March...so far

A few weeks ago Isabella and I went to Santee to meet my Dad for lunch. He lives in Charleston and we don't get to see him nearly enough, so we met half way at the Cracker Barrel. It is always great to see and get to spend time with him!!
In the car on the way, it was a pleasant trip--it just does not look like it at this moment!
We will just let it look like she is smiling--don't look too closely!!
You can see the sleepiness on her face!!
The restful ride home!!
March 2nd is Jason's birthday and the 5th is my Dad's birthday!! Dad and Andrea came up to visit us and celebrate birthdays with us Saturday March 1st. That afternoon we did a little birthday shopping and then celebrated birthday dinner at Percy and Willie's (Jason's favorite restaurant). I took an ice cream cake with us, and they were kind enough to put it in their freezer until we were finished eating dinner and were ready for it. We usually have the family over for birthday cake after dinner, but even though we had thoroughly sprayed Lysol, we did not want to take any chances of anyone catching Jason's flu germs!! We had eleven people for birthday dinner and dessert!!
The birthday boy and his little girl--so sweet together!!
Papa and Grand!
My Dad and Andrea!!
Mark (Jason's brother), Dawn, Mackenzie, and Jesse!!
As I mentioned, we shopped Saturday afternoon. We decided that I would get Jason a seat to go on the back of his bike for Isabella to ride with us, and she got him the helmet that she is required to wear. Even though he was still recuperating and Isabella and I had colds, we went for a little ride Sunday afternoon to try out the new seat---she loved it!! Getting all strapped in and ready for her first ride!
I hope that you had a wonderful birthday weekend, Jason!! We love you and are so blessed to have you in our lives!! Happy 28th Birthday!!!

FINALLY, pictures of our new house!!

After a few very crazy weeks around here, I can finally sit down and blog about our new house!! The wonderful man that we purchased the house from let us come in before we close on it to get some painting and cleaning completed. I just love the names that companies come up with for colors--we painted Isabella's room "Rhapsody Lilac", the kitchen "Cantaloupe Smile", and the rest of the house a mixed khaki color!!!
i almost forgot--I love the Magnolia tree in our front yard!! It is so pretty and southern, I can't wait until it blooms!! Jason, and a lot of other people swear that we need to severely cut it back or down because of spiders, the roots... We haven't made a final decision yet, he did relent to let it bloom at least once before we decide!!
For Valentines day my super sweet husband bought Isabella and myself a wonderful porch swing--I grew up with a front porch swing that I LOVED, and have always wanted one!! That weekend Jason and his dad set to the task of hanging the swing, and they did a great job--no worries that anything (or any weight) will ever bring it down!! As I knew that she would, Isabella loves sitting on it with us and swinging!
My Jason and his Dad, after a long afternoon of working!! Isabella enjoying her first swing with her Daddy!!
As I wrote in my last post, we closed on the house on Wednesday the 20th of February, and that Friday Jason started not feeling well. Isabella and I moved out and stayed with my mom the whole next week, per the doctors recommendation. Even though the house certainly was still a mess, I was so ready to get back here. Please don't misunderstand, we totally love my mom and are so thankful for her and her ability to help us--but there is no place like your own bed!!!
Slowly but surely the house is coming together, not as quickly as I would like it to, but we will get there some day!! We get more comfortable here everyday, and Isabella can already take you down the hall and right to her room when asked!
She has already claimed a cabinet for our Rubbermaid for her to play with!!
Our first breakfast in our new house--a carpet picnic of bananas and Captain Crunch cereal!
Sharing a donut with Papa--notice the "Cantaloupe Smile" she is leaning on! :)
I wish that you could hear the way that she cackled while being dragged around!!
These pictures are of how Papa kept Isabella entertained while the rest of us were hard at work painting! She loved being pulled around in her "cart"!!
Speaking of Isabella, I have to brag for a few minutes!! Since we got her ear tubes she is constantly picking up new words and phrases. Seriously, every time you hand her something she says "taint you." We went to see Dr. Whitehead for her 15 month checkup the week before last (I know, a little late), and he handed her a book and her response was "taint you," he looked shocked and said "well, your welcome"!! She is up to 23 pounds and 33 inches! Growing like a weed, and continuing to amaze us every single day! We are so very blessed and thank God everyday for her!!
It did not seem to matter whether she had a little ketchup or a lot, she just wanted some!!
Isabella has finally figured out what some of us have known for a really long time--ketchup makes everything better!!! I purposefully tried to not introduce her to condiments, trying to keep things simple--but one night we were eating at Chik-Fil-A and she would not take a bite without there being ketchup on it! I am telling you, something new everyday!! It is SO MUCH FUN to be a parent and experience new things with her!!

