Just Like Daddy

Every Saturday Joshua polishes his shoes. This is something Abby has watched him do several times. She knew exactly what to do . . . From the polish the brush and in the right order . . . I especially love how far the shoe goes up on her arm . . . past her elbow!

Happy Belated Birthday to a Wonderful, Godly, Incredibly Handsome Husband and Daddy

So I'm blogging about Joshua's birthday on Thanksgiving . . . hmmm. I have to have Joshua's laptop to upload pictures so that was the delay and it being a holiday his computer was home. So we need to extend a HUGE thank you the teens and people at GLBC. The teens were VERY generous and gave Joshua enough money to get a much need new black suit and 2 lime green ties. Then the people took up an offering on Wednesday and that was a huge blessing! During Anchored in Christ Youth Meeting there was cake and ice cream but I think one of the best things was the annual "decorate the office" of which are the following pictures! So enjoy!

A.K.A. Enter at your own risk!

I love their idea of streamers . . . all across the room at eye level, their eye level!

There was confetti EVERYWHERE! Plus icecicles, the kind that go on Christmas tree, 4 packages of them!

Yes, that is post-it notes. . . on all his pictures!

They really do love him!

Two of the decorating culprits! Don't they look so sweet and innocent, they aren't!

They didn't stop with the office, they also decorated his van . . . he got a lot of stares because they plastered the van with happy 40th . . . I didn't get the chance to take the picture during daylight so this was the best we have, you get the picture!

They got Joshua some of his favorite icecream . . . chocolate with peanut butter candy pieces! We have some of the best teens in the whole world!

The cake . . . it was yummy. The big joke this year was happy 4oth as the cake says!

We are Truly Blessed!

I am wearing my "It's Not Easy Being Queazy" shirt today. That's what the shirt says. It has a tiny hole in the belly and thanks to my marker loving child, a black mark on it. It is my grundge/feeling-awful shirt. I do have to say the nauseau and vomitting have been a LOT better this time but not enough to make me reconsider the surgery. Two kids, boy and girl, as one lady told me when I told her what I was having, you have a million dollar family. I agree and why spend more than you have to? Besides, You are essentially out of commission, when you're this sick, for a year. That's a long time to have dishes pile up, and junk on the floor that never seems to quite come up, plus the messes that a two year makes . . . yeah, two kids, that's a nice number! But that's not why I'm blogging. I'm blogging because I wanted to tell you something, well, if anyone out there reads this. . . for those of you who might, Abby did the absolutely sweetest thing the other day. We were having breakfast for dinner, you know, pancakes, bacon, and eggs. My mom used to do that and it was always one of my favorite dinners so I get to do it now. Abby was up in her high chair eating and she looked over at me and said, "Mommy, is yummy!" and just like that continued eating! It was just so sweet. It's like the first time she told me when I put her to bed in a real sweet voice, "Momma, love you". It's those little moments that touch your heart that make you realize that permanent marker on the tan carpet is not TOO bad. We have truly been blessed with a sweet little girl. God is so good to us! I thought I'd post a picture of when she was first born. My she has changed, she's a lot cuter now. I do have to say though, when I first saw her I was amazed at how ugly she was NOT. I thought she would be a lot uglier than she was. I know you think it's horrible for a mother to say that but honestly new borns are NOT pretty when they first came out and noone informed me they would come out looking like swamp thing with all that white stuff all over them. But after they washed her off and brought her to me I was amazed. She was not that bad looking! Now she's cute and sweet. What more could a mother want . . . I'm going to stop right there!

I Love Yard Sales!

