this ride over and over and over and over.... =)

A great week for sure!!!

Tractor Boy

2010-02-23T13:14:00.000-08:00

Aaron, as most little boys, has developed a deep and steadfast love for tractors. They have become pretty much the center of his universe, and it's hilarious to hear him say words like "bulldozer, backhoe, excavator" and to know the difference between them all!

It makes this former farm girl quite proud to watch her boy in this mode.

And just for fun - Aaron and Brynn being completely silly and crazy. They are always cracking us up..... "Set.....Go!"

update and other stuff

2010-02-10T23:54:00.000-08:00

Haven't taken the time to post lately, but wanted to let you all know that the microphone stand came quickly from Papa Bob's garage of creations and it is a big hit.

Of course, it is adjustable and very realistic. Here is some action on video - Aaron is still mastering singing and playing at the same time... =)

Aaron is also loving a new big boy bike with training wheels that a friend handed down to us. He's been going fast enough to even fall once or twice, so we decided it was time for a helmet....

More action:

By the way, we had to break the habit early of wanting to wear the helmet ALL the time....

An Aqua Tots here in Mesa offered free swimming lessons last week, and we jumped all over the chance to be in the pool each day. Aaron had a good time and learned a few news thing in a short time, one being how to climb out of the pool on his own. And it was esp. fun when Cousin Brynn joined us!

Also, we have been tackling potty-training hard core for the past 3-4 weeks. This has certainly not been my favorite stage to parent in. BUT, I must say that Aaron is doing superb with the pee pee part (my mom says I need to be very grateful for that!) Accidents are scarce and he even wakes up dry sometimes after naps. The poo poo, however, not so much...... GRRRRR..... Hopefully we'll get there sooner than later - at least he asks for a diaper when he has to go so there's no mess. Except when I tried the tactic of telling him there were no diapers left - he proceeded to poop in the backyard. It was like owning a dog for a short moment.... Baby steps right? At least he didn't poop in a diaper! So..... to be continued..... =)

Steppin' on up to the Microphone

2010-01-24T13:44:00.000-08:00

Aaron noticed on TV that typically, people that play guitar also sing into a microphone. He has a little toy mic, but not a stand. So as you will see below, apparently, it's become my job to hold it....

He's very serious about his singing. He even writes his own songs with creative subject matter:

Can you tell what we've been working on at our house this week? =) We've also put in an order to Papa Bob to weld a little microphone stand to free up some of my time....

Some of our Favorite Peeps....

2010-01-19T15:51:00.001-08:00

This past weekend, we had a kid-free dinner out to Claim Jumpers with our leadership (pastor/elder) team from Harvest. It was nice to get out together - often times when we see each other on Sunday mornings, there is barely time for a "hello", much less a "how are you doing?"

These people are so special to Lee and I, and we are pretty much like family together. We have already been through a lot together in this church plant journey - We've cried, laughed hard, fought, argued, confronted, loved, biked, and bonded with each other through a LOT of things. We are so grateful for each one of them and that God brought them to us.

And of course, Aaron has some favorite people himself....

Cousins Noah and Caleb are always fun to run around with.

These three cousins with a year between each of them are really enjoying the times they have together - It brings so much joy to watch them play hard and love being together.

Just for fun

2010-01-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Just a few shots from the last few days.....

Monday mornings are study mornings for my dad. We went over to do some cleaning for my mom and as I was trying to keep Aaron out of my dad's hair so that he actually COULD study, Aaron told me he wanted to "Duh-dy" like Papa Bob....

Had to have the glasses and everything as he poured over the Greek - The preacher in him is already coming out....

Aaron also discovered one of my brothers old football helmets and now he has to wear it when we play catch with the football.

Aaron's favorite song that he learned in Sunday school:

Translation: "Read read read your Bible! God wants us to know that it is His special Word, and He loves us SO." Getting closer and closer to that point of salvation I think! =)

And finally, I put this on facebook, but just in case you didn't catch it....

Florida Trip

2010-01-10T12:59:00.000-08:00

We spent the past week visiting Lee's family in Fort Myers, Florida - Always nice to get away from the routine of life and spend time with them....

