sunday night feeling...

Do you ever get that down-in-the-dumps

feeling on Sunday night?

I know I do.

Especially after a really good weekend.

I gotta work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

this week.

Three days in a row is hard for this momma.

I miss my little man.

And well, three days in a row wear me out.

 

Not that I hate work...

just hate leaving Rowan.

 

Seeing his smile when I get home

makes everything better!

the stare.

I wish I could capture more of Rowan's smiles.
They are highly infectious.

But when I pull out the camera...
all he will do is stare.

Love his stares.
Love his smiles.

Does he look like me?

afternoon walks.

the weather is warming up.
the time will soon change.
can't wait to plant flowers.
can't wait to talk lots of walks in
our new neighborhood.
rowan loves to be outside.

the second...

most exciting blog entry (for me) ever.
Second only to announcing our pregnancy and Rowan's birth.

WE HAVE A CONTRACT ON A HOUSE!

And we couldn't be more thrilled!

It has been so much fun announcing our 
"somewhat" expected surprise.

Not that our house hunting has been secretive...
we have just been quiet about it here lately.
Honestly, I just got tired of talking about it.
If you have ever looked for a house for any period of time
you know what I am talking about.
We have been looking for almost TWO years!
The hunt can be quite emotional.
(Especially if your name is Hollie!)

Of course there is a cool story about the house...

It was under contract.
But the contract fell through on Thursday night because
the guy who was going to buy the house got deployed.

The agent we are working with called us at 8:00 pm
and told us what happened with the contract, etc.
Told us we need to move fast because it wouldn't
be on the market long.
So we got Rowan out of bed, loaded him up
in the car and off we went.
With flashlights in hand we checked out the
downstairs to see if we would even be interested.
We liked all that we could see...
so Rowan and I went back Friday morning at 9:00.
Alan had already told me...
If you like the house put an offer in on it.
(He was busy with work and couldn't get away until noon.)
At this point we didn't even know the list price,
only what had been accepted from the Air Force Guy.

Ok, so I liked the house.
I texted Alan and he said get moving.
We all agreed to meet at 12:00 to sign
the offer.

So by 1:00 the offer was in.

At 4:00 we got the call saying our offer was accepted!

We don't need an inspection because the guy already had one done
and we got a copy of it.
There are only a few minor things that need to be done.

We will close on or before March 31st.

I can't tell you how many times we have said...
Isn't it so funny how things work out.

Of course to God it isn't funny...
He knew all along.

It's all in His timing and His way. 

And we are so thankful!

:)

Scroll down for some pictures!

7 months...

time is flying.
i want to push stop.
slow motion would be ok.
you are so much fun.
discovering new stuff daily.
doing new "tricks" all the time.
you put up with my constant picture taking.
love you!

bits and pieces...

of our new house!

It was a builder foreclosure,

so it is brand new.

It was a GREAT deal! :)

It was the model home so it has that janky

fence in front of it that we will be taking down.

There are only a few minor things we want to do

before we move in.

I am most excited about Rowan's room.

We are gonna do board and batten and

paint it baby blue to match his bedding!

CANNOT wait.

He will finally have a "real" nursery.

We gotta put knobs and pulls on the cabinet doors.

We are gonna do some other painting as well,

and board and batten in the dining room.

Since the windows are missing any trim...

we are gonna beef those up too.

The builder took the stove and microwave.

So we gotta buy those and a refrigerator.

Which we don't mind at all...because we get to pick them out!

Alan has been preparing for all these honey-do's for the

past two years...he better get ready!

Looking forward to...

a place to call our own.

 having lots of space.

having a sewing/office/hunting stuff room.

(Projects here we come!!!)

 planting flowers and re-doing the landscaping.

a bigger kitchen.

a pantry for all my couponing.

a place for my family to be comfortable

when they visit.

putting our personal touches on the house.

lots of windows. Welcome sunshine!

I am on the hunt for some new bedding for our

room. I am over the gold and red.

If you see anything cute, let me know.

It's gotta be cheap though.

I am thinking...

Brown, turquoise, khaki and a little red.

I saw some fabric at Hobby Lobby.

More updates coming soon!

another wreath...

Just wanted to see how a round, pink one would turn out.
I think it is beautiful!
I think it would be so cute to hang on your front
door if you just welcomed a new baby girl into your family.

Let me know if you want one in blue or pink!

1, 2, 3...

yep, it's been three years since i started blogging.
my bloggaversary was February 10th.
i made note of it...and still forgot it.
such is life these days.

so glad i started this blog.

so glad i have decided to continue this blog.

and yes i am still holding onto FB.

why? i don't know?

couldn't resist this one...

in more than one way.

this afternoon we went for a walk around the apartment complex.
i put Rowan in this precious outfit.

i bought it when we lived in Athens.
probably three or four years ago now.
i used to stop by Macy's on my way home from work

and check out the baby clearance.
i paid a mere three dollars for this knitted one piece.
regular price 40 dollars.

it used to hang in my "future baby closet".

i thought it was beautiful when i bought it...

i couldn't resist it then...

and now on my baby boy...

i couldn't resist his preciousness this afternoon.

i think i took 100 pictures!

i would love to dress him up in it again and sit him in
a beautiful pecan orchard and let my friend Shauna
work her magic.

a great dad.

i just love this picture of my boys.
they are precious.
great times.

snow baby!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Of course I am thankful for my husband's love,
my baby boy's love,
my family's love,
and
God's love.

