Painting and Patience

You know that theory (I think its a theory. If it's not then it really should be) - that the closer in time that you get to something, the longer it takes. It's true!

Our family has been apart for 4 months now (with 1 visit) and we still have about 2 months left until Ryan officially joins us in NC. To put it nicely, I'm over it!!! Yes, I am sounding like a mad Army wife at the moment. I guess I am just tired of waiting. Ryan has always done a great job with long distance. He knows how to keep himself busy and make things right mentally in order to get through it. Me on the other hand tends to get 'homesick' easily and miss my other half every second of the day.

Luckily we get a visit in about 2 weeks for Thanksgiving, another visit for Christmas, and then 2 weeks after that we can say goodbye to long distance!!! Until then, I am working about every weekend on our house - getting it painted and decorated. Ryan is currently re-painting the decorating I did in the Louisiana house as he is getting ready to move out. Did I mention how much Ryan hates to paint?! Haha!

I know that being a long distance family has probably had more downs than ups for us, but the important part is knowing that we are going to make it! We are almost done AND we are for sure stronger for it. I think at this point we are all just excited about that time in January in which we are simply together. 

Blake - 9 Months

It is a month of gratitude - and we are grateful for this little 9 month old guy...

 

Here is what Blake has been up to recently!

 

• He chews on EVERYTHING. We are talking cell phones, bottles, toys, and keys.
• He has tried to eat dog food. That's normal right?
• He is pulling up on everything and standing. He even bounces while standing. Kind of dancing?
• The dogs are his favorite. He will chase them around the whole house.
• He has 5 teeth! 2 bottom and 3 top.
• He got sick for the first time this month. Glad that is over with!
• We now have to get new car seats to fit his growing little self. The new one has cup holders!
• Sleep...let's just say we have some good nights and some bad nights. Work in progress. Still.
• He LOVES eating Puffs. Every flavor.
• He is obsessed with doors, particularly the refrigerator door and the dishwasher door.
• He has started to notice when people leave...and he doesn't like that very much.
• He is one tough cookie! If he falls while trying to stand he will just get up and try again. Like a champ!
• The one thing that always calms him down if he gets upset is listening to the Army bear that Ryan gave him. It has Ryan's voice recorded on it. So cute!

 

That's about it this month. We have a doctors appointment on the 12th, so we will have the growth stats then! :)

 

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!!! This year was very special for our family because it was Blake's first Halloween. He was a little monkey!!!! Isn't he cute?!?!?!

 

 

 

Since he is only 8 (9 months in 2 days), we just went Trick-or-Treating to some family houses. To be honest, I just thought that we would all just get a few good laughs out of his costume and that would be it. However, we were surprised with treats!! They had baby puffs ready for his "treat". What an awesome surprise. He sure is one REALLY loved little boy monkey.

 

For a little while I think he was confused at why he was in weird clothing. He was so awesome though, because he didnt mess with his hat at all!! Made my job easy!

 

He really loved his little treats. I'm pretty sure we had record breaking Puff intake! HAHA!

 

And of course he charmed everyone with his sweet little self. He is seriously the best little boy. We have been told many times that we are blessed, and I couldn't agree more!

 

His little costume even had a little tail. We learned quickly that it was a great way to keep him from getting into things that he wasn't supposed to. HAHA! Thanks GDaddy!! :)

 

 

As parents, this was a neat day for Ryan and I. It was the first time that we got to really celebrate a holiday for Blake! It's a whole new perspective when you see the magic through your child's eyes. Just makes us really happy. We can't wait until Christmas now!!!! Happy Halloween!!!! 

A Blogging World

We all have our own hobbies. Ryan and I are big believers in keeping up with individual and couple's hobbies, even when our lives get super busy. For the past several months I have dedicated some VERY hard work to my crafting hobby. Inspired by my high school best friend, I started my craft blog - Blissful Bucket List (www.blissfulbucketlist.com).

Now, this is where I get extremely frustrated, so let me explain... Blogging is not being addicted to the computer. It is not being a computer nerd. It does not mean that I neglect my husband, child, or job. It is simply what I have said - a hobby. I fit this stuff in after everything else has been taken care of, which is usually late at night when I am totally exhausted. With that being said, it makes my work seem 10 times harder.

With some help, again from Ashton, I was able to get an awesome design. Then I busted my butt creating posts and networking. The goal is to get as many followers and pageviews as possible. My personal goal is that I will have 250+ GFC followers and enough pageviews to start having advertisers on my blog by summer 2013. Hopefully my blog will then bring in some money...ok, maybe some change. Haha.

So, the real reason I am writing this post is to brag a little. I finally reached 100 GFC followers! I have also earned over 400 followers on my Facebook Blissful Bucket List page and many Twitter followers. Not that I really know how or what twitter is...but anyway... I am finally starting to feel like all of my hard work is paying off. It is nice to see that about 100 people read my craft blog daily. Yes, MY blog. Wow! Not too shabby! It is so awesome to be able to share this talent with others...and to learn from others!

Ryan has been my biggest fan on this. He has always encouraged me to do more and not give up. He still pushes me to put forth my best foot with it. Gosh, I am one lucky girl!! :) Now, I am pretty sure that some of my family and friends don't really get the whole blogging thing. It is also super annoying when they say they like it but they don't even do something as simple as like the Facebook page. Sigh. But that's ok, luckily I have many other supporters that keep me going! Thanks to those of you... you know who you are! :)

Ok...I'm done. Back to cute pictures of Blake for the next post. I know that's what all of you read our blog for anyway. HAHA!

Like Father, Like Son

 

Many people say that Blake looks like me, probably because we both have red hair. We don't have many pictures of Ryan when he was a baby, but check out one of the pictures that we do have. I think it clearly explains who Blake looks like. :)

What do you think?!!


 

Like father, like son. And just in case you haven't gotten enough...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love my boys!!!

The Pumpkin Patch

This year has been our first year to go to the pumpkin patch at Hillridge Farms!!! Yes, I realize that Blake is too young to remember this, but as Ryan says, I am just that "corky" mom who loves to do this stuff! :)

Blake loves the swings!!

 

 

He wasn't so sure about seeing his first pony. Haha.

 

 

 

We got to go on a family hay ride to the actual pumpkin part of the farm!

 

 

Then Blake got to pick his pumpkin!!!

 

 

 

And of course Mommy and Daddy got a few laughs out of a great photo opportunity. :)

 

 

Have I said before that I love the Fall?!?!!? And we love our family!!

Tarzan and Jane :)

This past weekend, Ryan and I got to go zip lining!!! Just call us Tarzan and Jane! Haha! It was seriously one of the most fun things we have done. We had to drive about 1 1/2 hours (Fayetteville, NC) to get to the place, but it was well worth it! This course has been ranked in the top 10 zip line courses! Normally there are 8 people and 2 tour guides in a group. However, we were the only ones who signed up for the 3:30 time, so we got a private tour!!!! So cool!!! Our tour guides were also possible the funniest people I have ever met. They really made the adventure fun. When I booked the trip for us, I had no idea how interesting it would be. See for yourself!

 

The Gorgeous Views...

 

 

 

 

The Silly Pictures...

 

 

 

 

Getting Down To Business...

 

 

 

And The Cute Stuff...It was a date day! :)