A Gypsies Life For Me : August 2015

I'm not sure what it is about the coming of Fall...but I am just happier when I wake up to a nip in the air. I love opening the windows and doors in the morning and remembering the feelings I had as a child waiting for the school bus to appear around the corner from our house. I hope those feelings never go away.

The leaves are still green here, but we've gotten to see a few hints of Fall in this late August. There have been many crows around our apartment...slightly creepy, but mostly making me think they should be looking for scarecrows to perch on. Mostly, the difference is in the weather. Gone are the days of wishing for a day at the pool. Now I look most forward to putting on long sleeves and drinking a hot coffee.

It does make me a little sad though, considering the fact that we are planning to home school our children. Will they feel the same way I did about getting school supplies and packing your school bag the night before the first day of school? Or setting out your new clothes because you didn't want to miss a moment of that morning. I hope I can make it special for them in our own way.

With these changes in our season also comes another adventure. Drew begins his work season in September. We are very thankful to have a lot of work around home this year, but this first job is too far away to drive daily. So we get to travel again for a couple of weeks, and as a bonus we are staying with my mom for the duration of our trip. I'm so looking forward to spending the beginning of Fall in a new city that I can explore. I love finding my way around, discovering shops and cafes for the first time and getting to know another city.

Our Lainie is getting to be such a big girl. She understands so much of what we say and is starting to bring us things she likes as well. We regularly get books handed to us, as if to say, Ok, Mom put that down. Read to me. I'll take it; I want her to learn as much as she can.

Lainie has discovered the slide at the gym.

This is her new favorite place to sit.

Our first zoo adventure. Clearly not my best picture, but apparently the only one I took.

I'll keep this one short and sweet.

A year in review

Well, I've been a bit negligent again. One day, I won't have to post that right off the bat.

Lainie's 12 Mo. Picture

We've just come down from one of the busiest weeks I think we've experienced as a family. Daddy had to be at the Hall all day to help with the weld tests and I had VBS every night.

Let me tell you, I am not a fan of leaving my Lainie. We are buds, her and me; we do everything together. But it did not make any sense to take her with me...thus, my absence in the evening.

At least I had a wonderful time helping with the VBS at our church. I got to get to know some of the parents/helpers and a number of kiddos, which I don't mind telling you got quite hooked to me by the end of the week.

Silly faces always make selfies more fun. Oh and it was cowboy themed.

But let's get down to the update, for scrapbook's sake.

Those are her "I don't know" hands

Our Lainie is a big girl now. She astounds me everyday with how much she understands in the way she responds to my conversation, her attachment to certain things/people and every moment of quizzical looks I get from her when she is learning something new.

Lainie and Great Grandpa Lusk

NEW THINGS:

Walking. We are officially walking. Still a bit wobbly, but definitely the main mode of transport.
Shaking her head 'no'. At the moment, it is quite adorable. I'm sure when it begins to come with the word we won't be so amused.
Blowing kisses. We're still working on this. And in the meantime, I still get slobbery, open mouthed kisses... I will be very sad when those are gone.
Grabbing the side of her pants/pockets when she walks. Not sure what this one is about, but she always looks like she is about to curtsy.
Using baby Sign Language. She can say 'more'; 'daddy'; 'what'/'I don't know'; 'bye-bye'...although sometimes she says 'da-da' when she means 'bye-bye'-- still cute.
Pouty faces. Depending on the moment this teeters between super cute and dangerously close to becoming a moon baby.
Handing money to cashiers. She particularly likes to give my debit card to the coffee ladies.

IN OTHER NEWS:

The family and I have been sugar/refined grain free for over a month! I am down 11 lbs. and counting, and we all feel wonderful. Here are some pictures of my personal progress! More to come as the weight continues to drop!

BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY!

We celebrated Lainie's one year a bit later than her actual birth date...but she'll never know...until she reads this.

My brother and his family were coming up from MO for a visit, so we decided to hold off until they could join us-and bonus! Two of our friends came along for the weekend and surprised us!