Unfortunately, we only got one day on the beach due to Florida's unseasonably cold weather.... Grrrr..... But Aaron loved the "whoah bo" - He came out chattering every five minutes but always wanted to go back for more.

The best thing for me personally going away on vacation is getting help keeping Aaron entertained. He had PLENTY of people around to play and interact with: Uncle Chad and his guitar,

Songs and diet coke from Gi Gi,

Aunt Heidi and Uncle Spencer,

And working in the garage with Papa Tim.

Didn't get a lot of pics - Just spent a lot of time together and being low maintenance. A few funny stories from our time.....

* Plane rides are always an adventure with a toddler boy; at the beginning of one flight, the stewardess finished her speech about the safety features and when she concluded, Aaron yelled out a resounding, "AMEN!"

* Speaking of plane rides, during one moment in which his wiggles became too much, Aaron chucked a magazine up to the ceiling, which in turn, landed on an open tray spilling the man's drink behind us. Sigh.... Actually, this really wasn't that funny to me, but everyone I tell it to seems to crack up.

* My mother and father in law are heavy drinkers - of diet coke that is. =) Aaron is a little beggar and always manages to manipulate a few sips when someone opens one up. When someone asked him if he liked going to Gi Gi's house he said, "Yes! Diet Coke!"

* We have used the expression "Sometimes that happens" several times with Aaron to explain accidents of various sorts, i.e. spilling a drink, hitting your head, etc. When on a walk, we passed a nice little pile of doggy poo and Aaron pointed it out with a "Ew Mama, poo poo!" This was then followed by a shrug and "Happens Mama." Oh does it..... =)

More Christmas pics

2009-12-28T12:48:00.000-08:00

It was so fun having Aaron another year older this Christmas..... Of course it isn't all about the presents, but it was so cool just watching him get so excited about all his toys.

Lots of tools this year....

His blower is a big favorite. He happened to open it first, and after he played with it for awhile, Lee asked him if he wanted to open his other presents - he just said, "No, this" as he clutched it happily....

A "choo choo" from Gi Gi and Papa.....

It was also fun this year as Auntie Serina and Uncle Steve were in town from Wisconsin. Aaron loved playing with them and it was great to visit and see them, as we miss them a lot.

And I have to throw in a pic of my Christmas present, a brand new Specialized mountain bike....

Nuff said. It was a good Christmas. =)

Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T11:38:00.000-08:00

2009-12-22T11:24:00.000-08:00

Like everyone else, we have been busy these past few weeks.... A little of this and that, and suddenly a few weeks go by and I know I need to post SOMETHING...

Anyway, in our present circumstances along with the season of Christmas, I have been trying to remind myself to find joy and thankfulness even in the little things that each day brings. I am reminded of the little miracle Aaron is and how grateful we are to have him in our family.

Here we are on a little hike up Falcon Hill near our house. Aaron has just learned this word "hike" and LOVES to go anytime we are willing to venture out. If we are driving and within eyesight of ANY mountain or pile of dirt, "Mama!!! Hike??"

I love how little boys invent ways to entertain themselves with virtually nothing....

And we celebrated some Christmas a little early as both of my bros will be out of town visiting in-laws this Christmas. Aaron is in absolute heaven with a mini drum set from Uncle Kyle....

Thank you for your sympathies on the noise factor. But honestly, they are really not that loud and he is so happy playing them..... Here's some video of him in action if you are interested.

Anyway, like I said a little of this and that - living in moments such as these, being thankful for all we have, and continuing to reflect that we have hope and joy because of that tiny baby boy born in Bethlehem.... God is so good! Merry Christmas!

Funny Conversations

2009-12-09T10:57:00.000-08:00

I have always looked forward to documenting the funny things Aaron would say when he hit the appropriate age, as I always get a kick out of reading about other kids' crazy talk.... I realized that this week I had a few....

*Unfortunately, Aaron has had a terrible case of the croup this past week. Poor little guy always cries and complains when he coughs that he has "owies" in his "hole" (pointing to his mouth).

*With the croup has come a decrease in appetite, so I have had to really encourage him to eat at times saying things like, "Honey, eating this applesauce will help the owies in your hole" (i.e. story above =) ) He went pee pee on the potty yesterday so I gave him a piece of candy and he said, "Mommy, candy help Aaron's owies" with a little grin.