These are some MUCH overdue pictures of Abby and her rocking chair. While her grandparents were in the states Abby had to opportunity to spend a little over a week with them. She loved it. Once of the things they did was to go to an Amish store and while there she found a rocking chair, which is one of her favorite things. They tried to find another one for her but they couldn't so they gave us money to get her one. I went to Target, Wal-mart, Toy-R-Us, Baby Depot, and one other store looking for a rocking chair. I could not find one. I was also keeping my eyes open at yard sales. Now, if you know anything about me you know I LOVE yard sales. I love to barter. If God ever sent us to a country where you barter for things you buy I would love it! When at a yard sale if they were asking $5 for something I would offer $1, if its $0.50, I'll offer $0.25. I love it, more for the sake of getting it cheaper than for getting the deal, although the deal is a lot of fun as well! So, it was sadly, the end of yard sale season and you only saw one or two here and there. As I was out I saw a sign for one and hoping there might be baby clothes, because I shop from Summer to Summer at yard sales for their clothes, I went. I knew I didn't have a lot of time but decided to take the time anyways. They had a few toys so I decided to stop. No baby clothes, it was grandma getting rid of some of her grand kids outgrown toys and what do I see, this "Little Tykes" pink and white rocking chair, just like the ones in the nursery that she loves. I was very excited and knowing I had money for that was DETERMINE not to barter but just accept the given price. I asked and they told me $2. I was EXCITED! That was excellent. I had a fleeting thought that I could get them down to $1 but her grandparents had given us A LOT more than that for a rocking chair and I was NOT going to barter. Nothing else was of much interest so I went back to the car to get my money. While there I realized that Abby had once again been in my purse and taken out my wallet. I had NO money. I started scrambling going through the car hoping to find enough change. I knew I did not have time to come back that day and the next day was completely filled and I REALLY wanted that chair. All I could find was $0.74. I didn't know what to do but knowing I wanted that chair and feeling completely guilty I offered what I had and they took it! God is good. I got to barter and I didn't even set out to. I was honestly going to pay full price because I knew it was good price but I didn't have to! Abby frequently sits and rocks in her chair. She loves it. By the way, don't you love the oversized p.j.s another yard sale find!

Puppy Love

The other day I had running to do on both sides of town, or rather on two of our four sides of town. I had told Abby during the week that we ought to go to Build-A-Bear and make you that $10 dog. Then on the day that I had several places I decided to stop and get the dog. We took 15 minutes and made the dog. We tried to find an outfit for him or at least a hat but I had a hard time spending more for little scraps of clothes than for the dog. So after they put a bow on his neck that stayed until we got in the car and the two bows on his ears, we were off again. I did my running, got lost and everywhere we went, the dog went. We decided to name him buddy because that's what she thinks other dogs' names are! Later that day we stopped and got a snack of French Fries from McDonalds, before she could eat her fries, she would first feed them to "Buddy". That dog of hers has been with her ever since then. She sleeps with him. When she wakes up it doesn't take her long to go looking for him. She plays with him. When she sings "The Wheels on the Bus" she takes his hands and does the movements with him. She brushes his teeth when she brushes hers. She puts him on the potty. She reads to him. If I had known she was going to love him that much I would have taken pictures of us making him but some things are better just being remembered. It is amazing to me how quickly she got attached to that dog. I don't know if it will last, it might just be "puppy love". Yesterday she wanted to take her dog to church and I told her that was fine because we usually get there about 4 and then have choir practices until 5:40 and prayer meeting and then church but I told her if she wasn't going to share him she had to put him in daddy's office. So Buddy waited out church for her in Daddy's office and she was glad to get him back afterwards. She is such a precious little girl!

Itchy Feet, Strawberries, Spoonfuls of Sugar, and Hamburgers with everything on them!

So, I thought I would give you a update about the coming little one. Yes, he is still in there and either he's getting larger and it's all me! Often it feels like it is all me. Last pregnancy was my first full term pregnancy so there was a certain element to it . . . I don't want to say excitement because there is excitement with this one as well, but a different kind of excitement. Last time I didn't know what to expect and yes every pregnancy is different but there are some things you know now that you didn't know last time. I'm really looking forward to holding my little boy! Last time I CRAVED shrimp but our budget didn't allow for it. I remember at about the 7th or 8th month Joshua commended me on not craving things like he thought I would . . . I informed him that I was craving things I just kept my mouth shut because I wasn't managing to crave cheap things. This time the first month and a half it was a bean burrito from Taco Bell and a McD's Sweet Tea. NASTY! I can't say I craved it, I just knew it would stay down. I ate that EVERYDAY for about a month and a half. I do NOT even like the sound of Taco Bell anymore and I still like Sweet Tea but it doesn't have the same appeal it used to have. These last few weeks it has been strawberries and loaded hamburgers. McDonald's is good in a pinch, Wendy's is satisfying but my favorite is the Culver's Butter Burger . . . just the snack pack one. I love it! For $2.99 you get a loaded burger, fries, and a drink. If I'm out with Abby I give her the fries and we share the drink. I could eat that everyday but I refrain from that as well! The strawberries on the other hand . . . Thank the Lord they are currently on sale and I do eat those everyday! Strawberries dipped one at a time in sugar! YUM! I also crave spoonfuls of sugar, just a spoonful. That IS disgusting, I know because I craved those when I was pregnant with Abby and after she was a few weeks old I remembered craving them and I thought, that tasted good and I decided to get a spoonful. It was gross. So I know that is disgusting. One other thing that is the same this time . . . ITCHY FEET! Sometimes it's my whole body but usually it is confined to my feet. I did not know it was possible for your feet to have an unitchable itch! I can scratch and scratch and scratch and as soon as I stop they itch again. Last night I put lotion on them 3 times in the middle of the night and why it happens at night, SIGH! So after the lotion did NOTHING, well no, not nothing, my feet ARE softer, but after the lotion did nothing to appease the itch I put anti-itch cream on them . . . that didn't work, I tried benadryl cream . . . . nothing, and so I resorted to Joshua's athlete foot spray . . . it had a nice cooling affect but that was all! Still itchy. They did this when I was pregnant with Abby as well. Having miscarried once, as strange as it sounds, I am thankful for these little things but I truly look forward to the day when I hold my little boy and my feet can FINALLY stop itching! Only 5 and 1/2 weeks or hopefully sooner!

