Sprouting Off

Happy Valentine's Day & 28 Weeks

2012-02-14T12:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

I didn't plan much for Valentine's Day this year. We do have our heart garland hanging up (as of this morning!) and all three of us are decked out in red. Ainsley just got this red dress and has dubbed it her Valentine's Dress.

Baby and I have made it to 28 weeks (actually 28 1/2 now)! I am feeling great still, though I have noticed that I am a little more tired than I was a few weeks ago. Last week I passed my glucose test (yay!) but my iron level was a little low. So I am working on getting that up a little, mostly by taking a daily iron pill. I have discovered that besides red meat, I don't care much for foods that are good iron sources.

28 weeks

I am now going to the doctor every other week. I can't believe we're already at this point!! Heath and I were talking the other day about how in less than 3 months, we'll have a new baby in our house! I had my first little freak out moment about that. It seems like such a big transition going from one child to two. I mean, we're doubling the number of kids! I am SO excited to meet her, though, and see how her precious life adds joy to our family!!

Ainsley seems to be getting excited, too. She is talking a lot about her baby sister and what she's going to show her, etc.

Sorry for the lame smile in this photo - guess I wasn't quite awake this morning!

{Ainsley Says 16}

2012-02-13T15:11:00.001-06:00

I was opening some of Ainsley's birthday presents after her party last month using a pocketknife. Seeing it as a good opportunity to begin instilling proper knife safety, I was telling her, "See how I'm cutting only away from my body? That's so if the knife slips I won't cut myself." To which she responded, "Oh! That's clever."

She's always so complimentary.

Catching Up: Trick or Treat

2012-01-23T15:50:00.000-06:00

Heath's family came to Maquoketa this year to trick or treat with us. The kids were so cute in their costumes! Ainsley got to be Strawberry Shortcake, complete with the strawberry scent (from an antibacterial soap we found at Bath & Body Works). Her cousins were all superheros and were so cute!

Ainsley had a lot of fun gathering candy in her basket and did a good job of saying "thank you".

Captain America protecting Strawberry Shortcake - adorable!

Ainsley's {2nd} 4th Birthday Party

2012-01-23T08:04:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, January 14th, we invited both our families over for a birthday lunch party for Ainsley. We left the birthday decorations up all week between the two parties, which she thought was pretty special. Nearly everyone was able to come (we missed you Keenan & Chelsea & Grandma Murphy!).

For lunch we served french dip sandwiches, fruit salad (strawberries, grapes & pineapple), chips (Cheetos & BBQ), a relish tray, and pink lemonade. The kids preferred PB & J sandwiches, which was fine with me. The rest of us enjoyed the french dips.

Ainsley did an awesome job opening all her gifts and being genuinely excited about each one. It was so fun to see her joy over every gift! She was this excited for each gift; this is just the clearest picture we have of her.

Here's her cake & cupcakes, finished off with pink, purple & blue sprinkles (at the request of the birthday girl).

24 Weeks

2012-01-16T07:06:00.000-06:00

This week I hit the 24 week marker. That means we only have 16 weeks to go which sounds close! I have a "before Baby comes to-do list" sorted by type of activity: cleaning, purchasing, making, and other. Hopefully it all gets done!

As to how I'm feeling...I feel great! I have a good amount of energy and optimism about what I can accomplish, which probably accounts for the lengthy to-do list. My belly feels big to me, but people keep saying that I don't look very big yet. Baby sure is moving a lot and all over the place - sometimes lower and sometimes higher. There are times that it even gets somewhat uncomfortable! It seems like she is moving more (or I can feel her more) that I could with Ainsley.

I'm feeling pretty good about my weight gain. I haven't been eating as much snacky junk food this time around, at least so far. I don't usually have specific cravings, which I think helps keep my eating under control. I do feel hungry often, so I'm trying to eat healthy snacks.

24 weeks: Ainsley wanted to be in the photo too

Ainsley hasn't felt Baby move yet, but really wants to. Anytime I suggest it, she drops everything to come feel. The other day it was her idea to see if she could feel her Baby Sister move but she wasn't moving at the time. So, Ainsley tried to wake her up by shaking my belly with both her hands (similar to what the ultrasound technician did to wake up the baby at my last ultrasound). It's pretty hilarious to feel Ainsley shaking my belly and hear her saying, "wake up, Baby" in her gentle voice. I think she's getting more excited every day to have her Baby Sister here; she keeps asking if it's May (the month of my due date).

Baby will be here before we know it!! We are all so excited to meet her and get to know her!! We continue to be thankful for the gift of her life and a healthy pregnancy thus far.

Catching Up: First Dentist Appointment

2012-01-13T07:16:00.001-06:00

I have quite a few posts of "catch up" to do, so bear with me as I go back in time a bit.

In September, I finally got Ainsley scheduled for her first dentist appointment. I think her first pediatrician recommended taking her after she turned 1, so I was feeling a little behind in this responsibility. It had been on my to-do list for awhile and then it all fell into place rather suddenly. I found a children's book at the library about going to the dentist, complete with real life photos of the dentist office, chair, and tools (from the 80's!). Then I called a local dentist who had been recommended by a couple of people and was able to make an appointment for that week!

The book turned out to be invaluable in preparing Ainsley for what she would see and experience at the dentist. She practically waltzed in there, not nervous at all. The dentist's assistant and the dentist were both great at explaining in kid speak what they were doing and why. Ainsley climbed up in the chair without hesitation and with some excitement. She was in a good mood that day and chatted pretty easily with the assistant, who brushed her teeth with the "tickly toothbrush" and rinsed her mouth with the rinsing tool. Ainsley's favorite part was the suction tube where she "spit" out the water after rinsing. She thought it was pretty cool. Then the dentist came in to count and inspect her teeth. Ainsley was given thumbs up for healthy teeth. She even got to pick out a necklace and ring from the treasure box as we left.

I have to say that I was more than a little nervous about this first dentist experience. I know how much I umm...don't love going to the dentist and have heard stories about kids who didn't do so well. I was more than pleased and very proud with Ainsley and how well she did!

Happy Birthday, Ainsley!!!!

2012-01-10T07:35:00.000-06:00

Ainsley turned 4 years old this past Sunday. I think I'm still a little in shock that she's already this old! We had a great day celebrating with her. She woke up to birthday streamers and balloons decorating the house. It was great fun to watch her enjoy the surprise. Then while I mixed up some waffles for breakfast, she and Heath looked at pictures from when she was born. After breakfast, Ainsley opened her gifts from us and a couple cards she had received in the mail. She was very excited with the doll clothes and blanket/pillow we gave her for her baby doll. I love seeing her excitement!

We went to church and she sat with us through the whole service for the first time. She did wonderfully!! She sat and colored so nicely and quietly and even seemed to hear some of the message. We were relieved at the relatively easy transition from nursery to sitting through the service. I hope it continues!

Ainsley really wanted to celebrate her birthday with her family and with some friends from our small group. We decided to split it up into two parties and invited our small group and their kids to our house for lunch on Sunday. It was fun to have them over and Ainsley had a good time. We had a simple lunch, including Ainsley's favorite fruits and chips (strawberries, grapes & pineapples; and BBQ chips). The kids made paper bag puppets, which was a fun project. I was a little nervous about how it would go, but they did fine and seemed to enjoy it. Ainsley opened some very fun birthday presents from her friends and then we all enjoyed cupcakes!

When the party was over, it was nap time, which, yes, still happens on a regular basis. We ate dinner as a family and then had a Family Movie Night, one of Ainsley's favorite activities. All in all, it was a great day celebrating Ainsley!!!

Happy Birthday, Ainsley!!! We love you and are so proud of you!!!

{Ainsley Says 15}

2012-01-06T08:46:00.002-06:00

a precious moment to remember...

Ainsley just came out of her room wearing a dress up ring and sunglasses. When I complimented her on them, she said, "I just want to look as nice as you." I picked her up to give her a hug and she said, "I love you."

What a sweetie!

"It was the best of times..."

2011-12-22T23:22:00.001-06:00

It never ceases to amaze me to see and hear what Ainsley has learned. She and I were playing in her room the other day when I stepped out to talk to Kristen for a minute. A minute later I hear her calling "Daaaaddddyyyy!! Daaaaadyyyyyy, come heeere!" Half expecting her to try to think of a question after I arrive, I make my way to her room. As I get to her door (and before I can fully take in the situation), Ainsley says, "Daddy, I wrote your name!" I look down and this is what I see:

She had actually written my "name!" She has known her letters for quite some time, and I know her aunt Kendra has been particularly working on her letters with her, but without any prompting or suggestion, she'd gotten that toy out and written my name!! Needless to say I promptly called in Kristen and Ainsley was showered with praise for her achievement. I'm not sure if it is her first independently written word, but it was at least the first that I had seen. To try to keep things somewhat even, then, I asked her to write "mom," which she was quickly able to oblige:

It has somewhat boggled my mind to think about this most recent achievement. It seems unreal that she is entering the world of the literate, opening the door to an immense world of knowledge and ideas (unless, of course, she is searching the internet, where both are difficult to find). Stranger still is the wonder of what she will write next and what will she write throughout her life. Before this sentence, this blog post alone has 272 words. Where will her words take her; what will her writing achieve? In what ways might God use this burgeoning step towards literacy for his glory? Words stretching from her name, to essays about her favorite animal; theological analyses to love letters - maybe even an occasional note to dear old mom and dad. For know, I am adoring her excited squeals, seeing her joy as we revel in her accomplishment. There'll be plenty of time for essays and analysis later (much later for certain letters). For now I am quite content with this further step towards independence, starting with "DAD" and "MOM," and delighted to be allowed to witness her continued transformation into a young lady.

an unofficial introduction...