*He loves to throw his little nerf football around but he is getting too strong to really do it in our little house without avoiding the danger of breaking something. He tossed it in the air the other day pretty hard and so I said, "Aaron, you cannot throw your football in here!" He then threw out his hands impatiently at me and tilted his head, "Mama!!! Football guys THROW footballs!"

Looking forward to a very funny future with this little man.

2009-12-04T14:19:00.000-08:00

In preparation for Christmas, I am continuing the tradition from both Lee's and my family of advent. So everyday as soon as he wakes up, Aaron says "Addent?". We then hurry and open a little door corresponding to what day of the month it is for a Bible verse of the Christmas story and a piece of chocolate....

It has been fun teaching and talking to Aaron about Baby Jesus and I love the fact that some things are starting to click....

And this is just a random shot that I walked in the door upon that cracked me up....

Looks like the life, doesn't it?

Big Boy Stuff

2009-11-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

I'm constantly amazed at how much these little ones quickly develop and grow up right before our eyes. Aaron has been doing lots of "big boy" stuff these days and never ceases to surprise me with a new activity....

He discovered these miniature rock walls at different parks that we go to and loves to scale up to the top....

Just posing for mom....

Trying to encourage "poo poo on the potty", I bought a mini garbage truck and told him we could open it if he was successful....

Look at him longingly gazing at the packaged truck as he sits. So pitiful.

He even tries to push.... Such focus.

One thing I love about this age is getting Aaron to say words and repeat whatever I say. It's the little things like this that keep me entertained throughout the day....

He does really like oranges by the way - we live in the right state....

Someone gave us a little bike with training wheels that is super nice. Aaron loves to ride this big boy bike and is slowly getting the hang of it....

Family Pictures

2009-11-17T13:43:00.000-08:00

Most of you probably caught these on facebook, but our dear friend Rilie miraculously captured some great family photos for us a few weeks ago.... I say miraculous, because..... well, Aaron was grumpy that day (shock! What kid isn't on family picture day) and we just never seem to capture even one decent shot of the 3 of us. Anyway, here are a few of our favorites....

Weekend Events

2009-11-08T19:14:00.000-08:00

We had a fun weekend - Aaron's Gi Gi and Papa came in town from Florida to visit us and see Harvest in action for the first time. Gi Gi was only 9 days out of a fairly major surgery to remove a large cyst in her abdomen so we were especially grateful that all went well so she could make the trip! We borrowed a wheel chair so that we could get out and do a few things, like go to the zoo...

Aaron loved having constant activity and attention, and having his grandparents around to pay him lots of attention. Monday morning is going to be rough when it's back to normal with just mom.

With willing and able free babysitting in the house, Lee and I also rode last minute in a local small 14 mile mountain bike race. It was so fun to do it together!

How can I say this nicely..... The course and the competition weren't..... hmmm..... very hard at all. We happened to each get first place (me for the women's division) but we don't quite feel like we can really brag about it.

What I would like to brag about and point out though, however, is that my award is on the right and Lee's is on the left - notice that mine is much bigger. Yep. Because I'm cool like that.

Anyway, all in all - it was a fun weekend! Thanks Glenda and Tim for the great visit!

Halloween pics

2009-11-03T15:18:00.000-08:00

Aaron is fascinated when we have taken him to a few local high school football games by the "football guys" (as he calls them), so we of course had to go with this idea for the costume. This little football player and his cousin the cheerleader had a great time getting all the free candy walking from house to house....

Aaron would have nothing to do with the helmet, the little stinker.

Cousin Noah also came along....

It was a fun and busy day, as it was also Lee's birthday. And still plenty of candy in the bucket. =)

Also, a random story - a few days ago, we had Sesame Street on and Elmo was talking about violins. Of course, Aaron doesn't have a violin. But he has a guitar. And a drumstick. So he improvised and was very serious about it....

He cracks me up.

Safety Latches my foot

2009-10-22T16:27:00.000-07:00

My son, the little engineer, has figured something out this week....

So much for child-proofing.