Our Weekend

We've had a busy weekend, but boy was it fun! I can't think of anything else we could have crammed into it, so enjoy the many pictures!

Homecoming
This weekend was Washington's Homecoming and now that we are leading youth we decided we should try to make it to as much as possible.

Friday afternoon the whole town shut down for the Homecoming Parade. We joined a couple church members and watched the kids parade around town. Adam was so proud of himself, he got some shout outs from some of the youth kids in the parade.


Max's First Parade

Friday Night Lights
Later that evening we set out for the football game and I realized I don't own anything orange to wear! We'll have to fix that one. But Max had his Washington Panthers shirt, Adam had his orange tshirt and I at least had the sling I carry Max in and it has an orange stripe in it.

Max was sleepy, (as it was his bedtime by the time we got to the game) and would just fall asleep in time for someone to score or for there to be a big play. It became pretty clear that I have issues not yelling at football games, it must be all the years of little league and Ohio State football watching. Poor thing, he kept getting woken up every time I yelled.

We sat with some ladies from church and had a wonderful time! We did leave close to the end of third quarter because Max was so sleepy and it was getting chilly out!

Super Sale Saturday
I had heard about this awesome sub development garage sale that's held twice a year around here so I decided to check it out. Adam was kind enough to watch Max so I could easily get in and out of the car. I was on the prowl for potential things for our new home (we'll have a lot more rooms than we have furniture!) specifically I've been wanting a hutch or sideboard for the dining room (no purpose really, just somewhere to display pretty dishes and vignettes like those I see on all the blogs I read). I'm also on the hunt for at least a full sized bed (possibly even a queen) for a spare bed, so when couples come to visit we don't have to always get the air mattress out.

Well the sub development did not dissapoint. I found baby GAP and Gymboree boys clothes for $1 a piece, a small umbrella stoller (for our trip to Florida, so I don't have to bring his monstrous big one), and a hutch. The hutch said "Make Offer" and while I was chatting with the ladies, I told them I would pay $40 for it (completely lowballed them) and they took my name and number in case they didn't sell it over the course of the day. Around 1pm they called back and told me I could have it if I wanted. So I borrowed a van and off I went to pick up my treasure. It was originally a built in so it will have to be in a corner (the one side is completely flat where the molding should be) and I will probably paint it black (since our dining chairs are black) but I'm super excited to put pretty things behind the sliding glass.


Sunday, Sunday, Sunday
Today we had our "normal" busyness but with an added twist. We were invited to go out to Tanner's Orchards where they have apples (of course) and lots of fun autumn stuff. We enjoyed some samples strolling through the market and bought way too much. I currently have a gallon of apple cider, caramel popcorn nuggets, a dozen cider doughnuts, apple butter, caramel apples, and a butternut squash (for further babyfood making expeditions).



Speaking of which, I was totally right about the saving money part, the squash was two dollars and it weighs at least 3-4 lbs. Making this babyfood will save me so much money!

We also took the time to take some pictures for a Kipp family update/pictures to be sent to friends. Here's a sneak peek, just act excited when you get them in the mail, ok? Also you can vote for your favorite in the comments, I really can't decide which ones I like the most! I've numbered them for your convenience.

#1 The Family Photo


#2 Where's the Baby?


#3 Our lil Pumpkin 1


#4 Our lil Pumpkin 2


#5 Our lil Pumpkin 3


#6 Playing with Gourds


#7 Smiling Gourds


#8 Talking Gourds (I like this one because that's a face he makes all the time, the curious, inquisitive, kindof suspicious face)


Autumn used to be my least favorite time of year, the summer was when my birthday is and there was no school, the spring was pretty and had lots of color and flowers, and winter had snow and snowdays and Christmas, and autumn didn't really have anything for me. But as I grow older, autumn has become my favorite time of year, I love anything flavored pumpkin, I love mixing candy corn and peanuts (it always reminds me of you, Darby), and I love the color of turning leaves and gourds of all types, the orange, green, yellow, red combinations. So I had a great time with the camera, I think our friends may have thought I was a little crazy, but my favorite place was around the back of the main event where all the harvested gourds were stored in crates awaiting their debut in the "fields" where people could purchase them. You know, awaiting their autumn destiny.

Lots of Updates

Lot's of things on our list of things to be thankful for and wonderful things happening.

Happy Birthday to You!
Today is Baby Kate's first birthday, that means she officially become Miss Kate in my book. :)
I can't believe a year ago today Adam and I drove chicken up the highway to feed Bill and barely made it in time in Dallas traffic to be there when Kate made her wonderful arrival.

We were so happy then to meet you Kate and we are so happy to be a part of your life, even from so far away!

Baby Food
I couldn't even fathom this time last year (being just 6weeks pregnant) what today would be like! I can't believe that tonight Max goes to his first high school football game (it's homecoming week) and today we are going to the parade that winds through town. I also can't believe that Max is trying to sit up on his own (he thinks he can, but he doesn't quite have it all down yet) and eating fun things like cereal and homemade applesauce I made (really just mushy boiled apples, none of the fun stuff like sugar and cinnamon).

