A Trip to My Mom's

On Monday and Tuesday, we hung out at my Mom's house and relaxed. Both Colleen and I arrived late on Sunday night - and her girls had a hard time getting back to sleep, so we were all tired.
I had fun taking pictures of Ephraim outside. My mom has some great places to take pictures, and the lighting was perfect.
On Tuesday, Hannah and Grace came over. Grace is modeling her new pumpkin hat - she wasn't quite sure what to think of it.
She also demonstrated to Ephraim how to properly use the bouncer.

Contests

I love to enter contests. Love, love, love. There is something very exciting to me about the possibility of winning something. I could win an old pair of socks and I would probably get excited. There are several websites that I check daily to see if there is anything I want to enter for. The only rule at our house is that I cannot give out Forrest's phone number. I thought I would share so that others can get excited with me.

Ecobunga - This is a website that has links to "green" giveaways.
The Opinionated Parent - This website does reviews and usually gives away the product they are reviewing.
Does Mommy Love It - Similar to the Opinionated Parent
Bloggy Giveaways - This giveaway site is not parent oriented like the previous two.

If anyone has other giveaway sites that they frequent - please comment and let me know. I would love to enter more contests!

Internet Happy

Here is a picture of everything I have bought over the internet in the last 2 weeks. I have gone a little crazy. I am giving up my credit card for the month of October (except to buy gas.) Maybe I should spend more time cleaning my house and less time shopping. Hmmm.....

Manly Legs

It seems like Baby Legs are everywhere! I wanted to buy Ephraim some, but couldn't justify the 12 dollars per pair. I decided to make some instead! Forrest doesn't like them - he thinks they look like 1980's leg warmers and can't believe that I put them on our son. He made me promise I would never take Ephraim out in public with them.
He didn't make me promise not to blog about them though!

Weekend Recap

On Saturday we met up with Frank and Lona, my Mom and Michelle at the Puyallup Fair. It was boring down rain all day, but we had a blast anyway. We brought the jogging stroller because it has a rain fly and Ephraim had fun. Ephraim loved looking at the cows and goats. There was even a calf born on his birthday- but it outweighed him by quite a bit. Ephraim took at nap in the Baby Bjorn for 2 hours. I have a Woobee blanket that is waterproof on one side and it ties onto strollers/carriers. It was fantastic because Ephraim was covered and warm and didn't get wet. They are a little on the spendy side - but I think they are totally worth it.




Then on Sunday we had Ephraim dedicated at church. He was quite the ham and really enjoyed looking out at everybody in the congregation. I was quite impressed that we got out of the house on time! The dedication was at the 9:30 service and Forrest and I never make it to that one because we are too lazy to get up that early.

Happy Birthday Colleen!

Today is Leeners' 28th birthday! I have many reasons to be thankful for her - she is one of my best friends, she is a fantastic mom and a great example to me. I hope you have a great day Leeners and I am sorry you didn't get any birthday mail. I promise that I did mail you something (it should have been there by now) and it will get there soon!

If Ephraim Was 2...

* I would have put him back into bed this morning and had a talk about being grateful and we would have prayed for Jesus to give him a "happy heart" and tried to start our day over again.
*He might have had several time outs because at the age of 2, I don't think being grumpy is an excuse for throwing a fit and screaming.

But, My sweet baby isn't two - he's five months old, so instead...

*we went from activity to activity trying to find something he would be happy at.
* I ate lunch sitting on the rocking chair ottoman while he laid on his changing table - one of the few places he was happy for a short time.
*We took a nap together, because, really mommy needed to start her day over again too.
*He took at bath at 3PM this afternoon because Ephraim loves his bath and enjoys the blue hippo and cow/duck toys.
*I broke my sugar fast and drank a Coke because we were all out of diet Coke and I REALLY needed a caffeine pick me up.
*I gave him teething tablets. (is he teething? I have no idea, but something is not right today and they seem to help.)
*We have prayed for Mommy's patience to get through the rest of the day and that tomorrow my sweet Ephraim will return.