The FLU has struck!!!

Jason has the flu, we went to the new McLeod Urgent Care place on Palmetto this afternoon, when his temperature reached 103.8!!! They did a nose swab, and quickly told us that he has the flu!! Please, please pray for him to feel better soon, and that Isabella and I would not catch it from him!! We have shipped her off to my Mom's for the night! Please, please pray for all of us!! Thank you!!

We're in!!!

Just a quick post to let you all know that we are in our new home!!! It has been an absolutely CRAZY BUSY week, but we spent the night in our new house last night for the 1st time!! I will post some pictures of the last week soon!! Please come by and see us, we would love to see you!!

Isabella's 1st Pigtails!!!

Okay, don't pass out--2 posts in one day!! Can you believe it?!?
For the Super Bowl with Jason's Youth Group tonight I decided to try to put pigtails in Isabella's hair. I think that it turned out pretty well, you might be able to see from the pictures that actually there were 3 pigtails!! Hopefully with some practice I will get better at fixing her hair!! She is thinking--"Mommy, what have you done with my hair?"
It is so much fun to have such a girlie girl!!

These are a few of my favorite things. . .

Since I am really trying to do better with blogging about our life I thought that I would make a post about some of Isabella's favorite things!!!
She is ALL girl!! For months now everything that can be is a bracelet, purse or baby! She has even started trying to feed and give her baby "juice."
Dr Farrell said that her vocabulary would really take off after her tubes were placed and her tongue was clipped and it really has! She can say Mama, Daddy, Papa (Jason's Dad, but seems to only say it when he can't hear her), juice, baby, duck, turtle, hi, hello, bye, this, cheese, shoes, and my favorite she tries to say thank you! It sounds like more like "ank ou," but I will take it!! I am sure that there are more words that she can say but that is all that is coming to mind at the moment.
I am sure that all parents feel this way, but I can't even comprehend how much and deeply that I love her! She is just the sweetest thing ever, she gives "loves" anytime she is asked to--"loves" at our house are hugs and kisses!!
Here some pictures of some of her favorite things!!
Two of her favorite things--books and playing in her Mommy's laundry basket--she climbs in and out and in and out....
She loves to look at books, always right side up and from front to back!!
Okay, so she is not smiling in this picture but she really does love this toy from her Great-Grandparents!

Leave it to Grand (my Mom) to introduce her to cheese balls, she loves them and loves carrying around the container too!!
I just love this picture from Christmas!! Unfortunately it does not really get cold enough here often enough for her to wear hat and scarf!!
Her car at Papa's house--okay so it really used to be her cousin Mackenzie's but I think that she has claimed it for her own!!
A picture of "juice" and "baby," it doesn't get any better than that!!
She loves getting into my rubbermaid cabinet and throwing all of it onto the floor!!
Caught in the act!!!
Playing with Keri!! Nick and Keri were here for the weekend again--always great to spend time with the Snyders!! And I finally remembered to take a pic of Keri and Isabella! I just noticed that she is holding her socks--another fav--she loves to take off her socks and shoes!
Playing in boxes--and boy we have a lot of them around here lately with the impending move!! Grand got a care seat for her car and gave the box to us, now it is a "house" for Isabella!!
Her very favorite thing--spending time with her Papa!!
Being dressed up like the princess that she is for her friend Carlisle's birthday party!
No one could have ever told us that being a parent could be the absolute best and hardest job ever!! She is just the best thing ever!!

Finally, a new post from the Allen's!!!