2011-12-19T11:07:00.001-06:00

...to our baby girl!

I had my 20 week ultrasound today. Heath and Ainsley were able to come, too, which was quite fun! We had been preparing Ainsley for what the ultrasound would be like and that we would hopefully get to find out if the baby is a girl or a boy. She really wanted to wear her "big sister" shirt, so she did. Ainsley was so good during the ultrasound and seemed to enjoy seeing the pictures of our baby. She was talkative and asked questions, too. She kept saying, "the baby's so cute!" The technician was so impressed with how well Ainsley did that she gave her some pictures of her own of the baby. When the technician told us the baby is a girl, Ainsley's face was one big smile! She is so excited!!! As are Heath and I!

The technician checked to make sure our baby is growing well and everything looked normal, which is just fabulous news!! We're so grateful to have a healthy baby girl so far!!!

Oh and for those of you who are interested - here's my belly at 20 weeks. And in case you're wondering, I looked about like this when I was 24 weeks with Ainsley.

{Ainsley Says 14}

2011-12-06T08:44:00.000-06:00

This morning Ainsley said to me, "Mommy, your belly is pretty big!"

I replied, "Yes, the baby is getting bigger."

"I can't wait to see it move!" Ainsley exclaimed with great excitement.

16 Weeks

2011-11-19T10:12:00.000-06:00

My 16 week appointment was this week. It was a quick appointment as I haven't been having any problems (thank you Lord!!) but I did get to hear Baby's heartbeat. I forgot to ask the doctor how fast the heartbeat was so I don't have any numbers for you. The appointment came at just the right time; I've been worrying more lately about the baby and wondering if everything is still okay. I know God is good and in control and loves this baby so I just need to trust that He will take care of the baby in His perfect wisdom. But it's hard day by day not to worry.

Everything is going well, though. I am feeling good and less exhausted than the first trimester. I haven't had too many cravings yet; I am just glad that food sounds good and that I enjoy cooking again. My belly is growing, especially lately. It's been four years since I've been 16 weeks pregnant, and I have to keep reminding myself that it's normal for my belly to be expanding. There's a total mental switch between working for and hoping that the number on the scale is going down to knowing and expecting it to increase. Earlier this week I put on my winter coat and zipped it up. Then I thought, "What is wrong with this thing? Why is it bunching and fitting so weirdly?" Almost immediately I laughed as I realized that it's my belly that has grown and is making the coat fit differently.

I'm not completely wearing maternity clothes yet, and I actually have a pair of jeans that still fit - yay! I did get out my tub of maternity clothes the other day and put them in my closet and dresser. It won't be too much longer though, I don't think, before it's all maternity clothes for me.

Ainsley is now insistent that she's going to have a baby sister. I'm not sure what instigated her change of mind, but I think it's funny and cute. We just keep telling her that we don't know yet but either a brother or a sister will be so much fun. I did make my next appointment, which will be just after 20 weeks and will be an ultrasound where we can find out the sex. We are planning on finding out and hoping that Baby will cooperate. The appointment is set for Monday, December 19th. We'll be sure to post our news!!

first snow of the year!

2011-11-09T09:44:00.000-06:00

It was rainy yesterday and started off rainy today. Heath called me this morning to say that it had started snowing on his way to work, so Ainsley and I were keeping an eye out. And then the rain turned to snow, small flakes at first and then larger flakes. Ainsley asked right away to go outside to catch snowflakes on her tongue and Aunt Kendra and I couldn't say no. She also requested to wear her boots, which I thought was funny.

You can't really tell from the pictures, but she was able to catch some snowflakes on her tongue!

I had a couple errands to run today so I did that really quick and boy is it windy and chilly today!! But from inside the snow sure is pretty! It makes me want to curl up with a great book and hot cup of coffee.

All About Me (by Ainsley)

2011-11-04T10:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday evening, Heath asked Ainsley a bunch of "what's your favorite..." questions. It was pretty cute to hear her answers so we wanted to share with you and record them!

What is your favorite...

Color.....White
Animal.....Zebra
Stuffed animal.....Princess
Game.....Candyland
Food......Yellow cheese
Book......Fancy Nancy: Explorer Extraordinaire
Movie.....SweetPea Beauty
Princess......Ariel
Thing to play......Dress up
Instrument......Flute
Song......Jesus Loves Me
Animal at Grandpa/Grandma Munsons house.....Fancy
Candy.....eye candy (from Halloween), strawberry fruit snacks

{Ainsley Says 13}

2011-11-02T08:39:00.000-05:00

Ainsley & I like to listen to music in the morning. This morning, Ainsley has been dancing a lot, too, which mainly consists of running/skipping/jumping in a circle. After awhile, she stopped, and I asked her, "Are you out of breath now?"

She replied, in all seriousness, "No, I still have my breath but I just need to stop dancing for a little bit."

Big News!!!

2011-10-19T22:29:00.002-05:00

We're expecting a baby!! I'm 12 weeks along and due May 3rd. I just had my first ultrasound this morning and everything looked great! Heath and I were able to see Baby moving around (seemed quite active!!) and hear the heartbeat. It was amazing and so much fun!!

I have been feeling pretty good overall. I had about 3 weeks of light nausea from 6-9 weeks. During those weeks, I was incredibly hungry but food really didn't sound good. I also didn't want coffee then, so I didn't drink any for those weeks. I have been amazingly tired every day. I need a 30 minute nap nearly every day and still go to bed at about 9:30. I think I'm starting to get more energy now, which is good!

Ainsley is pretty excited, we think, though she really has no idea how much her life is going to change! When we first told her, this was part of the conversation we had with her:
H & K: "So, you're going to have a baby brother or a baby sister."
Ainsley: "A baby brother?!"
H & K: "Or a baby sister."
Ainsley: "A brother?"

Since then she still seems to be thinking we're having a boy, though I'm not sure she's set her heart on that. We are planning on finding out the gender at our next ultrasound (20 weeks), so we'll be sure to post about that news!

We are so incredibly grateful for this little life and can hardly wait to meet him or her!

Ainsley's New Hair Cut

2011-09-19T17:00:00.000-05:00

Ainsley got her hair cut today (by someone other than me!). It is kind of a big deal because she got several inches off the length. She seems to really like it, which is great! I like it too!!

Before

After

{Ainsley Says 12}

2011-09-19T06:44:00.000-05:00

On our way home this evening, Ainsley had some interesting questions for us.

"Mom, do clouds have wings?"

Ainsley: "Mom, where are the birds?"

Mom: "Probably in the trees getting ready for bed."

After a minute of silence, Ainsley asked, "Are they brushing their teeth?"

Mom: "No, birds don't have teeth, so they don't brush them."

Ainsley: "Are they putting on their pajamas?"

Mom: "No, birds don't wear pajamas, either."

Ainsley: "How do birds get ready for bed?"

{Ainsley Says 11}

2011-09-16T10:48:00.001-05:00

I asked Ainsley the other day what she wanted to be when she grows up.

"An adult, a doctor, and a nurse."

I appreciate that she starts off so practically.

{Ainsley Says 10}

2011-09-08T12:50:00.000-05:00

Two questions from Ainsley at lunch today:

"How old is God?"

"Is Jesus still a man?"

{Ainsley Says 9}

2011-08-30T14:19:00.000-05:00

The other day Ainsley and I were talking about how a few of her stuffed animals have developed holes lately and some of the filling has been coming out.

Speaking of Bashful (our cat), Ainsley says, "He's soft because his filling isn't coming out."

Later on, she was petting Bashful again and his tail was shaking (something he does when he likes what you're doing).
Ainsley says, "Maybe he's supposed to be a rattlecat."

(If you're struggling, think of a rattlesnake. I couldn't stop laughing!)

{Ainsley Says 8}

2011-08-19T09:21:00.000-05:00

This morning Ainsley and I were painting a little bit. She finished and was watching me intently. At one point she said, "Those are pretty flowers. I can almost smell them!"

snippets

2011-08-18T06:46:00.001-05:00

Ainsley counted to 100 today nearly by herself. I helped her remember 60, 70, 80, and 90, but she got all the other numbers!

Speaking of growing up, she is already planning her first road trip when she's 16 and can drive. I guess that's not all bad considering her destination is the art museum! (She's thrilled by the art museum in the book Fancy Nancy at the Museum.)

President Obama apparently was at Maquoketa High School on Tuesday. I saw a massively impressive looking motorcade out our bay windows and briefly thought it looked like it could be for the President. Quickly dismissing the thought, I wondered what else it could be? Guess my instinct was right.

The summer has gone too fast!! Kids are back to school around here and I can hardly believe that before we know it the leaves will be turning and it will be time for pumpkins, apple pies, and sweaters!

Ainsley has started picked out her own clothes pretty consistently now. It is very exciting to her to lay out what she's going to wear the next day. Sometimes she gets dressed in the morning and then picks out a new outfit for the next day right away! It's really adorable (and I think a small picture of her tendency toward order).

2011-08-15T14:26:00.000-05:00

I knew it had been awhile since I posted, but sheesh! I didn't realize quite how long!! I need to get back into this, at least for my sake to document some of these memories!