Praise the Lord!!!!!!!

A few posts ago I put out a desperate plea for help in removing permanent marker from carpet. Before I could remove the red circles, Abby struck again, this time with a blue dry erase marker . . . where she got it from I DON"T Know! Thankfully Joshua was home this time. He caught her and "talked" to her and some other things and then he brought out a cleaner they used to use when he was in the upholstery business, one he had used on the carpet in the van to remove car oil. So we tried it first on the blue and it worked wonderfully, then we thought it was worth trying on the red and don't you know . . . husbands are so smart! No more marker on my carpet that is! Now we just have to break her of it. She also managed to color her arms and legs and culottes. I hope this is not an indication that one day she's going to want a ta too! Well, that was my highlight for the week! It doesn't take much to excite me, especially considering the prospect of possibly having to buy a whole new room of carpet is gone!

P.S.

This IS the last post for the day . . . I didn't plan on doing this one but I can't seem to make the pictures all go down in a line. They do what they want when they post. I don't quite understand. I try to fix it and it gets worse. Sorry about that. It makes the blog look messy . . . But I just wanted to apoligize. If anyone know what I'm doing wrong, let me know! Have a great day and a wonderful weekend! We'll post more later!
~Patty

Papaw

Abby came to me the day that Joshua's parents were going back to Poland and brought me a picture of her grandparents. She pointed to her grandma and asked "Who, dat?" So I said, "Mamaw". She then pointed to her Papaw and said, "Pap-pap" I was slightly amazed. We show her pictures of both sets of grandparents but I also realize in her 1 year old mind, they are just pictures and associating them with the voices she hears on the phone . . . you really never know how much your child is getting! Well, now every time she sees a picture of an old man, or a statue of an old man she says, "Papaw". So I took some pictures of the things around the house that she constantly points to and says, "Papaw". I do have to say, she becomes VERY excited when she sees a picture of her real papaw and immediately tells me who he is, but she also associates any old looking man with that . . . I really don't know what that means because I don't think her Papaw looks as old as the people she keeps pointing out . . . you'll see what I mean when you look at the pictures! I am also posting a picture of Abby and her Papaw, so you can see that he doesn't look THAT old!

Abby and her Papaw






















This is a picture from a book about Moses that she brings to me, saying, "Mommy, Mommy, Papaw!"


















This "Papaw" is found in the Dr. Seuss book, Hop On Pop Unfortunately, it is not Mr. Brown, but the Mr. Black that she thinks is the Papaw.

This "Papaw" is another Noah. It is her bank.

Bonfires and Hayrides

I know I just posted one but I had some unrelated pictures and I was going to put them all in one blog but that seems too random so I had to split them up. We had a different service at GLBC, instead of the regular Wednesday night clubs and then prayer service we went up to the Butler Farm for hayrides, hotdogs and a Bonfire Service. It was a lot of fun and a change a pace. We were going to do it tonight but it looks like our beautiful 70 degree weather is going to be exchanged for rain and possibly . . . dare I say the word, "snow" flurries! YUCK! It was a great time of fun and fellowship not to mention food. It would be unthinkable to have a BAPTIST church activity without food! Here are just a few of the highlights of the night. My camera's batteries were getting low so the resolution on the pictures was not the best. Sorry about that.


Basket Ball, Abby did eventually make one shot!