I froze them in a mini muffin tin so that I can just pull some out when I need to. This was Max's first time trying apple and he wasn't so sure about them at first, but wanted more by the end.
So for the food count, he's currently eating - rice cereal with pear juice, sweet potatoes, squash (his favorite), and apples. He really loves food and won't stop himself.

My friend Amy sent me this site and it made me realize how easy it is (and much cheaper) to make your own baby food. As long as you can put in a little prep, it's worth it. I tried with the apples I already had on hand and I'm looking forward to putting up some squash since it's in season and I can get it dirt cheap (and Max seems to love it so much).

Max seems to have a little congestion and has been sneezing which he thinks is hilarious and laughs every time. I don't know if is the sneeze that's so funny or our reaction saying, "Bless you!" each time. He also has been waking up screaming and has had a very low grade fever the past couple of nights. Possibly teething? It sounds like it to me, so we are on constant tooth watch around here.

He's also decided he loves his exersaucer, he doesn't so much interact with the toys around it (he can't quite reach them yet) but he loves to be up and having a rattle or his "night night" and kicking his feet around. This morning I had him playing on the floor and he kept twisting his body around to stare at it. I would try to entertain him otherwise and he would keep rolling around to watch it, so in I put him and he started giggling and yelling and pushing himself up and down in it. He was so happy!

We've also started baby sign language. He really pays attention to me when I talk to him, so I figured now was a great time to start. We do "help," "more," "eat," and "all done."

At last check on the baby scale (on Monday or so) Max weighed almost 13.5 lbs. We go back to the Dr on Oct 7 for our official weight check, but my guess is they'll say he's doing just fine.

Lastly
We made an offer on a house on Tuesday and last night the family got back to us and had accepted the offer! We are so excited to move forward and hopefully this will all continue to go smoothly, we will have a lot of work to do on the house before we move in (inlcuding ripping out the bathroom and a wall to remodel it). So the blog may instead become lessons on home improvement and DIY projects. Stay tuned!

Picture Overload

Pictures are worth lots of words, here's a bunch to keep you entertained....


Max with Auntie Darci


"Hey! No pictures!"


Todd Agnew


Max wanted the youth group candy, he inched himself over to it and chose three pieces he wanted (no, I did not feed my baby candy, I was enticing him to crawl)


Naked Baby


Happy One


Not sure about this food stuff


Feet


"Mom! I can't believe you dressed me in this!"


Reading a book


Sneak Peek at some wallpaper we may or may not be removing in the near future. It's so old, it's back in style.


Trying to whistle?


So sleepy, he fell asleep while playing.


Hello? Is this thing on?

Yep we're fine

We are all doing well, I've just been so busy, I can't even think of where to begin.

I'm trying to transform my life and God is breaking my walls down for me. We haven't had a lot of free time to do the unnecessary.

I'm working on a new blog. I've had one in my head for a while, and on paper (the internet, really) unpublished for a while. Some of you may hear about it in the near future, some of you may not. Nothing personal, it's just more topical than would appeal to everyone.

A run down of my last week and a half... some things important, some not so, but certainly entertaining.

I've talked to a couple of old friends, enjoyed attending Bible study rather than leading one, helped plan youth group, had a home inspected, ate great steak three days in a row, ate with missionaries from Ecuador, been around lots of water- so much water, and more water- I actually haven't been drinking much water because I'm so sick of water, have washed 6 loads of towels (mopping up water), spent some girl time at a concert with a dear friend who knows my heart and loves me just the same, put my baby in the nursery and didn't really mind it, realized working with teenagers brings about a lot of feelings of the past and parts of me I don't necessarily like, laughed so hard I cried because my baby did the same, have been thinking about the church and why God would have possibly chosen here to place us- because it's probably not the place I would have chosen for myself, and that's probably a good thing.

I have quite a bit more to tell about each of these in detail but now I at least have a list to refer to.

This week...

I can't believe it's only Wednesday! I seem to have my hands in a little bit of everything and have been perfectly content today to stay in the house (and even catch a little nap!) while the weather is cooling off dramatically. I think we'll take a walk this afternoon to see what we can see.

The Women's Bible Study started yesterday. Right now it's 8 women all of us from different backgrounds and ages. I'm looking forward to the book we are reading (a study of John, I would give you the title and reference it to amazon but I can't see it from where I am and am too lazy to move to find it). I am also looking forward to learning more about these women (some go to our church and some don't).

This weekend is the Morton Pumpkin Festival. Those of you who know me, know about my love affair with pumpkin. mmmmm I can't wait. They posted the food options in the little local paper and so I've been plotting the best schedule to get all the pumpkin goodness. I'm most looking forward to pumpkin chili and my all time favorite, pumpkin ice cream.

Grandpa Kipp will be in town this weekend to look at the house we're interested in with us, then we will have it inspected the middle of next week.