We've definitely been enjoying our summer! I've been remembering how much I missed Iowa summers - the cool mornings & evenings especially! Ainsley got a kiddie pool from her grandparents. It's just big enough for her to jump into and just small enough that it doesn't make me nervous.

A few weekends ago, we made a trip to Ames to visit my brother and his wife in their new house. We hadn't been to visit since we helped move them in, so we were well due! We had a great time visiting and did a lot of fun things.

at the farmers' market

eating free fresh peaches and ice cream at the farmers' market

Ainsley's instinct lately whenever there's a loud noise is to plug her ears. So, every 15 minutes when the campanile bells chimed, this is what she looked like.

flying a kite on central campus at Iowa Sate

arranging flowers picked from Aunt Chelsea's garden

impromptu family photo

That's all for the Ames photos...

This is a completely random picture, but it is how we see Ainsley most often - dressed up in a princess dress with a headband, necklace or bracelet or all three.

I hope you're having a great summer!!

{Ainsley Says 7}

2011-06-28T06:32:00.008-05:00

After dinner the other night Heath & Ainsley had the following conversation:

Ainsley: "What did we have for dinner?"

Heath: "It was chicken and couscous and tomatoes and snap peas. I don't know what the dish is called."

Ainsley: "It's a plate."

{Ainsley Says 6}

2011-06-23T09:02:00.000-05:00

This morning Ainsley and I made a strawberry pie for dinner tonight with friends. As is tradition (passed down from my mom's mom), I made pie-doughs with the leftover pie crust dough, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Ainsley likes to clean up the mess I make by sticking her fingers in it (whether it is flour or sugar or whatever) and then licking them. (I try to curb this, but Heath tells me I do the same thing so I guess she learned it from me!)

After one (apparently delicious) swoop & lick, Ainsley says in all seriousness, "Mom, I really like sugar."

Ahhhh, you gotta love the simple honesty of a 3 year old!

summer thunderstorm

2011-06-16T12:34:00.001-05:00

Yesterday evening we decided to go for a walk. We do this pretty often in the evenings when it's nice out. We like getting out of the house, and Ainsley just has a blast looking at nearly every rock, branch, ant, flower and piece of trash.

We hadn't gotten very far at all last night when we heard the unmistakable "boom" of thunder. A quick look up verified that yes, a thunderstorm was indeed rolling in. It came in pretty fast; we started back home and just a few minutes after getting inside, the huge drops started falling. It was pouring in just a few seconds.
Heath and Ainsley had grabbed a large umbrella and sat out on the front steps to watch the storm. It was pretty cool!

{Ainsley Says 5}

2011-06-15T19:17:00.000-05:00

"the three special rules for p'sghetti"

1. twirl it around your fork
2. lift it up
3. lift it into your mouth

{Ainsley Says 4}

2011-06-02T12:22:00.000-05:00

{Ainsley Says 3}

2011-05-24T06:40:00.001-05:00

Ainsley and I were out and about in the car the other day on our way to Dubuque. There's a place on the highway were you get a very good view of the bridge crossing the Mississippi River and Ainsley calls it the "Big Bridge". She knows that she'll see it nearly every time we go to Dubuque.

So this day, I said to her, "We're getting closer to the Big Bridge. Keep an eye out for it."

"But I am keeping an eye out for it, " said Ainsley with her fingers closing her left eye. Then, looking side to side with her one eye open, she said, "Where is the Big Bridge, Mommy? Where is it?"

A few minutes later, I said, "The Big Bridge is coming up. Are you keeping an eye out for it?"

"Yes, I am. [pause] Two eyes!!" Ainsley replied with both eyes opened wide.

{Ainsley Says 2}

2011-05-17T08:00:00.003-05:00

Ainsley and I set out to fix one of her princess headbands today. I got out the zip-lock with all the pieces as well as the hot glue gun.

Ainsley, upon seeing the hot glue gun, asked, "What is that?"

I replied, "It's a hot glue gun."

"How does it work?" was her next question.

Such a grown-up sounding question!! I love it! :)

{Ainsley Says 1}

2011-05-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

The other day at the dinner table, Heath and I were discussing the death of Osama bin Laden and the subsequent celebrating in the US. We were talking along the lines of not being happy that another person is separated from God forever, though we are glad he is not hurting anyone anymore.

Heath said, "I don't think there's ever a time we should celebrate the death of another person."
Ainsley looked up and said, "Except for Jesus."

Wow - yes, she couldn't have been more right - we do celebrate His death & resurrection for us.

New Series: {Ainsley Says}

2011-05-10T17:22:00.004-05:00

For awhile now I've been tossing around the idea of starting a series of posts of things Ainsley says. I keep thinking that I'm going to start writing down some of those things and I haven't yet - so this will help me do that. She says some pretty cute & funny things that I want to record and share with you! I'll be posting once a week something new or funny or cute that Ainsley has said. Enjoy! I know I will!

Happy Easter, Birthday & Mother's Day!!

2011-05-08T17:41:00.001-05:00

Ainsley's dress for Easter Sunday. She looked forward to wearing it and enjoyed every minute in it. It was so cute watching her and the other little girls show their dresses to each other.

After church we enjoyed dinner with friends in town and the kids had an Easter egg hunt. It was a great afternoon of fun for everyone!

Skip to this weekend - we celebrated Heath's birthday with his family by having dinner at a local restaurant and then cake and ice cream back at our place. Ainsley helped me get ready for the party. We mixed and baked the cake & cupcakes. (and taste tested of course!)

We hung streamers for decoration.

I forgot to take a photo of the cake before we cut into, but here's what's left of it and the cupcakes. Heath insisted on having 28 candles on his cake and had no problem blowing them all out in one breath.

We had a great time celebrating! Happy Birthday Heath! We love you!!

Being Mother's day, I can't write a post and not say how much I love being a mother and how much I love our daughter! God has given us a precious gift in Ainsley and such an enormous task of raising her to love and follow Him. May He be praised in her life!

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers!!

mid week pictures

2011-03-16T18:37:00.000-05:00

just thought I'd share these pictures from today

Ainsley's thinking face

her happy face

her angry face

her sad face

and finally...

her surprised face

2011-03-02T16:36:00.000-06:00

This little family had a great weekend together!

Heath brought flowers home for his two girls - aren't they gorgeous?! okay, so the photo really doesn't do them justice.

On a whim, Heath picked up a couple new puzzles for us to do.
a cute bunny one for Ainsley; it challenged her so it should last for a little while!

and a pretty cool Saturday Evening Post one for he and I - with 1,000 pieces. It had been awhile since either of us had done an adult puzzle, and those pieces are much smaller than the ones in children's puzzles! We were able to complete it in three sittings and a total of about 6 hours. Not bad, I'd say. It definitely whett our appetite for more, and at the surprisingly low price of $9 (go Walmart!), we can handle a few more!

Ainsley and Heath played a made-up game called "Achoo" consisting of blowing a kleenex across the table (created by Heath).

And we hung out and took funny pictures of each other.

snow day pictures

2011-02-04T15:58:00.001-06:00

Heath was home on Wednesday because of the snow and impassable roads. The amount of snow that fell Tuesday night kind of shocked me. Our neighbors had one serious snow drift that was right at the bottom of the window in their house. Heath (brave soul that he is) attempted to shovel out his car in order to get to work. He was literally shoveling out 2-3 feet of snow around his car. After awhile, it became apparent that he would need to spend several more hours (after the one already spent) shoveling just to make it out of our driveway. There were no guarantees that he'd get much further as the road conditions on the highway were "travel not advised, towing services prohibited".
Our neighbor later arrived with a plow attached to the front of a four wheeler, which he promptly got stuck in the driveway. It took he and another guy with a skid loader (I think) about 3 hours to clear out the driveway.

Heath took Ainsley outside for a little bit (it was too cold to stay out long) and the pictures are telling.

we're new in town...again

2011-02-02T06:36:00.001-06:00

Wow, it's been quite the month. I can hardly believe that we [again] packed up all our belongings and moved to a new city and a new home. Apparently, we're working on becoming moving experts! :) This time around went just as well as the last, rather surprisingly, given that we had just a month to plan and pack. I suppose many people move in less time than that, but I thought the month went awfully fast. We again had a good bit of help from family and new friends and we appreciate every minute of their time!!

I know I haven't been good about getting details on this blog about the move, so in case you're wondering -

Heath was offered and accepted a counseling position in Dubuque. We had trouble finding a good place to rent in Dubuque, but found a really nice duplex in Maquoketa about 35 minutes South of Dubuque. This is our fifth day in our new home, having moved in this past Saturday. We have 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, a huge kitchen & living room and surprisingly, enough room to store all of our things! :)
We have most of the boxes unpacked (thanks to our family!), are getting settled in, and hope to be here for awhile.

I was (and still am) rather nervous about living in a small town. Okay, I know Maquoketa isn't a tiny town, but it's smaller than anywhere I've ever lived. I was relieved to find out there is a Walmart Supercenter, which is where I do most of our grocery, etc shopping. Ainsley and I went yesterday to make sure we had enough food before the winter storm hit. At different times in our trip, two employees became very chatty with me. It was surprising (and a little refreshing) after having shopped for years at stores where the employees hardly take the time to look at you.
I don't know much else that is in town, but I am looking forward to exploring the nooks & crannies. We saw a theater and a cafe and maybe a second hand store downtown. All fun places to explore!

No pictures yet of the new place or of Ainsley - sorry! I'll try to do that soon. Just imagine a few stacks of boxes scattered around, a large pile of flattened empty boxes by the back door, makeshift curtains (flattened boxes) in the windows, and no decorative items.