A Photography Mishap

I am taking an online photography course and decided this morning to play around outside. As I was taking pictures and working on my composition - I decided it would look better if I removed the blanket. As I stepped back to take another picture - Ephraim went face first into the beauty bark and we ended up with this...

Note to self: Prop up unstable 5 month old better next time.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to my cousin Alfred and Bailey Willcox! They became engaged this week at Lake Powell. Who would of thought that 4 years ago when these two met at our wedding that they would ever end up together! They met 4 years ago, but lived on opposite sides of the country, so nothing ever started. Then, Bailey took at nanny position in Washington, DC. Alfred saw her as a friend on my myspace page a year and a half ago, and the rest is history. (I am taking full credit for their relationship and expect their first child to be named after me.) Just Kidding. :)

First Camping Trip

This past weekend we went camping with Nate and Ramie at Mayfield Lake, near Mossyrock, WA. It was a great spot and a beautiful weekend. The Moody's brought their tent trailer for us, which was fantastic because my only concern was Ephraim sleeping. He slept with me in my sleeping bag and did really well.

On Saturday afternoon we went berry picking - we were trying for huckleberries, but didn't find any, so we settled for blackberries. The boys were excited to make blackberry cobbler on the fire, but alas - it burned. The boys also went swimming in the lake on Saturday. On Sunday we packed up and went to lunch at Karen's Kountry Kafe. It was a great example of how to not judge a book by it's cover -it reminded me of the cafe in Tieton, WA that my uncles and dad always visited. Ephraim slept the entire way home and now we are ready to go camping again!

The tent trailer.
Berry picking.
Ramie
Ephraim and Mom. We were not very good at berry picking.
The blackberry cobbler. So, So Sad.

Ephraim in his camping gear.

A Visit from Friends

Last week Hannah and Grace came to visit for a few days. We had lots of fun shopping, walking and spending time with Hannah's cousin Bethany and her little one Ellie. We miss them terribly.

Ephraim and Grace - he's going to outgrow her soon.
Grace the "Binkie Thief" Brownlee.

35 Years

Today would have been my parent's 35th Wedding Anniversary. My friend Kat Willcox took this picture at Colleen's wedding and I love it. My parents were madly in love with each other. It is a marriage that I try to emulate. Daddy - we love and miss you!

5 Months

We have had a busy month! We went to Oregon twice and spent a week in Hawaii. Ephraim has grown a ton. Here are his highlights:
*We have finally stopped having to use a nipple shield to eat!
*He eats every 3 hours and we are trying to extend that even more.
*He has become much more coordinated with his hands and grasps at things all of the time.
*He loves water and his bath.
*He has begun scooting on his back. He arches his back and then pushes down with his heels. Several times I have been changing his diaper, reach down for a wipe and find his head off of the changing pad.
*He hasn't rolled over yet - I think he could if he really wanted to, but he is completely content on either his tummy or back.
*He loves to smile and laugh.
Ephraim right after a bath.
He was not in the mood for a photoshoot on his "birthday." I couldn't find my stuffed Dopey to take a picture with, so I put him in a Dopey t-shirt.
He loves it when Forrest makes him fly.
Aunt Belle
Sleeping on Nana's dock. I think his hands look like he is praying.
Ephraim in his first pair of jeans. Doesn't he look big?
He loves to jump in this. He giggles as he spins himself in circles.

A Year Ago...

I have been thinking a lot the past few weeks of what we were doing a year ago. Last August Forrest and I had just found out that we were pregnant. I was terrified because we had miscarried 3 months earlier. We went to Jackson for my 10 year high school reunion. While we were there my parents threw an End of the Summer party as a goodbye party - since they were moving to Oregon. They had planned to have it outside, but the weather did not cooperate and we moved it to the barn. How many of you have actually been to a real "barn party?" These are the last pictures I have of my dad. It wasn't the last time I saw him, but it was the last time I thought to take pictures.
I love that I have pictures of my dad dancing. He had a great dance. It was one of a kind. I love how happy my parents look together.
Michelle and Daddy dancing.
On the day we left Jackson my cousin Alfred flew in to see his girlfriend Bailey. My dad was at work at the hospital and that's why he's not in the picture.

Colleen and Elisa.