I know that I have been VERY slack about posting lately!! I have decided that I will stop thinking about (and being overwhelmed by) trying to catch up from the last few months, so I am going to start posting and just try to catch up when I can!!
For New Year's we were at the beach at BIG GOD conference with the Youth Group from Southside Baptist Church. What an awesome way to start 2008!! Approximately 2000 people were at the conference, and around 200 people made decisions for Christ!! It was truly amazing to witness the lives of these people change right in front of our eyes! Ken Freeman was the speaker and Big Daddy Weave and Barlow Girls were there. I had never really listened to Barlow Girl before--what wonderful role models, and girls that ROCK are really cool! When the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, 6000 colored balloons were dropped on all of us, what a sight!! I will try to get pictures and post some soon!!
It seems like just when things are going great something bad happens, when we got home Jan 1st one of the adult chaperons got home and found her husband dead. Apparently Becky's husband had a heart attack and went to be with the Lord while Becky was at the beach with us. She amazingly seems to be doing well, but we would ask that you guys lift Becky and her family up in your prayers while they are in this time of huge transition!!
I almost forgot to tell you that while we were gone Isabella stayed with her Papa (Jason's dad) and they had a wonderful time together! He spoils her like crazy, and she eats it up!! They so love each other!!On Tuesday January 8th Isabella had to get ear tubes! She had 4 infections since September, and Dr. Farrell said that it was time. She was also slightly tongue tied, so he said that since she was going to be put to sleep he might as well fix that at the same time. He is an amazing doctor who I always ask to treat her like she was one of his own girls (he has 3 at home). We had to arrive at the hospital dark and early at 0530 am, and at around 0800 am Isabella was taken away from us from to go to the OR, talk about a feeling of hopelessness! I work in the OR everyday, but it all changes when it is your own child and heart!! She was away from us for around 20 minutes and then we were able to go into the Recovery Room and be with her. She is amazing, she was a little fussy for a few hours, and took 3 naps that day--but by the next day she was back to her sweet, pleasant, loving self!! For the rest of the week she would move her tongue around in her mouth and stick it out, just because she could!! Dr. Farrell actually encouraged us to get to stick it out and exercise it!! As you will see in the pictures, our prissy little girl walked around with her purse while we waited for our turn! TOO CUTE!!!
She decided that she wanted to walk around in the hall and check everyone else out!!

Grand and Isabella in the holding area, waiting for Dr. Farrell.

Snuggle time back in the Day Hospital, it's all over!! Thank you God for taking care of her!!

Taking a nap on the living room floor after we got home. One minute she was playing, and the next she was asleep!

The weekend of January 11-13 our great friends Nick and Keri were here for the weekend!! Nick is involved with the PACE program (he is a teacher in Charleston, SC) and has to go to weekend seminars every few weeks, and this time it was in Lugoff, so he and Keri came and stayed with us! It is always so nice to get to spend time with them!! Thanks for being such great friends and for coming to stay with us!Distracting Nick from his homework!!
January 15th Isabella's Aunt Kim's 28th birthday!! Unfortunately we were not able to spend the day with her, but we love her so dearly and are so thankful that she is part of you family!!! Happy Birthday Aunt Kim!!
Saturday January 19th is a day that will change us forever!! WE FOUND A HOUSE THAT WE LOVE!! We have sort of been looking for a house to buy for almost a month now. We knew that we would have to sell our condo before we could afford to buy a house, so we had kind of slowed the looking process and were going to put our condo up for sale by owner. Our wonderful real estate agent Lynn Christenberry called us Saturday and said that she knew that we had decided to wait until we sold ours but there was a house that she really felt that we need to look at. Jason, Isabella, and I met her there Saturday, and we REALLY like the house! It is on Devonshire, right off of Marsh Avenue here in Florence, 1/2 mile from my Mom's house!! So here is the BEST part, when Lynn called the man who owns the house to tell him that we were very interested but would have to make an offer contingent on the sale of our condo, he said that he would be interested in buying our condo for investment property!! WHAT A GOD THING--we put an offer on a house and sold our condo in a matter of minute!! God is so awesome!! The house is great and is going to be wonderful for us, it actually has an extra living room, which will be great for having youth group people over to hang out in!! It needs a little TLC but all of the TLC that it needs is stuff that we can do with no problem! Anyone that likes to paint, we are looking for volunteers!! Here is the other crazy part, we close February 20th, that is like 3 weeks away! Oh, my!! We are going to be so busy, but it will all be worth it to have more room, and a YARD to play in! We are so excited!! I will post pictures of it as soon as I take some :) !!