For all of you with a snow day - enjoy it and do something fun!

Ainsley's Birthday Party

2011-01-11T18:31:00.000-06:00

We hosted both sides of our family on Saturday to celebrate Ainsley's birthday. It was a lot of people (18!) for our place, but it was fun! Here are some pictures from the party.

the birthday girl

she said "thank you" to the giver and gave hugs after each gift

Heath & I gave her a bike (yea!)

doesn't she look old?

the cake - our best representation of her bike (go easy, we're not artists!)

she thought it was pretty cool that we all sang "happy birthday" to her

blowing out her candles - each candle required its own puff

digging into the cake - easily the part she was most excited about

Thanks to our families for coming! We had a blast!!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Ainsley!!!

2011-01-08T08:17:00.001-06:00

this is how I found Ainsley this morning (at 6:15am)...so excited for her birthday!

happy birthday, sweet girl! we love you!!!

2011-01-07T09:06:00.000-06:00

I kept meaning to write a post about Christmas, and here it is January 7th and I haven't and this post still isn't going to be a Christmas recap. Oh well.

We did have a wonderful Christmas, celebrating Jesus' birthday (as we kept telling Ainsley) with our families. It was great to only have a 2 hour drive! Ainsley has been enjoying her new toys (and movies). I think we have played Candy Land nearly every day since Christmas. She received some very cool toys that make her seem so grown up. There are so many little pieces!

In other news, right before Christmas, Heath interviewed and was offered a counseling position in Dubuque. We were so excited and he accepted it after Christmas. So now we are in the process of moving...again. I have started packing (just a little), and I am making my "moving to do list". We have some possible places to live that we'll be checking out in the next couple of weeks.

Though we just moved here and really just finished getting completely unpacked and settled in, in a way, moving this soon is kind of nice. I mean, we've hardly had time to collect more things. Most everything is still nicely organized which will make packing easier.

Also - our little girl is turning 3 tomorrow!! I just cannot believe it. We're having her first birthday party with both sides of our family coming to our place tomorrow for lunch and cake. I'm so excited to celebrate! My mom was always so good at making birthdays special and I want to do the same for Ainsley.

I haven't gone crazy with the birthday decorations, though - trying to keep it somewhat simple for a couple of reasons - so I don't get overwhelmed and so that I have some room to improve in future years. I mean, if I pull out all the stops now, can you imagine how big and expensive her Sweet 16th party will need to be?!? :)

Heath and I were talking about that yesterday and about what really makes birthdays special. We think it boils down to having family & friends around and celebrating life. So, we have a few presents and decorations that I think Ainsley will really like - and of course, cake, which she seems to be most excited about. :)

So, here's to the last day that my baby girl can say she is 2 and a half.

a gift from friends faraway

2010-12-20T16:15:00.000-06:00

Ainsley had a surprise waiting for her when she woke up from her nap today. A package had come in the mail with her name on it!

She was so excited to open it, especially when she knew who it was from - our friends Nate, Rosa, Sanaa, and Layla in Dallas. As soon as the wrapping paper was off, she knew what it was and had her new "cute purse" (as she called it) hanging from her arm.

She has a little message for Rosa, the creative genius behind the gift:

our weekend

2010-12-20T09:46:00.001-06:00

We had the best weekend! Our good friends, Chad and Brandi, came to visit us from Dallas!! You know they're good friends because they left 60 degree weather to come to 10-20 degree weather.

We had a blast with them, including going out to a nearby lake to "walk on water". We even got to see some people ice fishing - that was fun for all of us to see. Here we are all bundled up.

on the lake - checking out some recently drilled & re-frozen ice fishing holes

We also hung out at home, staying warm and cozy. Ainsley learned how to play games on their new iPad. She really liked it!

And we couldn't forget to get a whole group shot

surprised by my daughter

2010-12-09T19:44:00.001-06:00

On a recent outing, Ainsley and I were at the check out counter of Hobby Lobby when she stated matter of factly, "Mom, I would like a little bit of money."

With a smile, I asked, "What would you do with a little bit of money?"

To which she answered, "I want to put it in the red bucket."

She was talking about the Salvation Army bucket right outside the door. The last time we were at Hobby Lobby, I gave her a quarter to put in the bucket and she remembered. I had asked the question off-handedly and was shocked by her answer. I dug in my purse for the few pennies I had and she enjoyed dropping them in the bucket.

I just hope I can keep that love of giving vibrant in Ainsley's heart and, to be honest, in my own.

a long overdue update

2010-12-01T17:18:00.000-06:00

I know, it has been forever since I posted! Here are some updates from the last couple of months:

Work has been crazy busy for me, so I have been putting in loooong days. but Ainsley is doing great in spite of it all!
It has turned cold here like we haven't experienced since moving from Iowa 4 years ago! I appreciate moms who live in cold states much more now that I am bundling Ainsley up for each exit and entrance to our home and stores.
We were able to spend a few days with each family to celebrate Thanksgiving this year - something we hardly ever got when we lived in Dallas. We had a great time with everyone!
Since it is officially Christmas Season, we picked out our tree and decorated this past Sunday & Monday evenings. Ainsley was so excited and enjoyed the whole process!
So far we have all been fairly healthy, which is great.
We saw the first snow of the year yesterday - just tiny flurries, but there was a tiny bit in the grass this morning. We are excited for snow!!
Ainsley lost a mitten this morning as we were leaving Walmart. I have no idea where it could have gone, but it's not in the car and it wasn't on her hand when we got home!
I am almost finished putting together our Christmas cards, so they'll be going out soon. Yea!
Since last year, I have been wanting to get a sweater dress for Ainsley - they're so darling! But they're also kind of pricey, so a few weeks ago, I found a red women's sweater in good condition at Salvation Army for $2. Using a few different online tutorials and a dress & sweater of Ainsley's, I re-fashioned the sweater into a dress for her. It was fun! And a lot easier than I expected. I am disappointed with the collar, though. Next time, I'll find a little bit smaller women's sweater so that I can use the existing collar rather than making my own. The best part of it all? Ainsley loves her new dress!!!
Heath is working at the local print shop with my brother and doing well at it. He's looking for counseling jobs, but it's kind of slow going.
I'm making Baked Ravioli for dinner tonight from one of my favorite cookbooks and I am so excited!
As usual, I am loving this season of picking out and making presents for everyone! Don't you just love giving gifts??
I killed a basil plant recently. I have no idea what I did wrong, but from the moment it entered our house, it seemed to wither. Oh well.
Ainsley is learning Christmas songs. She knows "Away in a Manger" and "Go Tell it on the Mountain" decently well now. It's pretty cute to hear her sing. We'll have to try to get a video.
check here for some new photos (I'll be adding more soon, too)

Trick or Treat

2010-11-03T17:33:00.000-05:00

We were visiting Heath's parents this past weekend, and when we heard that our nephew would be trick or treating Sunday night, we decided to join them. It was a last minute decision and I had not planned a costume at all. However, Ainsley has been dressing up as Cinderella every day for a couple weeks now, so I just brought along her dress up clothes. She was so excited to "look like a princess." She kept saying how pretty she was and how she looked like Cinderella. We also had not prepped her on proper trick or treating etiquette, but after explaining what would happen and that she should say "thank you" when given candy, she caught on surprisingly quick. I had no idea how much candy we would end up with!! Of course, it helped that halfway through the evening, we realized that her cousin was taking two pieces of candy at each house and giving one to Ainsley, who was of course getting her own piece, too. What a sweet kiddo!

Trick or treating is an odd tradition, but it was tons of fun with everyone!!

it got kind of chilly towards the end, but Ainsley kept warm with her hat

CinderAinsley

2010-10-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Note: I wrote this a few days ago, but just got the coordinating photo off the camera this morning.

This afternoon after her nap, Ainsley wanted me to play in her room with her dress up clothes. She immediately went to her favorite "pink & white" dress as she calls it. She found a headband and a necklace to finish it off so she would look like Cinderella. She even told me that Cinderella had a headband and a hair tie and a necklace. And then, of course, she asked to watch Cinderella.

Part way through the movie, when Cinderella's fairy godmother arrives and dresses Cinderella in her fancy dress and glass slippers, Ainsley rushed off to her room. I wondered what she was doing and then she came back with her fancy dress up high heeled shoes - just like Cinderella.

To top it off, after the movie was over and she and I were playing in her room, she said quite seriously, "I want to ride in a carriage. With a prince."

Oh how I am praying for a fabulous prince for you, dear girl!!

Update: Ainsley now calls this pink & white dress her "Cinderella dress" and when she puts it on, she says "I look like Cinderella."

fun at the park

2010-10-05T09:04:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago, Ainsley and I took a walk to a nearby park. It was a beautiful day, if not a little windy, and I wanted an excuse to try out Heath's new camera. We've been back to this park a couple more times and Ainsley has fun investigating the wood chips. She is always finding some little bug to interest her. Unfortunately, we're still working on her inevitable desire to squash said bug. I am trying to teach her the difference between bugs inside the house and outside. While they are free to roam and live outside, I do not allow them to share our living area (as much as I can, anyway).

This particular day at the park, Ainsley had much to show me.