I made this wreath a few weeks ago.
I found it on this awesome website.
Very easy.
Very cute.

Since making this one I have made three more.
One to sell for our savings account,
and two to put towards my Relay for Life goal.
I sold one to my mother-in-law.
I sold one to a lady at work.
And I have one more I need to sell.

And red is very hard to photograph...
The picture does not show the true deep red...
Oh well.

SNOW!

It started snowing late Friday afternoon...
and it snowed and snowed and snowed.
We got between 3 and 4 inches.

It was so beautiful.

I got home from work too late to take pictures...
so Saturday morning we bundled Rowan up
and out we went.
Alan made him his first snowman. (I think it is just adorable.)
I love how Rowan is checking Little Mr. Snowman out.
Shortly after this picture Rowan started flailing his arms
and bouncing up and down in his Bumbo.
He loved it.

SMILE!

If this doesn't make you smile...

nothing will!

Lots of NEW posts below!!!

busy...

I have been busy. busy. busy.
With work, with Rowan, with couponing, with life...
and baby food making.

While I was pregnant I talked about wanting to make
Rowan's baby food.
Well, then he turned five months old and it was time
to start introducing foods...and I hadn't made a single thing.
Or even thought about it...
I mean really it just totally sneaked up on me...

So I was determined not to let the time totally pass by.
So a few weeks ago I started researching the process.
I found out that it is really simple, really healthy,
and really economical.

So far I have made avocados, pears, applesauce, sweet
potatoes and bananas.

And I really enjoy it.

And so does Rowan.

I freeze the food in ice cube trays.
Then pop them out and store them in ziploc bags in the freezer.
The night before I take out what he will
eat for breakfast and lunch.
I put the cubes in recycled baby food jars (from the foods
I am not making) and then they go into the fridge.
By mealtime the next day they are thawed
and ready to eat. 

made my day...

Our babysitter Beth is such a blessing.
I just don't know what I'd do without her.
Her husband James, and Alan were e-mailing back and
forth about tax stuff for childcare deductions.
At the end of his e-mail James wrote...

"Thank you for trusting Rowan with Beth. She loves him!"

Oh gracious, that just made my day.

God provides everything we need!

6 months...

and sweeter by the day!

He is...
sitting up like a champ.
loving the homemade baby food I am making him.
giggling all the time.
Patting at his toys.
falling asleep in his jumparoo constantly.
wearing Size 3 diapers.
16 pounds, 17 ounces at his 6 month well visit.
28.25 inches long! (95th percentile people!)
outgrowing his size 9 month clothes.
a constant joy to Alan and I.
very inquisitive.
 mesmirized by the camera...hence no smiles! :(
still taking Prevacid for Acid Reflux...and now doing GREAT!
practicing with the sippy cup.
super happy all the time.

Our lives would be boring without you!
We love you!

1.24.10...

we gave you a sippy cup for the first time.
it had pear juice in it.

you don't quite get the concept yet...

but like everything else...

it won't be long.

jumparoo...

Rowan absolutely loves this Fisher Price
Jumparoo! It was given to us by some
sweet girls I used to work with in the STICU.

Girls, it was worth every penny.
I wish you all could see him jumpin' and jumpin' and jumpin'!
It makes our day...and his too!

sweet curl...

Rowan has the prettiest, softest, cutest, most precious
curl on the top of his head.
And.
I. love. it.

growing boy...

Just thought it would be fun to see how much Rowan has grown
over the past 6 months!

it's quiet...

in the house.
but not in my mind.
both boys are asleep.
i will join them soon.

just sitting here for a minute...
listening to the music on my blog.

i stand amazed...
there is none like you...
and tell me I am your own...

so what i needed to hear.

Tonight Rowan fell asleep in my arms.
Those are the moments I just cherish.
I want to freeze time.

Every night before I put Rowan in his crib...
I take him to wherever Alan is so Alan can kiss him
good-night.
Tonight Alan kissed Rowan.
Then he kissed me.
And said "Thank you for being such a good momma".
Gosh, I love that man.
Even though I hardly feel like one.

During January, I got some things straight.
I needed to ask and seek forgiveness from some people.
And I did.
The replies offered peace and relief except for one...
And it left me filled with questions.
But I did what God wanted me to do.
The end. 

Life is a balancing act.
I knew it was before I had Rowan...
but that was a joke compared to now.

Some people never cease to amaze me.

In February, I am working on overcoming some insecurities I have.

I am trusting that God has something big in store for our family.
As He has us in a holding pattern.
Trying to rest in Him.
Trying to trust in Him.
Trying to be content.
Will I ever get it?

Rowan is the greatest joy.
The smiles, the laughter, his sweet face, and curious gestures.
He is so inquisitive.
Still can't believe he is ours.

I take life so for granted.
I spend way too much time comparing myself to others.
Why can I not be satisfied?
Why do I constantly ask myself this?
Guess it goes back to trying to be content...

I wish I had more time for blogging...
but lately it is not a priority.
I have even thought about stopping it altogether.
And I am seriously considering deleting my Facebook.
Gotta get back to the basics...

Ok, enough rambling...gotta go to bed...