The Hay Ride

What would the night be without a little volleyball? I'm told the girls are quite good this year!

Where would we be without our phones, right?

What would the night be without a little studying . . . books I mean?

Abby and her incredibly handsome daddy!

Just Some of the Food!

Pizza Night at the Johnsons . . . . Little Ceasars, $5.00!!!!

Abby LOVES anything Italian. One of her favorite meals is Spaghetti. A close second is pizza. She especially likes the breadsticks from Little Ceasars. This night she had already eaten 4 or maybe it was 5 breadsticks and was still hungry. She kept asking for a piece of pizza and I really didn't think she was going to eat it so I kept putting her off. I finally gave her a smaller piece than she was asking for and she wolfed it down. Shen then kept asking for the biggest piece in the box and so I let her have it thinking what a waste that was going to be but she ate the entire thing, pizza bone and all. If you don't know what the pizza bone is, it's the crust! She amazes me. Sometimes she eats and eats and eats and you cannot feed her enough and other times she will eat 3 bites of cereal, maybe one piece of bread and that's it all day long! Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as she enjoyed the pizza!

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLPPPPPP!!!!!!

Yesterday was as "Anne Shirley of Anne of Green Gables" would say, a "Jonah Day". I woke up late . . . I was feeling sick and wanted to lie down for just 1/2 an hour to make it go away and ended up being half the day. So feeling stupid and beating myself up about it, because as you probably know I AM 32 1/2 weeks pregnant, huge as a whale and for some reason tired ALLLLL the time, I continued to berate myself. I had a million and one things to do, the top of the list being the dishes and I had a STUPID doctors appointment to drink nasty stuff to tell me if my sugar is okay and on top of that knowing that nasty stuff was going to make me feel sick AGAIN. What a waste of a day! Sick, Sick, Sick. I did get part of the living room cleaned and was down stairs doing some laundry. I had already gotten Abby ready to go and was just putting the load over so it could be working while I was gone. I ran upstairs and had to leave RIGHT then and I would be just in time for my appointment that I soooooo was NOT looking forward to and what do I smell as I come around the corner of my room, looking for my daughter . . . permanent marker! I have been throwing permanent markers away for the last month because she finds them and at first I was keeping them on the fridge but she kept finding more and thinking it may have been me haphazardly leaving them down I started throwing them away and yet she STILL manages to find them. I think she's able to produce them somewhere. I'm convinced she has a little horde. Well, this was the worst permanent marker experience yet. It TOTALLY covered her legs and arms. That is not an exaggeration. I should have taken a picture but I didn't want to encourage this type of behavior and I was a little ticked that she would do that. The arms and the legs being covered 2 seconds before I need to head out for a doctor's appointment I can handle. It will wear off. But the sight that met my eyes made me cringe. All around her in a circular fashion was the biggest set of circles ON THE CARPET. RED permanent marker on TAN carpet. Oh yes, it shows up VERY well and I don't know what to do to get it out! Does ANYONE have any suggestions? e-mail me at joshsrib@aol.com. I have to get this out of the carpet. We rent this house and I can't afford to replace it and it's huge. I'm talking about 1 to 1 1/2 feet in diameter circled SEVERAL times that is in the middle of the room so you can't technically cover it up with a piece of furniture. Go ahead laugh if you want, it's not YOUR kid. One day I might also laugh, but I seriously doubt it!

On a side note, I did get sick from that not-so-nasty-tasting drink, Praise the Lord. It tasted a LOT better than last time. I was feeling bad and had not voted yet, but I went anyways and had a slight thrill when I marked my little paper for John McCain, hoping that my one vote would swing Michigan for him but unfortunately it didn't. Thank the Lord He's still on the throne and that Obamanation is just a man. And doesn't it say somewhere that God holds the hearts of kings, I'm sure that means presidents too. It was incredibly sad to see such a liberal minded socialist take the presidency but God knows what He's doing and He DID allow this to happen, despite was Obamanation thinks.

Christmas Music!!!!!

We officially have started the holiday season here in Michigan! There is a radio station that starting November 1st plays continual Christmas music until January! It is so nice to know Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner! Of course, I'm not ready and probably will not be ready until the last minute but that is part of the season as well and we wouldn't want to break tradition, would we? Well, that is all for now! Christmas music! How wonderful!!!!! I'm posting some Christmas pictures I took of Abby last year . . . it goes with the blog and brings up good memories! Look at that hair . . . it has grown so much and so has she. Time flies tooooooo quickly!