Iowa weather: we meet again

2010-09-19T14:07:00.000-05:00

Our Afternoon View

Today is a bit of a reacquaintance with Iowa weather. I had thought it would be a relatively easy transition since we've been back each winter and experienced sub-zero temperatures during those times. While we were in Dallas, I would scoff to myself when I would see a man with a stocking hat and plush, down coat waiting at the bus stop when the temperature would dip under 70 degrees. Today, however, it's cold and rainy and I feel like I need my earmuffs and winter coat. Which makes sense when you consider that today's high is slightly colder here than the average high in December in Dallas, the coldest month. I expected the cold to come, just not a mere 4 weeks after we arrived amid 90 degree weather. So today we sit, sipping warm apple cider wearing slippers on a dreary afternoon while Ainsley naps. Here's hoping to get to see fall before jumping straight to winter.

yesterday's craft

2010-09-09T17:03:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it is hard for me to be creative with Ainsley. I tend to get stuck in a boring rut and start thinking of ways to merely "entertain" her so that I can do what I want to do. How selfish is that?! I hate that my heart is so much more attuned to my desires than hers.

That said, it is a breath of fresh air to have an idea pop into my head like the one that did yesterday. In this process of moving and unpacking and getting rid of boxes, we still have a good number at our place. So, Ainsley and I pulled out one large box, and I cut it so it would lay flat. Then she lay down on it very still so I could trace around her body. After the tracing was finished, she got to work on the coloring. I think she enjoyed it, though it sure didn't take very long! She's not really all that interested in crafts, yet. Still, it was fun.

here's Ainsley tracing herself

and here she is coloring herself

and here she is proud of her work

I am looking to put together a loose schedule of sorts for Ainsley and me during the day. I think we both are in need of it, but I am struggling with how to do it. So, if you moms out there have any ideas or thoughts about how you structure your day, I would love to hear them!!

weekend trip

2010-09-09T08:45:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday morning, we drove a short distance (only 2 1/2 hours!) to Heath's parents' house. We stayed until Sunday evening and were able to see Heath's brother and his family, too. We had a great time!

Ainsley loved petting the horses!

She also got a kick out of their new tractor. When she saw it in the barn, she said, "I want to drive that!" Guess she's got a little country blood in her! :)

Our Labor Day

2010-09-07T15:16:00.000-05:00

Heath bought a new digital SLR camera yesterday and had some fun trying it out. So, here's our day in photos:

a little sewing

a little smiling

a little park-playing

even mom & dad got in on the fun

We hope y'all had a relaxing Labor day!!

kitchen improvements

2010-09-03T08:15:00.000-05:00

Ainsley's kitchen had need for some improvement.

Because what good is a kitchen without an oven in which to bake scrumptious pies?

And you must be able to wash the dishes afterward

And dry them, of course.

With all the boxes we've had around our place, I thought it as good a time as any to experiment with making a cardboard kitchen. I've seen amazing creations like this and this. I'm pretty happy with how this first try turned out and with how simple it was to do!

feeling good

2010-09-02T07:36:00.000-05:00

Well for the first time since Saturday night, I think we all had a good night's sleep. Our A/C has been broken since midday Sunday, and though it's not as hot here as Texas the afternoons and evenings definitely were uncomfortable in our place. But, it's been recharged so it is working for now and there are plans set for it to get completely fixed tonight. Yea for air conditioning!!

Ainsley and I have been having fun despite the heat. The mornings are nice and cool so I rather liked having the windows open - until about noon. First thing I did this morning was turn off the air and open the windows. Anyway, there's been a couple of praying mantis (how do you make that plural? mantises? mantisi?) hanging out on the garage doors. We have taken a liking to them and were sad to see that they had moved on yesterday. Ainsley and I have also been coloring with chalk on our balcony, playing with play-doh, reading books, cooking and having pretend picnics (check out her "new" stove in the photo below), and playing in the grassy area between our building and the next.

Ainsley is talking more and more every day, it seems. She's saying things like "Daddy are you okay?" and "Do you know what that's called?" We just can't get enough!!

Have a wonderful Thursday!!

breakfast date

2010-08-28T07:22:00.001-05:00

Ainsley asked that Pinkie (her aptly named pink dog, in the picture below) eat breakfast with her yesterday. She wanted peach yogurt and she wanted Pinkie to eat strawberry yogurt. I couldn't resist taking a photo!

settling in

2010-08-26T07:26:00.000-05:00

enjoying our Peaches 'N' Cream sweet corn!!!

the view from our kitchen into our living room. this is only part of the living room as the other part still has piles of boxes.

a closer view of my makeshift photo wall (since we can't put new nail holes in the walls)

the cute part of my kitchen counter

looking into the kitchen over the bar counter

some perks of living in Iowa

2010-08-24T13:03:00.000-05:00

Ainsley and I had some fabulous Peaches 'n' Cream sweet corn for lunch today - yum!

While out and about this morning, I was kind of wishing I'd worn a long sleeved shirt. It was a little chilly! But it felt great!! I am debating about turning off the air and opening the windows...

The smell of ragweed in the air is just wonderful; it smells so fresh and clean.

Ainsley and I left our place at 6pm last night and flew down the highway with traffic that was similar to 6am or 10pm in Dallas. I was pleasantly surprised!

Hello, Iowa

2010-08-22T13:35:00.000-05:00

Well, here we are in our new place, just the three of us (plus Bashful). Here's a quick recap of the past few days. Thursday morning Heath went to pick up our rental truck and discovered that they'd brought us the wrong size truck, unfortunately one size too small.

Three hours later at 11 am we had the right size truck and were starting to load it up. We had a good number of people helping us, and we were SO grateful for the extra hands!! It was quite hot - that Dallas heat - but we all took breaks. About six hours later the truck was loaded and the apartment was clean. What a day!

Friday morning we awoke at 3:15 to get showered and load up the last minute things. We drove out of Dallas at 5:03 am with Heath & I in the truck and my parents, Ainsley, and Bashful in our Taurus. (We towed the Focus on a dolley attached to the truck). It was a pretty good trip; Ainsley did so well, and even Bashful was quiet & sleepy most of the trip (thanks to some doctor prescribed sedatives). We had some heavy rains for a bit; mom & dad even caught some hail. And we hit some traffic where we were stopped still for about 20 minutes. But other than that the trip went smoothly. We arrived at the condo at about 8:45pm, for a total trip time of 15 hours, 42 minutes.

After meeting our landlord, getting a tour, and signing the lease (while my parents and Ainsley were at Walmart) we set up our makeshift air mattress beds and crashed for the night.

Saturday morning we leisurely awoke and got breakfast at the nearby Panera before our friends and family arrived to unload the truck at 9am.

My sister specifically came to watch Ainsley for us and she did a great job! Thanks, Aunt Kendra!!

I was shocked that the unloading was finished in less than an hour! Then everyone helped us put together beds and our kitchen table, as well as unpacking the kitchen boxes.

Part of the fun of our new place is that Ainsley has her own room. She had previously lived her whole life in the laundry room. Needless to say, she was thrilled to have her own room. I had been telling her that she'd have a big girl bed when we moved. I was a little unsure as to how she would do, but last night she was so exhausted that after a couple of times putting her back in bed, she went right to sleep. At 2 am this morning, I heard her crying and jumped out of bed. She was walking out of her room towards the living room and crying so hard. She needed a diaper change, and in the midst of that she kept saying through her tears "go back home now." I almost cried myself seeing her confusion but just told her that this is home now. I took her back to bed and about a half hour later she fell back asleep. Thankfully, she awoke this morning in a good mood. She really seems to enjoy her big girl bed. I just can hardly believe we're at this stage already!

Right now our space is livable, even though we have large piles of boxes to unpack and put away. The three of us made a trip to Walmart this morning for some groceries so we were able to eat a home style lunch for the first time in several days. It tasted wonderful!

Well, I guess that pretty much sums up the last few days. THANKS to everyone who helped us - giving us boxes, babysitting, helping with meals, loading/unloading, cleaning, and driving our car. We couldn't have done it without your help!!

Our adventure has begun...we are excited to see what God has in store for our little family!!

Dear Dallas

2010-08-16T07:46:00.002-05:00

I have one phrase of a song from church yesterday running through my head. It has nothing to do with us moving, but still, all I can think is "we will never be the same."

It has been a great joy to live in your city these past four years. We have become more accustomed than we care to admit to your weather, your state pride, and your love of guns. We will carry with us the memory of hot, hot days and Orange air warnings on the highways. We have loved getting to know your streets and highways, Mexican & BBQ restaurants, and your history and buildings. Your skyline will always bring a smile to our faces. But most of all, we have loved getting to know your people.

It is they with whom we debate over the correct pronunciation of "kolache." We will have to fight to not say "corney dog" rather than corn dog. I will continue to tease Heath about eating the last cookie and he will be amazed (for their sakes) at how few movies I've seen. Ainsley will know what a moose says, even if her new friends disagree. We will remember the longest game of hand & foot ever. A small group just won't be the same without a Tanglewood vacation and water basketball. I'm convinced there's nothing quite as good as sushi at Kona or play dates with them. We know their quirks and they know ours. We are proud of the fact that Ainsley has Texas citizenship and we may fall back on that should Texas ever really secede.

We can't wait to see pictures of Baby Kate and meet her in person, and we can't bear that Sanaa and Layla, Jillian and Caleb will grow up despite our absence.

You have been more than friends to us. You have been like brothers and sisters, aunt and uncles, and grandparents to us. Thank you for all the hours of babysitting and play dates, the recommendations and advice you've given us, the tons of food you have fed us, the late night games, the laughter. You are tremendously loved and we will miss you more than we can say. You are our Dallas Family.

with much love,
Heath, Kristen, and Ainsley

All our bags are packed...