Tonight is AWANA, tomorrow are church visits and possibly a pop over to the festival, Friday is my weekly lunch date with some ladies and possibly a little playdate with some other kids for Max in the morning, and then the weekend. Golly, time sure does fly around here.

I've been tossing around the idea of trying to keep a sketch/idea book. I couldn't find any at all the stores (I'm pretty limited to Target and Walmart around here) and I also flirted around with the idea of buying one on etsy, but I couldn't justify a purchase if I wasn't sure I would use it. So my second sketchbook will come from there. Last night after Max was down and Adam was still at the elder meeting I remembered a tutorial that I had seen where they sewed booklets. I really couldn't remember where I had seen it but in my head the idea was pretty simple. So I kept it simple and went for it. I folded some computer paper in half (I remembered they used recycled paper from projects, but I just don't have any) and some decorative paper for the cover (should have used thicker paper but I didn't) and sewed down the fold. Easy Peasy. And Cute to Boot.

Max is gaining weight, I weighed him last night and he's up to around 12 lbs. So that's almost half a pound in a week. Wow, that's progress. He's seemed to have gained it all in his cheeks.

Here he is playing on the Beth's Star Afghan I made him before he was born.

And here playing on a granny square one (this was my first baby afghan ever) made way before we even thought of having babies. I just couldn't give it away.

Has anyone seen my puppy? He's pretty sad.

Talking with his favorite toy from Grammy, Mr. Neigh Neigh. I have to put pillows on the side of him now because he likes to roll around so much and scootch around but he needs some good old fashioned tummy time.

Rain, and sniffles, and a house- Oh my!

It's been dready (autumn weather!) and chilly today, I only left to get the mail across the street and it was Adam's day off so we hung around the house and busied ourselves getting ducks in a row for a house we are thinking of purchasing, lots of phone calls on this one, because it's not even on the market. We are still wavering officially but have already begun to talk like it's ours, so we'll see.

Max seems to have a bit of a sniffle, wonder if it was just the weather, we'll see how he is tomorrow.

One of the women's Bible studies starts tomorrow. I can't wait.

We watched Music and Lyrics last night. I like Drew and I like Hugh, I really liked this movie, even more than I thought I would.

I've also been taking advantage of Netflix instant plays. Adam and I really spent most of the day watching 30 Rock. I don't like Tina Fey or Alec Baldwin or Tracy Morgan very much but the combination of the three is GOLDEN! We're almost done with the first season and just started watching it this week. Have I ever mentioned my sad addiction to watching a whole season of tv in a very short amount of time? If it weren't for Adam I would be done with all three seasons by now. Spoil Sport.

Max received a Webkins as a shower present from one of the ladies at church. I remembered the Beanie Baby craze (I still have some, I worked at a Hallmark when they were in their prime) and so I was curious about this one. Oh and I'm hooked. It's like Beanie Babies meets The Sims. I lost a whole summer of my life the The Sims when it came out for the computer. Better put the Webkins away.

Max has been a champ at putting himself to sleep, he cried tonight (put down completely awake) for 10 minutes, I didn't even get the chance to go in and soothe him (or myself, it always comforts me to check on him). But he's also started then waking up at 5:30 and thinking that it's an appropriate hour to be awake. He must be his father's son, he certainly doesn't take after me there.

Finishing

It's been a day of finishing around here.

1. I've finished late birthday presents for a family



We might be the last people on the internet to try this but it's so much fun! Freezer paper stencils. They iron right on to the shirt and then you paint. You just have to remember that it's not going to come out perfectly and that's part of the charm. We also made a shirt for Adam.

2. I finished an early birthday present for a special little girl
Can't very well show a picture can I - At least until she gets it.

3. I relished that I'd finished a long undone project

The blanket is finally stitched and blocked and residing on the guest bed.

4. I am finished being a Texan for good
I became a resident of Illinois today by getting my new driver's license. I'm really glad I did the deadline to register to vote is looming near.

5. Adam finished a burrito the size of his head

Adam heard rumor that there was a LaBamba on Bradley University's campus and he wouldn't stop until he found it. And it was just as good as we remembered it being in college.

6. Max wanted to finish his cereal all by himself


He loves the spoon and is totally entertained while I clean up the rest of the mess he made. He loves eating cereal and gets really excited when he sees it now.

7. I finished washing all of Max's next size up clothes
His pants are just too short for him now and it's been chilly (see number 9) so we've gotten out all of the 3-6 month clothes that were in the series of bins I have them organized into. Man this boy has a lot of clothes.

8. The Buckeyes almost didn't finish OU

I hope they were joking. We couldn't believe the score when we finally tuned in (audibly, online) to listen to the rest of the game in the third quarter.

9. I keep thinking we are almost finished with summer
There were quite a few times today when I had end of summer thoughts.
-When I saw the tree in my neighbors yard and thought we need to pick some of those apples before they all fall off.
-When I was folding all the little tiny jackets for Max to wear.
-When I was day dreaming about being at the beach in October.
-When I turned off the air conditioning and just left it in the off position, but didn't want to open the windows because it was a little chilly.