2010-08-14T08:52:00.000-05:00

Oh I wish that were true! I feel like I have so much further to go! It seems as soon as I pack up a few boxes and step back to admire my work, I see how much more there is to do. We are making good progress, which you can see from the photos below. Poor Ainsley is gradually losing her play area, but she is dealing pretty well with that. I just cannot believe that we drive away from here in less than a week. This apartment has been a lovely home for us these past 4 years, and I am sad to leave it. Of course, the idea of something new and different - a change - excites me, as well.

our living room

I have been asked numerous times how Ainsley is doing with the idea of moving. She is understanding as much as she can. I wish we could have captured her reaction when we told her we were moving to Iowa. She did the best happy dance! Since then, she has been talking about Iowa and the truck and her big girl bed (which she'll have in her OWN room!). I know she doesn't really understand all the implications of such a move - like we won't be able to see our good friends anymore. I think the saddest part is that when she grows up, she won't remember her first couple of years in Texas.

That's all I have for now, folks. I just wanted to document the "in progress" days before the big move.

Big News!!

2010-08-03T16:42:00.000-05:00

No, it's not that I'm pregnant. :) We are moving back to Iowa!!! (some of you know this already, but for those who don't...)

Heath will be working at a local printing business in Ames while he looks for a counseling job in Des Moines. We're moving to Ankeny, where we'll be renting a condo, and we're so excited!!

Though we're more than ready to be living closer to family, it is a bittersweet time for us as we have made some dear friends here. We will miss our small group and friends quite a bit. We have also become accustomed to the Dallas weather, so please excuse us while we re-adjust to the freezing cold winds of Iowa!

August 20th is the big day and it is coming so quickly! Thankfully, we have many friends & family members who have offered & will be helping us out.

(If you don't already have our new address, email me or leave a comment and I'll get it to you!)

Counting in Spanish

2010-07-16T23:39:00.001-05:00

I enjoy languages. I've always wanted to know another language well enough to converse freely, opening up new worlds and cultures. Sadly, I remember very little from the 3 languages I've formally studied aside from the numbers. So we started counting occasionally in different languages while Ainsley brushes her teeth so now she often asks for us to count for her in Spanish. Since she's always lived in Texas, it makes sense that she would feel a particular affinity for the language (besides, it's admittedly nicer sounding than German). I didn't realize how much she was getting out of it until she showed me with Kristen this afternoon. I was so excited, I made her go through them again (like a good dad: "Oh, that was so great! Now do it again spontaneously.").

spinning and spinning, side by side

2010-07-15T14:23:00.000-05:00

girlfriends

2010-07-08T19:47:00.000-05:00

These pictures are from awhile ago; I haven't been good about getting them posted.

Ainsley and her friend, Sanaa, had fun playing with Play Doh together.

And these are from another day - two cute girls having fun together!

just some pictures from today

2010-07-08T19:31:00.000-05:00

Ainsley has a thing for hats. She is constantly going downstairs to the entryway and putting on her winter hats. Today she said she was taking her bear to play in the sand and then she came up wearing her hat and asked me to put her scarf on her. I don't know, but I love seeing her imagination play out. And doesn't she look old in these pictures??

talkative tidbits

2010-06-16T07:44:00.000-05:00

if she or something nearly falls: "whoa, that was close"

getting ready for swimming: "so excited for pool!"

when someone does something well: claps and says "great job, Daddy! (or insert name)"

while twirling, gives herself this warning: "be careful stairs"

if her toys are threatened: "no, that's mine!" (needless to say, not our favorite phrase but it's cute nonetheless)

when trying to make a decision: "ummm...."

just playing around: "mommy where are you?" (in a great sing-song voice)

she's pretty good about trying new foods, but more often than not we hear: scrunches her face and says "don't like it"

as climbing onto mom & dad's bed: "be careful hole, Ainsley" (there's a decent size space between the end of bed and the cedar chest where she climbs up)

the other day, Ainsley said/sang the whole "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" song with just a little help from me. I had no idea she knew it that well!!

the book "The Three Bears" (story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears) has now become a three-part play where Heath plays Papa Bear in his best low voice, I play Mama Bear in my mommy voice, and Ainsley says the lines of Baby Bear in her "wee little voice".

Galveston: May 2010

2010-06-10T07:57:00.000-05:00

The day after Heath graduated, we headed to Galveston for a week long vacation on the beach with his whole family. It was great fun! Heath's brother and sister-in-law have two boys, one who is Ainsley's age. We were excited to see them play together, and it was just as much fun as we thought it would be. They played really well together. Since we were renting a house on the beach, we basically had a private beach. It was perfect for the kids because we could just walk down to the beach whenever we wanted. Ainsley and Drew had a blast playing in the sand and water. Even Heath and I got into it and built a couple sand castles ourselves - that the kids enjoyed destroying! :)

You can see pictures from the week here.

Thanks for a great vacation everyone! We had a fabulous time with you all!!!

back in time

2010-06-01T09:00:00.002-05:00

May has gone so quickly for us that it seems like anything before Graduation must require time travel! This post (and the next) are long overdue. Sorry about that!

The week before Graduation, my parents came to visit for several days. We had a terrific time with them!! Ainsley has changed a good deal since our Christmas visit to Iowa, so it was fun to see the differences in her interactions with Grandma & Papa. It was exciting for me - just in time for their visit, Ainsley learned to say "Grandma" rather than "Grrr". Although, it really sounds more like "Dumah". Oh well - at least we have the "ma" in there now!

a big hug for Papa

and following in Grandma's footsteps

reading with Grandma

and seeing and trying to imitate Grandpa's mad sculpting skills

I seriously loved having my parents here. They are great with Ainsley...and great with me, too. :) I don't know what is about parents but they are so well equipped to make you feel like a million dollars. We are so appreciative of their advice & love & support. Thanks for coming to visit!

in which Grapple goes home

2010-05-28T08:57:00.000-05:00

True to our word, we kept Grapple for only one day (almost exactly 24 hours). Our first thought was to put him right back in the yard where we found him. But after seeing how much he LOVED the water, I couldn't just put him in a yard very far from any body of water. So, this morning, Ainsley & I headed to a nearby park with a decent size creek/river. I'm not sure what exactly to call it, but it's a body of water and we had previously seen quite a few turtles in it. I told Ainsley that it would be better and more fun for Grapple to be able to swim in the creek/river. (Hopefully that's true and he doesn't get eaten by the bigger turtles!)

Off to the park we went. It was a very smooth event. Um, except for when we were very close to the water and I told Ainsley NOT to step in the water. And all of a sudden she was stepping in the water and one leg was thigh deep in the water! I quickly pulled her out and she seemed confused and I asked her if she thought I said TO step in the water. She replied in the affirmative, but I guess we'll never know. Either way it was kind of funny (after the fact) as she walked back to the car with one leg & foot sopping wet saying "all wet". Good thing I had her back pack with us with an extra change of clothes! It was early enough that the park wasn't busy yet and I could discretely change her clothes in the parking lot.

Anyway, Grapple is happily swimming and we are happy for him!

Zoology 101

2010-05-27T09:17:00.005-05:00

Meet Grapple, our spontaneous Zoology 101 project today. He is a Graptemys Versa Turtle (or Texas Map Turtle), a beginner turtle according to the information Heath found.
Heath found him in the yard this morning and brought him inside to show Ainsley & I. He set the turtle on our entryway rug. We explained to Ainsley that he was scared so his legs & head were inside his shell. After waiting a little while, he got more comfortable and poked his head out a little. Then his legs came out and he took off. I was surprised at how quickly he could move!

The joys & memories of childhood overtook me and I asked if we could keep him. We decided to keep him for one day and then let him go back outside. I think it will be a fun experience for Ainsley (and me!!).

I found an old ice cream bucket with a lid and Heath found a decent size rock and a handful of grass outside. Heath poked holes in the lid for when Bashful (our cat) is out (right now he's staying in his room). We put Grapple in and set the bucket on a table half in and half out of the sun. So far he has enjoyed sitting on the rock and Ainsley is loving watching him. She has hardly moved away from his bucket ("his home" as I told Ainsley).

Heath determined what kind of turtle he is and found information on how to care for them. He read in the information that this type of turtle really likes to swim, so I added more water to his bucket. When I did, he nearly jumped into the water and he hasn't been out of the water since!

I am tempted to buy an aquarium and keep him for good!! (I'm only slightly serious, as we don't have room for a 30 gallon aquarium).

This is fun, though! I am amazed at the intricacies of this tiny creature and at the creativity of our God who made him.

funny story from this afternoon

2010-05-26T16:31:00.004-05:00

My conversation with Ainsley when she woke up from her nearly 3 hour nap went something like this:

Mommy: Hi! You took a good nap!

Ainsley (still laying down): go back to sleep

Mommy: You want to go back to sleep?

Ainsley: yeah

Mommy: Should I go back upstairs?

Ainsley: yeah

Mommy (surprised): umm, ok

(I did go back upstairs, and about 10 minutes later we heard "mooooommmy" coming through the monitor. Guess she just needed to finish waking up.)

a pony ride

2010-05-18T17:54:00.000-05:00

DTS held a graduation BBQ for the graduates and their family/friends the night before the ceremony. We attended with our very good friends, Chad & Brandi, who have given us many nights of laughter & fun over dinner & cards. (much needed during these past four years in school!)

A petting zoo and pony ride were included, so Ainsley took her first pony ride. She must have been one of the youngest riders and appropriately, she got to ride the smallest pony. I wasn't sure how she would handle it, but she loved every minute. She did so well holding onto the saddle horn & rope.

GRADUATION!!

2010-05-18T17:47:00.000-05:00

At times it felt like the day would never come; now it seems like the time flew by. We can hardly believe we've been in Texas for nearly four years, but its true.

Saturday, May 8th was Heath's graduation ceremony (and his birthday!). We're so excited to be done with school. I am both nervous and excited to see what is next on our journey together.

Congratulations, Heath! I am SO proud of you!

I wanna be like...

2010-04-14T08:23:00.000-05:00

Daddy!

One day a week or so ago, Ainsley grabbed her backpack and lunch (a waffle and a spoon) and headed downstairs with Heath as he was getting ready to leave. Heath almost always takes his backpack when he leaves in the morning because of his classes. Ainsley has noticed this and so badly wanted to imitate him. She even put shoes on (with some help). Then she and I sat on the stairs and said good bye to Daddy.

and Mommy!

Ainsley has been practicing with her high heels, and she's getting pretty steady on them - for a 2 year old! You should see her when she gets her floppy hat, necklaces, boa, and these shoes on. Just adorable!! I'll try to get a picture soon.

And here's just a cute picture:

Happy Belated Easter

2010-04-06T17:55:00.000-05:00

Our Easter celebration was with our good friends and their families. We enjoyed delicious food, yummy desserts, plenty of conversation, and decorating Easter eggs.

Ainlsey's Easter dress, thanks to Grandma Annie! She was so excited to put it on Sunday morning!

Dyeing the eggs with our friends

pig tails at the park

2010-03-19T06:57:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday we spent the morning at a park and had a picnic lunch. It was fabulous! Lovely weather, a great playground, and having fun just the three of us - what could be better?!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T08:31:00.003-05:00

yes, those are green scrambled eggs! Ainsley loved them!

now, we're off to the store to get some rainbow colored fruits! :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

piggy tails

2010-03-05T15:04:00.002-06:00

who needs a playground...

2010-03-03T07:31:00.003-06:00

...when you can make your own slide at home??

Ainsley was playing nicely as I was working yesterday when I suddenly realized what she was doing. I had to laugh because she was just too cute. Perhaps this isn't the best use of furniture or the safest, but....oh well. :)

this morning in pictures

2010-02-24T10:39:00.005-06:00

the bakers
gathering ingredients
baked, yet to be enjoyed, cookies
scrumptious cookies
"hooray! we made yummy cookies!"
double chocolate peanut butter cookies brought to you by my brother's fiancee, Chelsea. (she gave Ainsley & I a homemade cookie mix and our aprons for Christmas - how cool is she?!!)

happy valentine's day...belated!

2010-02-15T17:10:00.002-06:00

We had a great day yesterday! Here's how we celebrated...

1. new heart kitchen towels

2. heart shaped felt play cookies for Ainsley & her friend
3. new necklaces for our little lady
4. of course, we all wore red or pink
5. homemade valentines
6. heart garland for decoration
7. another picture of the felt cookies
8. homemade biscuits with raspberry jam for breakfast

not pictured:
9. spaghetti & meatballs for dinner
10. red velvet cake balls for dessert (mine are not picture worthy, so please click here to see what they're supposed to look like! they are yummy, though!)

the perfect snack after playing in the snow

2010-02-12T10:16:00.003-06:00

freshly baked raspberry & apricot turnovers and creamy hot chocolate

worry not, Ainsley enjoyed her turnovers with a sip of my lukewarm chocolate

SNOW!!!

2010-02-11T08:45:00.003-06:00

First of all, I am sorry that it has been so long since we have written a post! Secondly, IT'S SNOWING IN DALLAS!

We, of course, had to take Ainsley out to play in it this morning.

the view from our kitchen window

And can you believe it's STILL snowing?!?!

Ainsley's Birthday Weekend

2010-01-16T07:44:00.007-06:00

When I was growing up, sometimes our birthday parties couldn't be on our actual birthday and mom would always comment on how great it would be to have a drawn out birthday. Well, Ainsley got that, too, this year! We opened presents with her on Friday, January 8th, had cupcakes with my mom, grandma and our family in Houston, and had cupcakes again with our small group on Sunday evening. It was a birthday weekend!!

opening presents on Friday evening

funny story - the first gift she opened was a set of Tupperware cups and bowls from my parents. She immediately set them upright on the floor in front of her. With every new gift, she inevitably knocked over one or more of the cups and had to stop opening in order to set them up again. This happened with every gift! It was hilarious! That's my girl - everything has to be in its rightful place!!

of course, she wanted to put together the puzzles right away. we agreed to one of them. as you can see, she's proud of herself for having helped put the whole puzzle together.

celebrating in Houston

we had the blessing to be able to take a day trip to see my Grandma while she was in Houston recovering from a stay in the hospital. we also got to visit with my aunt, cousin and her family, uncle,my other cousin, and my mom!

my aunt Kathy made cupcakes as a surprise so we sang "Happy Birthday" to Ainsley and ate cupcakes and other yummy treats. She didn't quite get the candles blown out on her own, but she did blow lightly.

Granny and Ainsley

making cupcakes for our small group celebration

my brother's fiancee', Chelsea, gave Ainsley & I matching aprons that she made, along with cookie mix and toy cookie cutters for Ainsley. We used the aprons when we made cupcakes for Ainsley's birthday celebration.

we read the directions

cracked the eggs

added the water & oil

and watched the mixer work! oh how I love electric mixers!!

then we filled the muffin tins and put them in the oven.

last, but not least, we enjoyed eating them with our friends!!

oh dear, it has started...

2010-01-15T16:12:00.003-06:00

I turned around this afternoon to Ainsley "dressing up" our cat Bashful. I really didn't think that would have begun already. But, I think Bashful kind of asked for it. When Ainsley gets all her dress up clothes out, he tends to find a cozy place on top of them to lie down. As I was taking these pictures, Ainsley was holding a high heel in her hand and saying to Bashful, "on, please". I could hardly keep from cracking up! So far, he hasn't protested yet. I guess he thinks as long as he gets to lay on the clothes, she can put as many necklaces and bracelets on him as she pleases.

Christmas 2009 Pictures

2010-01-12T21:17:00.001-06:00

you can find our photos from Christmas here

Our Christmas 2009

2010-01-12T17:50:00.000-06:00

Though it's belated, I wanted to share some bits about our Christmas. This record is mostly for my benefit, but I hope you enjoy anyway!

We had a mini celebration here in Dallas the weekend before we left for Iowa, mostly so that Ainsley could open her gifts here so they wouldn't be taking up precious space on the way back.

The drive to Iowa was originally planned to occur on Wednesday, Dec 23rd, but due to talk of an enormous snow storm arriving that very day in Iowa, we left a day early. The trip was fantastic, as 14 hour car rides go. Ainsley did really well reading books and singing and looking out the window. We made it in about 13 1/2 hours (yea!) and settled in at Heath's parents' house.

Arriving a day early meant we could see everyone a little more than planned, including my family. We visited with them for a few hours on Wednesday, then headed back to Heath's parents' for the Christmas Eve celebration. Heath's parents bought us all pj's that we got to open Christmas Eve night.

Presents galore is about the only way to describe Christmas morning at his parents' house! Stockings are first and then all the gifts are passed out to the intended recipients until we have piles around us and nearly no room to sit, let alone walk. We take turns unwrapping; this year we began with the youngest - Drew & Ainsley. They both did pretty well, though about halfway through we just let them open all their presents. Then they played while we grown ups opened ours. We received a good many wonderful gifts and we know they were all given out of so much love! Thank you, thank you!!

That evening we packed up and headed to my parents' house for a few days. My dad's parents were there to celebrate with us; we were so glad to see them! We spent all day December 25th making cookies - well, we girls did! It was a blast and so much better than making loads of cookies by myself! When we had arrived in Iowa, there was a lot of snow, but you could tell it had been there awhile. It was somewhat dirty and beginning to melt - not as pretty as one might have hoped for. On Christmas, it began to rain and then changed to big, beautiful snowflakes! We got enough to really be able to enjoy a white Christmas. My brother, Keenan, and his fiancee', Chelsea, arrived that evening for Christmas Eve - chili & chicken noodle soup yum!

We awoke Christmas morning (December 26th) to overflowing stockings and the smell of bacon. Some of us took showers and had a small breakfast, while others stayed in pj's. Stockings were opened first and mom passed out plastic bags with our names on them to house our stocking gifts. Then dad started passing out gifts to be opened one at a time. Again, we received many lovely gifts and are so thankful for the love they express!! Thank you, thank you!!!

On Sunday we got to play in the snow with Ainsley and sled down the burm behind my parents' house. She was so bundled up, she had trouble walking but at the end of each time down the hill, she cried "more" and "Iowa"!
That evening we packed up, said our goodbyes, and headed back to Heath's parents' house for the final two days of our trip.

Monday and Tuesday were fun days spent with Heath's siblings and their spouses and our nephew Drew. It was so much fun to see Drew & Ainsley play together!!

The drive home was fairly uneventful, though we did have to spend about 30 minutes patching a tire with a hole. We made it back to Dallas safely and in about 14 hours.

Pictures to be posted soon on my Picasa photo page.

guess who is 2?

2010-01-08T06:29:00.007-06:00

That's right - today is Ainsley's 2nd birthday. Two years ago this morning I was in so much pain that I woke Heath up just to have someone to hold my hand. Chalk it up to my naivete, but I didn't think I was in labor. As soon as I told Heath how I felt, he knew, though he didn't let on right away. A couple hours later we were getting settled in a room at the hospital and two hours later, our firstborn, a little girl was born.

We are incredibly thankful for Ainsley and for the privilege the Lord has given us in raising her and getting to enjoy her for awhile. We are thankful for the many people who have helped us along the way - with babysitting, advice, meals, visits, finances, gifts, and time spent with us. We're finding that parenting is grueling work at times, but the joys so outshine the pain. Two years ago we started a journey with little Ainsley and it's exciting to think where we'll be in two more years.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Ainsley!!
You're not a baby anymore, but a little girl learning and growing every day. We love you very much! Here are some of our favorite things about you:

* how you laugh at everything and your smile comes easily
* hearing your sing songy "hi" when we get you up in the morning
* big bear hugs, complete with the "grrrr"
* how you love to read books
* your new-found ability to string words together - 2 at a time currently, but new combinations every day - "play snow" is our favorite
* your random funny faces
* your double kisses and hug before nap time & bed time
* your singing
* how you dance whenever you hear music, from mariachi in our neighborhood to the loudspeaker at Walmart

January 2008

January 2009

January 2010 - 3 days ago

Mmmmm....

2010-01-02T10:16:00.003-06:00

Ainsley has already been enjoying her new toys from Christmas. As you can see in the video below, she enjoys getting them all out so she can go back and forth deciding what to play with. This often means she's wearing a feather boa or necklace while holding Mrs. Potato Head while using her pots and pans.

Dear Iowa,

2009-12-22T11:00:00.001-06:00

I thought we talked about this.

Image Copyright kcrg.com

There is yet time....
Yours,
Heath

New Photos

2009-12-21T17:42:00.001-06:00

Ainsley is nearly 2 years old!! Here are some recent photos of her : Ainsley - nearly 2

Christmas letter?

2009-12-16T17:04:00.000-06:00

I made a conscious decision after Thanksgiving not to write a Christmas letter this year. Suddenly it was December and I had hardly a clue how to summarize our year, much less in a clever way (or at least in full sentences). The thought of trying to write that letter in just a few days (because printing, cutting, folding, and envelope stuffing takes a good amount of time and I wanted it out by Christmas) was stressing me out, so with Heath's ok, I went ahead with the rather boring, though traditional, Christmas card. I'm not sure what I expected to come of that decision, besides some stress relief. Now as the end of the year is approaching, I am wishing I'd written that letter. I am wishing I had a concise description of our year. And I'm wishing that I'd shared it with our friends and family.

So here's the next best thing:

Our Top 10 List of 2009

10. Enjoying a picnic on a beautiful day at the park with Ainsley and the ducks.

9. Hearing "mommy" & "daddy" for the first time (well, really every time is wonderful).

8. Surprising Grandma Annie for her birthday by flying to Iowa to visit over Thanksgiving.

7. Having visitors from Iowa. Over the course of the year, we've had quite a few - Aunt Kendra; John & Laura; Grandpa & Grandma Gehman & Uncle Kaleb; and Uncle Mitch, Aunt Danielle, & Drew.

6. Watching Ainsley learn to walk and then run, jump, twirl, walk backwards, do a somersault, and stand on one foot.

5. Playing many, many games of Hand & Foot (a card game) with friends.

4. Completing all the required hours for Heath's practicum this summer - quite a feat and gift from God as there were a number of obstacles against him.

3. Losing no days of work between Heath's company filing bankruptcy and being hired by another company to do the same job!

2. Finishing our next to last semester at DTS as of 3 pm this past Friday afternoon.

1. Getting to travel to snowy Iowa to celebrate Christmas with our families!

Of course, at the very top of our list is our gratefulness that the God of the universe chose to give us life eternal through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!!

a puppet show?

2009-12-14T18:10:00.000-06:00

Heath captured this video of Ainsley this morning while I was at work. She has been playing like this a lot lately, and we find it very fun to watch. Just be sure to turn up the volume so you can hear the "script".

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2009-12-02T08:33:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving - late - everyone! We had a wonderful time visiting family in Iowa over the holiday weekend. I decided last night, being December 1st, would be a good time to get out our Christmas decorations. We are not getting a live tree this year, but I still wanted the house to look festive. My attempt was successful as now there are bits of holiday color sprinkled throughout our house. (Thanks to Chelsea for some great Christmas decor gifts last year!! It was fun to pull them out to use this year!)

This morning after breakfast, I looked out the window and did a double take. It sure looked like it was snowing! I grabbed Ainsley and stepped onto the deck only to be slightly disappointed that it was merely sleet. Not more than a few minutes later, though, the sleet turned into snow and we had big, beautiful wet snowflakes falling on our deck! Ainsley and I were getting ready to leave for a grocery run, but I took some time to take a couple pictures and a short video. The video cuts off because the memory card filled up in the middle of it and the pictures are blurry - but I hope you can tell that Ainsley was really enjoying the snow.

I can't believe it's December already - I feel so far behind in Christmas shopping, etc. I will be lucky to get out our Christmas cards this year. Listening to the Christmas music on the radio this morning reminded me what all the trappings of the season hide - that we celebrate the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ. May we all remember that this year - me especially!

new scarf

2009-11-24T08:30:00.000-06:00

The other day it was cold enough here to warrant me wearing a scarf (finally!). Ainsley of course wanted to know what it was and was quickly able to say "scarf". I wrapped mine around her and she LOVED it! And the idea was born that I should make Ainsley her very own scarf. The photos are blurry, but I hope you can still see how thrilled she is that she has a scarf! (In hindsight, I should have made it a little bit longer - I'll know for next time!)

Cowgirl Ainsley

2009-11-24T06:30:00.001-06:00

Ainsley & Sanaa

2009-11-12T12:15:00.000-06:00

Recently, I had the pleasure of watching our friends' little girl, Sanaa. Both girls get so excited when they hear that the other is coming to visit. They have really started to play together, and it is fun to watch. Sanaa heard music and started dancing and Ainsley began to copy her dance moves. Once Sanaa lost her balance and fell down, so Ainsley fell down on purpose. They both laid there laughing!

I hope this video turned out. They were having fun chasing each other and it was so cute!

Saturday Morning Entertainment

2009-11-07T08:57:00.001-06:00

Dear Iowa

2009-11-05T09:53:00.005-06:00

Dear Iowa,
How are you? It's been a while since we've spent much time together. I wanted to give you a heads up regarding my holiday plans so you can be prepared. The plan is to come see you around Christmas, like the last couple of years. I don't want to come across as an unappreciative guest, but if there are a couple things you could keep in mind, I would appreciate it. Last year you really came through with the snow, but you went a little overboard on the temperatures. It was great for keeping that nice crunching sound as we walked through the snow, but we had to bundle up so much we couldn't really hear it anyway. I know you'll probably laugh but I'm not quite as used to the cold weather since it's still hitting 80 in November down here. Just so we're clear: water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius so it doesn't have to be below 0 degrees Fahrenheit for you to come through on the snow again. Just sayin'. I know you've already practiced that a couple times this year and I really do appreciate the preparation.

Oh, and if we could avoid any kind of -est weather reports (wettest, coldest, iciest, etc), I would really appreciate it. I know you've wanted to show what you can do for us the last couple of years and make the trips memorable, but you're coming on a little strong. It's OK, we still love you.

Well, thanks for listening. I'm looking forward to seeing you and seeing if we can't work out something in both of our best interests.

Give our best regards to friends and family!

Sincerely,
Heath

Blank Screen

2009-10-25T14:49:00.006-05:00

Computers have always fascinated me. From the time that my dad first taught me how to operate such classics as "Spy vs Spy" and Pegasus from the 5.5" floppy on our Commodore 64, I've loved learning about how they work, finding new and exciting things to do on them, and wasting ridiculous amounts of time on them doing things other than research or writing papers. I remember being so excited when my parents bought me my computer for college. I set it up that afternoon in my bedroom at home even though I'd just have to pack it up to take it to my dorm. Looking back it seems even stranger because I didn't have anything to do on it. No digital pictures. No internet. No papers. I immediately began copying all of my CDs onto it just for a reason to use it.

Fast forward 7 years, and that little desktop is our primary family computer. Kristen works from home on it. I have written many, many papers on it. Even Ainsley uses it to watch "Me-mo" (Elmo on sesamestreet.org, thanks, Mitch!). Because of its age and increasing demand of it (as well as our limited budget), this year has been a crash course on computer hardware and installation. Soon enough I'll have built a whole new computer (containing many connections that are now becoming obsolete - AGP or IDE anyone?) I have thus far installed:

additional memory to bring us up to 1Gb of RAM;
a new DVD player/burner;
a secondary 500Gb hard drive;
a new ethernet port (after our old one was fried by multiple power surges)
and, most recently, a video card.

We woke up yesterday morning to find that the computer was turning on but the monitor wouldn't show anything. After a little research, I decided it was either the motherboard or the video card. Since Best Buy wanted to charge $69.95 to check it for me (which would have taken a week and not even paid for any new parts), we decided to purchase a new video card. If it fixed the problem, we spent $30. If not, we take it back and know it's the motherboard. Thankfully (I guess), it was the video card. So the computer lives to Google another day. Or blog (though I'm sure many of you are doubting that).